S 1120 — Unity through Service Act of 2025

(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 p...

(a) In General.— (1) The Secretary of Labor, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish and maintain a program to furnish counseling, assistance in identifying employment and training opportunities, help in obtaining such employment and training, and other related information and services to members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned who are being separated from active duty and the spouses of such members. Subject to subsection (f)(2), such services shall be provided to a member within the time periods provided under paragraph (3) of section 1142(a) of this title, except that the Secretary concerned shall not provide preseparation counseling to a member described in paragraph (4)(A) of such section. (2) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall cooperate with the Secretary of Labor in establishing and maintaining the program under this section. (3) The Secretaries referred to in paragraph (1) shall enter into a detailed agreement to carry out this section. (b) Elements of Program.— In establishing and carrying out a program under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall do the following: (1) Provide information concerning employment and training assistance, including (A) labor market information, (B) civilian work place requirements and employment opportunities (including apprenticeship programs approved under chapters 30 through 36 of title 38), (C) instruction in resumé preparation, and (D) job analysis techniques, job search techniques, and job interview techniques. (2) In providing information under paragraph (1), use experience obtained from implementation of the pilot program established under section 408 of Public Law 101–237. (3) Provide information concerning Federal, State, and local programs, and programs of military and veterans’ service organizations, that may be of assistance to such members after separation from the armed forces, including, as appropriate, the information and services to be provided under section 1142 of this title. (4) Inform such members that the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are required under section 1143(a) of this title to provide proper certification or verification of job skills and experience acquired while on active duty that may have application to employment in the civilian sector for use in seeking civilian employment and in obtaining job search skills. (5) Provide information and other assistance to such members in their efforts to obtain loans and grants from the Small Business Administration and other Federal, State, and local agencies. (6) Provide information about the geographic areas in which such members will relocate after separation from the armed forces, including, to the degree possible, information about employment opportunities, the labor market, and the cost of living in those areas (including, to the extent practicable, the cost and availability of housing, child care, education, and medical and dental care). (7) Work with military and veterans’ service organizations and other appropriate organizations in promoting and publicizing job fairs for such members. (8) Provide information about disability-related employment and education protections. (9) Provide information regarding the required deduction, pursuant to subsection (h) of section 1175a of this title, from disability compensation paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of amounts equal to any voluntary separation pay received by the member under such section. (10) Acting through the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, provide information on career and employment opportunities available to members with transportation security cards issued under section 70105 of title 46. (c) Participation.— (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defen...

(a) General powers and duties The Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for the exercise of the powers and the discharge of the duties of the Corporation that are not reserved to the Board, and shall have authority and control over all personnel of the Corporation, except as provided in section 414 of title 5. (b) Duties In addition to the duties conferred on the Chief Executive Officer under any other provision of the national service laws, the Chief Executive Officer, in collaboration with the State Commissions, shall— (1) prepare and submit to the Board a strategic plan, including a plan for having 50 percent of all approved national service positions be full-time positions by 2012, every 3 years, and annual updates of the plan, for the Corporation with respect to the major functions and operations of the Corporation; (2) (A) prepare and submit to the Board a proposal with respect to such grants and allotments, contracts, other financial assistance, and designation of positions as approved national service positions, as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the national service laws; and (B) after receiving and reviewing an approved proposal under section 12651b(g)(2) of this title, make such grants and allotments, enter into such contracts, award such other financial assistance, make such payments (in lump sum or installments, and in advance or by way of reimbursement, and in the case of financial assistance otherwise authorized under the national service laws, with necessary adjustments on account of overpayments and underpayments), and designate such positions as approved national service positions, approved summer of service positions, and approved silver scholar positions as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the national service laws; (3) (A) prepare and submit to the Board a proposal regarding, the regulations established under section 12651f(b)(3)(A) of this title, and such other standards, policies, procedures, programs, and initiatives as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the national service laws; and (B) after receiving and reviewing an approved proposal under section 12651b(g)(3) of this title— (i) establish such standards, policies, and procedures as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the national service laws; and (ii) establish and administer such programs and initiatives as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the national service laws; (4) (A) prepare and submit to the Board a plan for the evaluation of programs established under the national service laws, in accordance with section 12639 of this title; and (B) after receiving an approved proposal under section 12651b(g)(4) of this title— (i) establish measurable performance goals and objectives for such programs, in accordance with section 12639 of this title; and (ii) provide for periodic evaluation of such programs to assess the manner and extent to which the programs achieve the goals and objectives, in accordance with such section; (5) consult with appropriate Federal agencies in administering the programs and initiatives; (6) suspend or terminate payments and positions described in paragraph (2)(B), in accordance with section 12636 of this title; (7) prepare and submit to the authorizing committees and the Board an annual report on actions taken to achieve the goal of having 50 percent of all approved national service positions be full-time positions by 2012 as described in paragraph (1), including an assessment of the progress made toward achieving that goal and the actions to be taken in the coming year toward achieving that goal; (8) prepare and submit to the Board an annual report, and such interim reports as may be necessary, describing the major actions of the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the personnel of the Corporation, and with respect to such standards, policies, procedures, programs, and initiatives; (9) inform the Board of, and provide an explanation to the Board regarding, any substanti...