HR 5425119th CongressIntroduced

Servicemember Retention and Education Advancement Act

Introduced: Sep 17, 2025

Labor & EmploymentVeterans Affairs

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, titled the Servicemember Retention and Education Advancement Act, would require the Secretary of Defense to study whether there should be a uniform, nationwide policy to provide tuition assistance to all members of the armed forces after they complete one year of active-duty service. The study would assess feasibility and advisability, and within one year of enactment the Secretary must report to Congress on the study’s findings, including any barriers to implementing such a policy. The bill does not itself authorize tuition assistance or set funding levels; it initiates a formal review that could pave the way for a future uniform policy across the services.

Key Points

1Short title: Servicemember Retention and Education Advancement Act.
2Study mandate: The Secretary of Defense must study the feasibility and advisability of a uniform policy to provide tuition assistance after one year of active-duty service.
3Eligibility target: All members of the Armed Forces who complete one year of active duty service would be covered by the potential policy.
4Reporting requirement: A final report due within one year of enactment to the congressional defense committees, detailing findings and identifying barriers to implementation.
5Nature of policy: The bill only directs a study and report; it does not authorize funding or implementation of a tuition assistance program at this stage.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Active-duty service members who would be eligible for tuition assistance after one year of service (education access and financial support for training and degree programs).Secondary group/area affected: DoD leadership and policy planners who would need to design and administer a uniform policy; higher education institutions hosting service members; and military education/development programs.Additional impacts: Potential implications for military recruitment and retention strategies, overall DoD education budgeting and planning, and interaction with existing education benefits (e.g., the Post-9/11 GI Bill) and service-specific tuition assistance programs. The study could identify cost, administrative, and equity considerations that would influence any future rollout.

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