§2004c. Detail as students at schools for education required for appointment as a chaplain: commissioned officers; certain enlisted members

(a) Detail Authorized.-(1) The Secretary of each military department may detail commissioned officers and enlisted members of the armed forces as students at accredited colleges, universities, and schools of theology, located in the United States, for a period of training leading to a graduate degree that meets the educational requirements for appointment as a chaplain in the armed forces.

(2) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, the Secretary of a military department may fund educational expenses for members of the armed forces detailed under paragraph (1). Not more than 25 officers and enlisted members from each military department may commence such training in any single fiscal year.

(3) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, the Secretary of a military department may also detail members under paragraph (1) without funding any educational expenses. A member detailed pursuant to this paragraph shall not count against the limitation in paragraph (2).

(b) Eligibility for Detail.-To be eligible for detail under subsection (a), an officer or enlisted member must be a citizen of the United States and must-

(1)(A) have served on active duty for a period of not less than two years nor more than eight years and be an officer in the pay grade O–3 or below as of the time the training is to begin; or

(B) have served on active duty for a period of not less than four years nor more than ten years and be an enlisted member in the pay grade E–5 or above as of the time the training is to begin;

(2) in the case of an enlisted member, meet all requirements for acceptance of a commission as a commissioned officer in the armed forces; and

(3) sign an agreement that unless sooner separated the officer or enlisted member will-

(A) complete the educational course of chaplaincy training; and

(B) if the Secretary of the military department concerned carries out a program under section 710 of this title-

(i) agree to be inactivated for a period of time under subsection (a)(2) of such section upon completion of a detail under this section; and

(ii) accept transfer or detail as a chaplain in the military department concerned upon completion of the period described in clause (i).

(c) Limitation on Service Credit.-Notwithstanding section 533 of this title, a commissioned officer of the armed forces who completes a detail under this section may not be credited with more than four years of constructive service under such section 533 upon original appointment to the armed forces as a chaplain.

(d) Service Obligation.-(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the agreement of an officer or enlisted member under subsection (b) shall provide that the officer or enlisted member shall serve on active duty for two years for each year or part thereof of chaplaincy training completed under subsection (a), except that such agreement may not require more than a total of six years of service on active duty.

(2) The agreement of an officer or enlisted member under subsection (b) may authorize the officer or enlisted member to serve a portion of a service obligation on active duty and to complete the service obligation that remains upon separation from active duty in the Selected Reserve, in which case the officer or enlisted member shall serve three years in the Selected Reserve for each year or part thereof of the chaplaincy training of such officer or enlisted member under subsection (a) for any service obligation that was not completed before separation from active duty, except that such agreement may not require more than a total of nine years of service in the Selected Reserve.

(e) Selection of Officers and Enlisted Members for Detail.-The Secretary of the military department concerned shall select officers and enlisted members for detail for chaplaincy training under subsection (a)-

(1) on a competitive basis;

(2) without regard to the duration of ordination or seminary requirements for the chaplaincy training in which an officer or enlisted member seeks to enroll; and

(3) based on the needs of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

(f) Relation of Service Obligations to Other Service Obligations.-Any service obligation incurred by an officer or enlisted member under an agreement entered into under subsection (b) shall be in addition to any service obligation incurred by such officer or enlisted member under any other provision of law or agreement, except that the total service obligation under this section and any other provision of law or agreement shall not exceed nine years.

(g) Expenses.-Expenses incident to the detail of officers and enlisted members under this section shall be paid from any funds appropriated for the military department concerned.

(h) Failure to Complete Program.-An officer or enlisted member who is dropped from a program of chaplaincy training to which detailed under subsection (a) for deficiency in conduct or studies, or for other reasons, may be required to-

(1) perform active duty in an appropriate military capacity in accordance with the active duty obligation imposed by regulations issued by the Secretary of Defense, except that in no case shall an officer or enlisted member be required to serve on active duty for any period in excess of one year for each year or part thereof he participated in the program; or

(2) repay the expenses incident to the detail of such officer or enlisted member and paid under subsection (f).¹

(i) Limitation on Details.-No agreement detailing an officer or enlisted member of the armed forces to a chaplaincy school may be entered into during any period in which the President is authorized by law to induct persons into the armed forces involuntarily. Nothing in this subsection shall affect any agreement entered into during any period when the President is not authorized by law to so induct persons into the armed forces.

(j) Reports.-Not later than March 31, 2027, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the detail of commissioned officers and enlisted members of the armed forces under this section during the preceding fiscal year, including-

(1) the number of members of the armed forces detailed under this section, disagreggated by military department and religious faith of the members;

(2) the number of members of the armed forces who completed a detail under this section, disaggregated by military department and religious faith of the members;

(3) the number of members of the armed forces who have completed a detail under this section and been appointed as a chaplain in the armed forces, disaggregated by military department and religious faith of the members;

(4) the length of detail and total cost of participation, including pay, benefits, and educational expenses, for each member of the armed forces detailed under this section;

(5) a description of any barriers to participation in details under this section by religious faiths with lengthier or nontraditional formation requirements and any efforts by the Secretary to address any shortages of chaplains in the armed forces for particular religious faiths; and

(6) any recommendations of the Secretary for legislative or administrative changes to improve the equity, effectiveness, or fiscal management of the detail of members of the armed forces under this section.

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, §504(b), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 855 .)

¹ So in original. Probably should be "subsection (g).".