Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6382
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-06T19:39:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act" (H.R. 6382) aims to increase transparency and oversight of promotion opportunities for enlisted members of the U.S. Armed Forces in specific, high-value military occupational specialties (MOS). These specialties are critical roles that require specialized skills, and the legislation seeks to evaluate the return on investment in training and retaining personnel by examining promotion data.
Key Provisions
- Briefing Requirement: Within 180 days of the bill's enactment, the Secretary of each military department (e.g., Army, Navy, Air Force) must provide a briefing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on promotions for enlisted members in the following MOS:
- Air traffic controller
- Engineer
- Intelligence analyst
- Cyber
- Linguistics
- Public affairs
- Content of the Briefing: The briefing must cover the three most recent promotion cycles and include:
- Whether individuals can enlist directly into each MOS; eligibility for enlistment bonuses (including amounts); and if changing MOS is required for promotions to higher grades (E-6 through E-9, which are non-commissioned officer ranks).
- For each MOS, broken down by grade: Number of eligible members for promotion to E-6 through E-9; number actually promoted; and average time in grade (time at current rank) and time in service before promotion.
- Overall promotion data: Selection rates (percentage promoted), average time in grade, and time in service, disaggregated by grade.
- The Secretary's analysis of challenges to advancement in each MOS.
- Any additional relevant information deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new one-time reporting requirement, mandating detailed briefings on promotion data for specific MOS. It does not amend existing promotion laws or processes but adds an administrative obligation for military departments to compile and share data with Congress, potentially informing future reforms without directly altering current statutes like those in Title 10 of the U.S. Code (which governs armed forces organization and personnel).
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Military departments will need to allocate resources to gather and analyze promotion data, which could strain administrative workloads but promote better internal tracking of personnel retention in skilled roles.
- On Citizens: Primarily affects active-duty enlisted service members in the specified MOS by potentially highlighting barriers to advancement, which could lead to improved career progression, bonuses, or retention incentives. It may indirectly benefit military families through enhanced job stability in these roles.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though better retention in specialties like cyber and intelligence could strengthen U.S. military readiness for global operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Enlisted Military Personnel: Especially those in the listed MOS, who may gain from identified promotion issues leading to policy adjustments.
- Military Departments: Secretaries and human resources/personnel offices responsible for compiling the briefings.
- Congress: Armed Services Committees, which receive the briefings to oversee military policy and budgeting for training investments.
- Defense Recruiters and Trainers: Could influence recruitment strategies for these high-demand specialties.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill is straightforward and administrative, relying on existing congressional oversight authority under Article I of the U.S. Constitution (Congress's power to regulate the armed forces). It imposes no new burdens on individual rights and aligns with laws promoting military efficiency.
- Constitutional: No significant challenges; it supports the civilian control of the military by ensuring Congress has access to personnel data.
- Political: Could spark debates on military recruitment and retention amid broader concerns like budget constraints or national security needs. By focusing on "return on investment," it underscores fiscal accountability for taxpayer-funded training in specialized roles, potentially pressuring the Department of Defense to address promotion bottlenecks to avoid talent loss to the private sector.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act — issued 2025-12-03 — PDF (3 pages)