[House Document 115-27]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 115-27
PRINCIPLES FOR REFORMING THE MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE PROCESS
__________
MESSAGE
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
THE PRINCIPLES FOR REFORMING THE MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE PROCESS,
PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 114-328, SEC. 555(c)(1)
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
April 4, 2017.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on Armed Services and ordered to be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
69-011 WASHINGTON : 2017
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Principles for Reforming the Military
Selective Service Process, in accordance with section 555 of
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
(Public Law 114-328), which calls for the President to
establish principles for reform of the military selective
service process in support of the National Commission on
Military, National, and Public Service.
Donald J. Trump.
The White House, April 3, 2017.
Principles for Reforming the Military Selective Service Process
Sections 551-557 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2017 established the National Commission on
Military, National, and Public Service. Section 555(c) requires
the President to provide the Commission and the Congress with
principles to guide the Commission's review and
recommendations.
Our Nation requires a strong military for our security and
for the defense of American values and our interests abroad.
While we have successfully transitioned from a conscripted to
an All-Volunteer Force comprised of Active Duty, Reserve, and
National Guard personnel, and backed up by a program of
selective service to meet emergency manpower requirements,
sustaining this force requires prudent management.
The Nation must be ever mindful of the unpredictable global
security environment that requires an effective and efficient
means to provide manpower to the national security community,
including military and non-military support in a national
emergency. Historically, the Nation has maintained Selective
Service registration to provide a hedge against the catastrophe
not yet anticipated. Registration is a means to sustain
preparedness, while also reminding youth that public service is
a valued part of United States citizenship.
In conducting the Commission's review and in developing
recommendations, the Commission should ensure close examination
of all areas outlined in section 551(b) to include the need for
a military Selective Service process; the means by which to
foster a greater attitude, ethos, and propensity for military
services among United States youth; the feasibility and
advisability of modifying the Selective Service process to
leverage individuals with critical skills for which the Nation
has a need without regard to age or sex; and the feasibility
and advisability of tying the Selective Service process to
eligibility or entitlement for certain Federal benefits.
The Commission's recommendations and analysis for
sustaining and/or modernizing the Selective Service process
should be based upon the principles outlined in sections
555(c)(2). The Commission's recommendations should also be
guided by the following principles established by the
President:
1. The Nation must prepare to mitigate an unpredictable
global security and national emergency environment and to
provide manpower by which the agencies responsible for
military, national, or public service requirements can
identify, recruit, and employ individuals from the entire
population with skills necessary to augment existing manpower
within those agencies.
2. The Nation benefits from citizens who value civic
responsibility and service. Any system, process, or program
should assist the government in fostering conditions that
afford opportunities and pathways to service for persons able
to employ those critical skills necessary to augment skill sets
during conflict or national emergency, including creating
opportunities to incentivize volunteerism.
3. Any system, process, or program used to identify,
register, access, and employ individuals to augment the
existing federal civilian sector, military, and private sector
(including the non-profit sector) should draw upon the Nation's
diversity by ensuring qualified United States youth across all
demographics have the opportunity to participate in military,
national, and public service.
4. Any system, process, or program used to identify,
recruit, and employ additional skill sets should be effective
in times of peace, war, and other levels of conflict or
emergency response. Associated initiatives, systems, and
processes must be seamless, robust, and able to expand and
contract as needed. They also should ensure the means to create
pathways through service that leverages enhanced, empowered,
and experienced expertise across the spectrum of science,
technology, engineering, mathematics, national security, cyber
linguistics and foreign language, education, health care, and
the medical professions.
5. Any system, process, or program should assist in
incentivizing military, national, and public service, as well
as exposing the opportunities for critical education and
technical training opportunities via the U.S. Armed Forces,
federal and private sector, and volunteerism that set
conditions to advance individual engagement; academic and
technical development; and engagement in industry that leads to
a well-rounded and contributory society.
6. Any system, process, or program used to identify,
register, access, and employ individuals for the purpose of
sustaining or augmenting the military, national, or public
service must be grounded in fiscal sustainability to ensure its
long-term viability and reliability to the Nation. It should
also utilize best practices based on existing public and
private sector systems/processes.
Together, these principles form a useful foundation to
guide the Commission's review and development of
recommendations with respect to the Selective Service process
and means to increase participation in public service to
support the needs of the Nation.
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