HR 6037 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to create the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives and to authorize a new skill incentive pay and proficiency bonus to encourage members of the Armed Forces to train in critical foreign languages and foreign cultural studies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

May 13, 2008

Ms. GIFFORDS (for herself, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed ServicesCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to create the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives and to authorize a new skill incentive pay and proficiency bonus to encourage members of the Armed Forces to train in critical foreign languages and foreign cultural studies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `National Security Culture and Language Training Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF IRREGULAR WARFARE, CULTURAL TRAINING, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE INITIATIVES.

(a) Establishing the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives- Section 138 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (a), by striking `ten' and inserting `eleven'; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(6) One of the Assistant Secretaries shall be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives. He shall have as his principal duty the overall supervision of the Office of Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Establishment of the Office of Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives- Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`Sec. 2016. Office of Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives

`(a) Establishment- There is in the Office of the Secretary of Defense an Office of Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Office'). The Office shall be under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(b) Duties- The Office shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(1) devise and implement a training doctrine that includes the development of cultural, sociological, and psychological knowledge and skills for members of the armed forces;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(2) use existing cultural training programs and structures in the armed forces to expand training efforts for all military personnel;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(3) devise measurable, empirical criteria for determining the value and efficacy of each initiative and program of the Office;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(4) develop and maintain partnerships between the Department of Defense and academic institutions, social science professionals, and human science professionals to further the mission of the Office;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(5) serve as the clearinghouse within the Department of Defense for knowledge in the human and social sciences;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(6) develop products and studies on cultural awareness training and education, educational training and science, language science, and opinion shaping; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(7) disseminate human and social science knowledge to members of the armed forces in the field in a useable, standardized form.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(c) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, and every year thereafter, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare, Cultural Training, and Social Science Initiatives shall submit a report to Congress on the implementation of this section.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. USE OF NEW SKILL INCENTIVE PAY AND PROFICIENCY BONUS AUTHORITIES TO ENCOURAGE TRAINING IN CRITICAL FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND FOREIGN CULTURAL STUDIES.

(a) Eligibility for Skill Proficiency Bonus- Subsection (b) of section 353 of title 37, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(b) Skill Proficiency Bonus-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(1) AVAILABILITY; ELIGIBLE PERSONS- The Secretary concerned may pay a proficiency bonus to a member of a regular or reserve component of the uniformed services who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(A) is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title or is enrolled in an officer training program; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(B) is determined to have, and maintains, certified proficiency under subsection (d) in a skill designated as critical by the Secretary concerned or is in training to acquire proficiency in a critical foreign language or expertise in foreign cultural studies or a related skill designated as critical by the Secretary concerned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(2) INCLUSION OF CERTAIN SENIOR ROTC MEMBERS- A proficiency bonus may be paid under this subsection to a student who is enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program even though the student is in the first year of the four-year course under the program. During the period covered by the proficiency bonus, the student shall also be entitled to a monthly subsistence allowance under section 209(c) of this title even though the student has not entered into an agreement under section 2103a of title 10. However, if the student receives incentive pay under subsection (g)(2) for the same period, the student may receive only a single monthly subsistence allowance under section 209(c) of this title.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Availability of Incentive Pay for Participation in Foreign Language Education or Training Programs- Such section is further amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by redesignating subsections (g), (h), and (i) as subsections (h), (i), and (j), respectively; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection (g):CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(g) Foreign Language Studies in Officer Training Programs-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(1) AVAILABILITY OF INCENTIVE PAY- The Secretary concerned may pay incentive pay to a person enrolled in an officer training program to also participate in an education or training program to acquire proficiency in a critical foreign language or expertise in foreign cultural studies or a related skill designated as critical by the Secretary concerned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(2) INCLUSION OF CERTAIN SENIOR ROTC MEMBERS- Incentive pay may be paid under this subsection to a student who is enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program even though the student is in the first year of the four-year course under the program. While the student receives the incentive pay, the student shall also be entitled to a monthly subsistence allowance under section 209(c) of this title even though the student has not entered into an agreement under section 2103a of title 10. However, if the student receives a proficiency bonus under subsection (b)(2) covering the same month, the student may receive only a single monthly subsistence allowance under section 209(c) of this title.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(3) CRITICAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEFINED- In this section, the term `critical foreign language' includes Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, Russian, Portuguese, or other language designated as critical by the Secretary concerned.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Pilot Program for Foreign Language Proficiency Training for Reserve Members-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED- The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a pilot program to provide a skill proficiency bonus under section 353(b) of title 37, United States Code, to a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who is entitled to compensation under section 206 of such title while the member participates in an education or training program to acquire proficiency in a critical foreign language or expertise in foreign cultural studies or a related skill designated as critical under such section 353.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM- The Secretary shall conduct the pilot program during the period beginning on October 1, 2008, and ending on December 31, 2013. Incentive pay may not be provided under the pilot program after December 31, 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) REPORTING REQUIREMENT- Not later than March 31, 2012, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of the pilot program and the recommendations of the Secretary regarding whether to continue or expand the pilot program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Expedited Implementation- Notwithstanding section 662 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181; 122 Stat. 180; 37 U.S.C. 301 note), the Secretary of a military department may immediately implement the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) in order to ensure the prompt availability of proficiency bonuses and incentive pay under section 553 of title 37, United States Code, as amended by such subsections, for persons enrolled in officer training programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink