§ 1143. Employment assistance

§ 1143. Employment assistance

(a) Employment Skills Verification.—

(1) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy shall provide to members of the armed forces who are discharged or released from active duty a certification or verification of any job skills and experience acquired while on active duty that may have application to employment in the civilian sector. The preceding sentence shall be carried out in conjunction with the Secretary of Labor.

(2) In order to improve the accuracy and completeness of a certification or verification of job skills and experience required by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) establish a database to record all training performed by members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force that may have application to employment in the civilian sector; and

(B) make unclassified information regarding such information available to States and other potential employers referred to in subsection (c) so that State and other entities may allow military training to satisfy licensing or certification requirements to engage in a civilian profession.

(3) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that a certification or verification of job skills and experience required by paragraph (1) is rendered in such a way that States and other potential employers can confirm the accuracy and authenticity of the certification or verification.

(b) Employment Assistance Centers.— The Secretary of Defense shall establish permanent employment assistance centers at appropriate military installations. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish permanent employment assistance centers at appropriate Coast Guard installations.

(c) Information to Civilian Entities.—

(1) For the purpose of assisting members covered by subsection (a) and their spouses in locating civilian employment and training opportunities, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish and implement procedures to release to civilian employers, organizations, State employment agencies, and other appropriate entities the names (and other pertinent information) of such members and their spouses. Such names may be released for such purpose only with the consent of such members and spouses.

(2)

(A) A State may—

(i) use a certification or verification of job skills and experience provided to a member of the armed forces under subsection (a); and

(ii) in the case of members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force, request the Department of Defense to confirm the accuracy and authenticity of the certification or verification.

(B) A response confirming or denying the information shall be provided within five business days.

(d) Employment Preference by Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities.— The Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as necessary to provide that members of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force who are involuntarily separated, and the dependents of such members, shall be provided a preference in hiring by nonappropriated fund instrumentalities of the Department. Such preference shall be administered in the same manner as the preference for military spouses provided under section 1784(a)(2) of this title, except that a preference under that section shall have priority over a preference under this subsection. A person may receive a preference in hiring under this subsection only once. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the same preference in hiring to involuntarily separated members of the Coast Guard, and the dependents of such members, in Coast Guard nonappropriated fund instrumentalities.

(e) Employment Skills Training; Skillbridge.—

(1)

(A) The Secretary concerned may carry out one or more programs to provide eligible members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary with job training and employment skills training, including apprenticeship programs, to help prepare such members for employment in the civilian sector. Such a program shall be known as “Skillbridge”.

(B) The Secretary of a military department shall carry out one or more programs under this subsection.

(2) A member of the armed forces is an eligible member for purposes of a program under this subsection if the member—

(A) has completed at least 180 days on active duty in the armed forces; and

(B) is expected to be discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces within 180 days of the date of commencement of participation in such a program.

(3) To carry out this subsection, the Secretary concerned shall—

(A) assign not fewer than two full-time equivalent positions; and

(B) develop for each fiscal year a funding plan that includes funding lines across the future-years defense program under section 221 of this title.

(4) For any program under this subsection, the Secretary concerned shall, on an annual basis—

(A) circulate, to members serving on active duty under the jurisdiction of such Secretary concerned, information about the program (including eligibility requirements and the application process); and

(B) conduct outreach to inform potential employers about Skillbridge, participating members, and how the program operates, and to increase the number of, and types of, employers that hire program participants.

(5) Any program under this subsection may be carried out at, through, or in consultation with such other departments or agencies of the Federal Government as the Secretary concerned considers appropriate.

(6) Any program under this subsection shall be carried out in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(Added Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title V, § 502(a)(1), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1553; amended Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 542(a)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2767; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, § 1073(a)(21), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1901; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, § 551, Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1412; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(f)(13), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1952; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 542(a)–(c), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1394, 1395; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 562, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1395; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 572, title IX, § 924(b)(1)(J), (3)(R), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3643, 3820, 3821; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title V, § 561(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2598; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title V, § 572(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 275; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(a)(13), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1208.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “(A)” for “(a)”.

2023—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 118–31, § 572(a)(1), designated existing provisions as subpar. “(a)” and added subpar. (B).

Subsec. (e)(3) to (6). Pub. L. 118–31, § 572(a)(2), (3), added pars. (3) and (4) and redesignated former pars. (3) and (4) as (5) and (6), respectively.

2022—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 117–263, § 561(a)(1), inserted “; Skillbridge” after “Training” in heading.

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 117–263, § 561(a)(2), inserted at end “Such a program shall be known as ‘Skillbridge’.”

2021—Subsecs. (a)(2)(A), (c)(2)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 116–283, § 924(b)(1)(J), substituted “Marine Corps, and Space Force” for “and Marine Corps”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, § 924(b)(3)(R), substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps”.

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 572(1), substituted “concerned” for “of a military department”.

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 116–283, § 572(2), struck out “of the military department” after “Secretary”.

Subsec. (e)(4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 572(3), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary of Defense”.

2019—Subsec. (e)(3), (4). Pub. L. 116–92 added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).

2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–91, § 542(a), (b), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added pars. (2) and (3).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–91, § 542(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

2013—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–239 inserted “when it is not operating as a service in the Navy” after “Coast Guard”.

2011—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 112–81 added subsec. (e).

2002—Subsecs. (a) to (d). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

1997—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted “section 1784(a)(2) of this title” for “section 806(a)(2) of the Military Family Act of 1985”.

1994—Pub. L. 103–337, § 542(a)(2)(A), struck out “: Department of Defense” after “assistance” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–337, § 542(a)(2)(B), inserted “and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard” after “Secretary of Defense” and struck out “under the jurisdiction of the Secretary” after “armed forces”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–337, § 542(a)(2)(C), inserted at end “The Secretary of Transportation shall establish permanent employment assistance centers at appropriate Coast Guard installations.”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–337, § 542(a)(2)(D), inserted “and the Secretary of Transportation” after “Secretary of Defense”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–337, § 542(a)(2)(E), inserted at end “The Secretary of Transportation shall provide the same preference in hiring to involuntarily separated members of the Coast Guard, and the dependents of such members, in Coast Guard nonappropriated fund instrumentalities.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 applicable only to members of the Coast Guard who are separated after Sept. 30, 1994, see section 542(e) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 1141 of this title.

Regulations

Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title V, § 561(b), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2598, provided that: “To carry out Skillbridge, the Secretary of Defense shall, not later than September 30, 2023— “(1) update Department of Defense Instruction 1322.29, titled ‘Job Training, Employment Skills Training, Apprenticeships, and Internships (JTEST-AI) for Eligible Service Members’; and “(2) develop a funding plan for Skillbridge that includes funding lines across the future-years defense program under section 221 of title 10, United States Code.”

Military Training and Competency Records

Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 574, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1909, provided that: “(a) Competency Records.—“(1) In general.—The Secretary of a military department shall provide, to each member of a covered Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, a document that outlines the training and qualifications acquired by the member while serving in such covered Armed Force. Such document shall be known as a ‘competency record’. “(2) Format and contents.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop a standardized format for competency records, which shall include, at a minimum, the following information:“(A) Relevant personal details about the member. “(B) Description of training courses, certifications, and qualifications obtained. “(C) Date and duration of each completed training. “(D) Authorized signatures and other necessary authentication. “(3) Availability.—A competency record shall be provided to a member upon the separation or retirement of such member from a covered Armed Force. “(b) Implementation.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2024], the Secretary of Defense shall establish the necessary regulations, procedures, and timelines for the implementation of this section. “(c) Report.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the implementation and usefulness of competency records and any recommendations of the Secretary for improving competency records. The report shall include feedback and recommendations from States and other employers regarding the usability and accuracy of the information in the competency records. “(d) Covered Armed Force Defined.—In this section, the term ‘covered Armed Force’ means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.”

Authority To Expand Eligibility for the United States Military Apprenticeship Program

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 546, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1397, provided that: “(a) Expansion Authorized.—The Secretary of Defense may expand eligibility for the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program to include any member of the uniformed services. “(b) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘uniformed services’ has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(5) of title 10, United States Code.”

Pilot Program To Assist Members of the Armed Forces in Obtaining Post-Service Employment