SERVE Act

The "Service Enlistment and Recruitment of Valuable Engagement Act" (SERVE Act) aims to address significant challenges in military recruitment by improving the military's ability to connect with potential applicants. It mandates that secondary schools provide meaningful access to military recruiters, including monthly visits or at least four times per academic year in high-traffic areas, and requires schools to provide student names, academic grades, and genders to recruiters earlier. Similarly, institutions of higher education must grant ROTC access and provide information on students aged 17 or older, including those who submitted a FAFSA, along with their academic grades and genders. To further support military engagement, the Act establishes two new JROTC affiliation types: "Host units" and "Cross-town" units, allowing students from schools without JROTC to participate in programs at other schools. Additionally, it creates a two-year pilot program to designate high schools with above-average military enlistment rates as " HERO schools ," recognizing their commitment to fostering a culture of service. Graduates from these HERO schools will receive priority consideration for admission to military service academies, including for congressional nominations. The bill also designates a "National Week of Military Recruitment" to be observed annually, encouraging public awareness and support for military service. Finally, it includes various reporting requirements for the Department of Defense, ensuring oversight and evaluation of the new JROTC policies, the effectiveness of the HERO schools pilot program, and the impact of the priority consideration policy for service academy applicants.