VET Corps

(a)

Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1)The veteran population is estimated by the Department of Veterans Affairs to be around 23,400,000 and growing. (2)Today, an estimated 1,640,000 United States troops have deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF; Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF; Iraq). In total 2,950,000 veterans receive disability compensation, with 261,897 having a 100 percent disability rating. As of September of 2007, 223,564 OEF/OIF veterans filed for disability claims. (3)A 2007 survey for the Department of Veterans Affairs discovered veterans of all ages tend to have an unemployment rate double that of similar nonveterans, with returning veterans experiencing the highest rate of unemployment at 18 percent. (4)Veterans often have difficulty transitioning to civilian life. (5)Military and national service is a foundation for a continued commitment to service. (6)The specific experience and expertise of veterans make them uniquely qualified to serve other veterans. (7)The Civilian Conservations Corps (CCC) established in 1933, which provided work and vocational training for 3,500,000 unemployed young Americans, was one of the singularly successful Federal programs in American history. (8)The Senior Corps established in 1973 to expand the role of older volunteers, enrolls more than 500,000 volunteers each year and in their first 10 years contributed over 1,100,000,000 hours of service to communities nationwide. (9)In a manner similar to the CCC of the 1930s and the Senior Corps of today, veterans can be mobilized to perform outreach to the veteran community to guide them to appropriate services and assist them in necessary activities. (b)

General Authority

Title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

VET Corps

199AA.

Purposes of Vet Corps

It is the purpose of this subtitle to authorize the establishment of Veterans Engaged for Tomorrow Corps (in this Act referred to as VET Corps)— (1)to create a service corps of veterans, composed of veterans, retired military personnel, or family members of veterans, or retired military personnel to help such individuals to obtain job training, professional certification, or access to post-secondary education or employers and otherwise to serve their communities through national and community service programs; (2)to create a service corps that supports existing outreach efforts of Veteran Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense in order to inform veterans about available services and benefits; (3)to create a service corps that will act as a clearinghouse to direct any person desiring to serve the veteran population to such opportunities in cooperation with other service corps programs, Veterans Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense; (4)to create a service corps to coordinate with the Veteran Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and other Federal agencies to identify and address existing and future needs and challenges of veterans; and (5)to create a service corps that provides veterans of all ages with opportunities to adjust to civilian life.

199BB.

Establishment of VET Corps; Administrative provisions

(a)

In general

The Corporation shall establish VET Corps to carry out the purposes described in section 199AA. (b)

Staff

(1)

Appointment

Upon the establishment of VET Corps, the Chief Executive Officer shall appoint a Director. The Director may be selected from among retired commissioned officers of the Armed Forces of the United States. (2)

Duties

The Director shall— (A)design, develop, and administer the VET Corps programs; (B)be responsible for managing the daily operations of the Corps; and (C)report to the Chief Executive Officer. (3)

Authority to employ staff

The Director may employ such staff as is necessary to carry out this subtitle. The Director shall, to the maximum extent practicable, utilize in staff positions personnel who are detailed from departments and agencies of the Federal Government and, to the extent the Director considers appropriate, shall request and accept detail of personnel from such departments and agencies in order to do so. (4)

Inapplicability of certain civil service laws

The Director and staff personnel shall be appointed without regard to provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service. The rates of pay of such persons may be established without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title. (5)

Voluntary services

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director may accept the voluntary services of individuals. While away from their homes or regular places of business on the business of the Corps, such individuals may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same amounts and to the same extent, as authorized under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in the Federal Government.

199CC.

VET Corps members

(a)

Membership in VET Corps

(1)

Participants to be members

Persons selected to participate in any VET Corps project receiving a grant under the 199DD shall become members of the VET Corps. (2)

Selection of members

The Director shall select individuals for membership in the Corps. Such individuals shall consist of veterans, retired military personnel, or family members of veterans or retired military personnel, with preference given to veterans and retired military personnel. (b)

Application for membership

To be selected to become a Corps member an individual shall submit an application to the Director or any other office as the Director may designate, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director shall require. At a minimum, the application shall contain an assurance that the individual is a veteran or retired military personnel who did not withdraw from military service for the purpose of becoming a member of VET Corps. (c)

Duration

Individuals may be members of VET Corps for up to 24 months. (d)

Status of Corps members under Federal law

Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, members of VET Corps shall not, by reason of their status as such members, be considered Federal employees or be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment. (e)

Authorized benefits for Corps members

(1)

In general

The Director shall provide for members of the VET Corps to receive benefits authorized by this subsection. (2)

Living allowance

The Director shall provide a living allowance to members of the Corps for the period during which such members are engaged in residential Corps programs. (3)

Other authorized benefits

While receiving training or engaging in service projects as members of the VET Corps, members may be provided the following benefits: (A)Allowance for travel expenses, personal expenses, and other expenses. (B)Quarters. (C)Subsistence. (D)Transportation. (E)Other services determined by the Director to be consistent with the purposes of VET Corps. (4)

National Service Educational awards

A Corps member who successfully completes a period of agreed service in the Corps shall be considered to have served in an approved national service position and, upon meeting the requirements of section 147 for full-time or part-time national service, shall be eligible for a national service educational award described in such section. The Corporation (through the Director) shall transfer an appropriate amount of funds to the National Service Trust to provide for the national service educational awards for such member. (5)

Health Insurance

(A)

In general

A VET Corps project receiving assistance under section 199DD shall provide a basic health care policy for each full-time participant in a service project carried out or supported using the assistance, if the participant is not otherwise covered by a health care policy. Not more than 85 percent of the cost of a premium shall be provided by the Director, with the remaining cost paid by the entity receiving assistance under section 199DD. The Director shall establish minimum standards that all plans must meet in order to qualify for payment under this section, any circumstances in which an alternative health care policy may be substituted for the basic health care policy, and mechanisms to prohibit participants from dropping existing coverage. (B)

Option

A VET Corps project receiving assistance under section 199DD may elect to provide from its own funds a health care policy for participants that does not meet all of the standards established by the Director if the fair market value of such policy is equal to or greater than the fair market value of a plan that meets the minimum standards established by the Director, and is consistent with other applicable laws. (6)

Determination of benefits

In determining the authorized benefits a member receives under this subsection, the Director shall take into account the educational, social, and family circumstances of such member, including whether such member has graduated from an institution of higher education, is unemployed, or has had contact with the justice system.

199DD.

Authority to provide assistance to VET Corps projects

(a)

Provision of assistance

From amounts appropriated for a fiscal year under section 501(a)(4), the Corporation shall make grants to Veteran Service Organizations, nonprofit organizations, Federal agencies, State or local governments, or institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing, operating, and supporting a VET Corps project. (b)

Application

(1)

In general

To be eligible to receive assistance under this section, a Veteran Service Organizations, nonprofit organization, Federal, State, or local government, or institution of higher education shall prepare and submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Corporation may reasonably require. (2)

Required information

An application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include— (A)a description of how the VET Corps project to be carried out directly by such applicant using funds provided under this section— (i)will assist participants in obtaining admission into an institution of higher education, a job credential, further job training, or employment; (ii)will meet all the VET indicators, and engage participants in activities that will improve the project’s performance on such indicators; and (iii)will improve performance on the VET indicators in a geographic area demonstrating the need to improve such indicators based on the demographic information of veterans and retired military personnel in such area and other statistics; (B)a description of the type of positions which participants will be placed into using the funds under this section, including descriptions of the specific tasks to be performed by such participants, and the minimum qualifications that individuals will be required to meet to become participants in such project; (C)the number of proposed full- and part-time national service positions for which participants will receive the national service educational award described in subtitle D; (D)an assurance that the applicant will comply with the nonduplication and nondisplacement provisions of section 177; and (E)a description of how the applicant— (i)in cooperation with other service corps authorized under the national service laws, Veterans Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense will act as a clearinghouse by directing any person desiring to serve the veteran population to such opportunities; and (ii)if applicable, will work with other community-based agencies to carry out activities to improve performance of the VET Corps indicators (c)

Eligible VET Corps projects

The recipient of a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out service projects that address veteran needs, which may include— (1)building housing for veterans and others in need of such services; (2)assisting with rehabilitative classes such as physical therapy or life skills development; (3)providing services in veterans’ hospitals or community-based outpatient clinics; (4)assisting with outreach of Veteran Services Organizations and other service corps to help veterans and retired military personnel with the transition from active duty service as a member of the Armed Forces to becoming a veteran or retiring from military life; (5)the repair, renovation, or adaption of homes or vehicles of disabled veterans; (6)performing outreach to the veteran and retired military personnel community to provide them information and access to services available to them; (7)assisting in other such activities as a recipient of a grant under this section may identify; (8)providing services to military families during overseas deployment; and (9)fostering mentoring relationships between veterans and nonveterans. (d)

Preference for certain projects

In the consideration of applications submitted under this section, the Director shall give preference to projects that— (1)provide development, training, and practical work experience for veterans and retired members of the military in important career fields and act as preparation for additional education or permanent employment for veterans and retired members of the military which will provide long-term benefits to the public; (2)can be planned and initiated promptly; and (3)will provide academic, experiential, or community education opportunities. (e)

Evaluation

(1)

Evaluation

Subject to paragraph (2), the Director shall develop evaluation criteria and performance goals, including recruitment and retention goals, applicable to all VET Corps projects carried out with assistance provided under this section. (2)

Alternative evaluation requirements

The Director may establish alternative evaluation requirements, such as requirements that provide flexibility in the recruitment and retention outcomes, for VET Corps projects based upon the amount of assistance received in this section and the demographics of participants.

199EE.

Consultation

The Director shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Veteran Service Organizations, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, in making grants under subsection 199DD, developing additional VET indicators, and in recruiting VET Corps members.

199FF.

Training and Technical assistance

From amounts appropriated for a fiscal year under section 501(a), the Director shall ensure that the VET Corps (including each recipient of a grant under this subtitle) has adequate access to relevant training and technical assistance services, such as services to assist with improving performance on VET indicators, which shall be provided, by grant or contract, through at least 1 national non-profit organization with a demonstrated record of experience in promoting and disseminating effective practices among service corps.

199GG.

Definitions

For the purposes of this subtitle: (a)

Veteran

The term veteran means a person who— (1)serves on active duty (other than active duty for training) as a member of the Armed Forces— (A)for a period of at least 180 days; or (B)for a shorter period of time in the case of a person who is discharged or released from such service for a service-connected disability; and (2)is discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable. (b)

Retired military personnel

The term retired military personnel means the following: (1)Regular and Reserve officers and enlisted members who retire from the Military Services under chapters 61, 63, 65, 67, 367, 571, 573, or 867 of title 10, United States Code, and chapters 11 and 21 of title 14, United States Code. (2)Reserve officers and enlisted members eligible for retirement who have not reached age 60 and who have not elected discharge or are not members of the Ready Reserve or Standby Reserve (including members of the Inactive Standby Reserve). (3)Members of the Fleet Reserve and Fleet Marine Corps Reserve under section 6330 of title 10, United States Code. (c)

VET Indicators

The term VET Indicators means— (1)promoting and improving the service opportunities for veterans; (2)engaging veterans and retired military personnel; and (3)projects designed to meet identifiable public needs with a specific emphasis on projects in support of veterans, especially disabled and older veterans and retired military personnel.