---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1153"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1153"
heading: "Assistance to separated members to obtain employment with health care providers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1153"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 58 — Benefits and Services for Members Being Separated or Recently Separated"
---

# §1153. Assistance to separated members to obtain employment with health care providers

- (a) **Placement Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, may establish a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to assist eligible members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to obtain employment with [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) providers upon their discharge or [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).
- (b) **Eligible Members.—**
  - (1) Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), a member shall be eligible for selection to participate in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a) if the member—
    - (A) is selected for involuntary separation, is approved for separation under section [1174a](/usc/10/1174a.md) or [1175](/usc/10/1175.md) of this title, or retires pursuant to the authority provided in [section 4403](/usc/10/4403.md) of the Defense Conversion, Reinvestment, and Transition Assistance Act of 1992 (division D of Public Law 102–484; [10 U.S.C. 1293](/usc/10/1293.md) note) during the six-year period beginning on October 1, 1993;
    - (B) has received an associate degree, baccalaureate, or advanced degree from an accredited [institution of higher education](/usc/10/2199.md?p=2) or a junior or community college; and
    - (C) has a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) occupational specialty, [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9), or experience related to [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10), is likely to be able to obtain such [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) in a short period of time (as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5)), or satisfies such other criteria for selection as the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may prescribe.
  - (2) For purposes of this section, a former member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) who did not meet the minimum educational qualification criterion set forth in [paragraph (1)(B)](#b-1-B) for placement assistance before discharge or [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) shall be considered to be a member satisfying such educational qualification criterion upon satisfying that criterion within five years after discharge or [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).
  - (3) A member who is discharged or released from service under other than honorable conditions shall not be eligible to participate in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
- (c) **Selection of Participants.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, shall select members to participate in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) established under [subsection (a)](#a) on the basis of applications submitted to the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) not later than one year after the date of the discharge or [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) of the members from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) or, in the case of an applicant becoming educationally qualified for teacher placement assistance in accordance with [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2), not later than one year after the date on which the applicant becomes educationally qualified. An application shall be in such form and contain such information as the [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may require.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, may not select a member to participate in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) unless the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) has sufficient appropriations for the placement [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) available at the time of the selection to satisfy the obligations to be incurred by the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) under [subsection (d)](#d) with respect to that member.
  - (3)
    - (A) The [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall provide under the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) for identifying, during each fiscal year in the period referred to in [subsection (b)(1)(A)](#b-1-A), noncommissioned officers who, on or before the end of such fiscal year, will have completed 10 or more years of continuous [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1), who have the potential to perform competently in employment positions with [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) providers, but who do not satisfy the minimum educational qualification criterion under [subsection (b)(1)(B)](#b-1-B) for placement assistance.
    - (B) The [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall inform noncommissioned officers identified under [subparagraph (A)](#c-3-A) of the opportunity to qualify in accordance with [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) for placement assistance under the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
- (d) **Grants to Facilitate Employment.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security may enter into an agreement with a [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider to assist eligible members selected under [subsection (c)](#c) to obtain suitable employment with the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider. Under such an agreement, a [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider shall agree to employ a participant in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) on a full-time basis for at least five years.
  - (2) Under an agreement referred to in [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall agree to [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) to the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider involved an amount based upon the basic salary paid by the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider to the participant. The [rate](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) of payment by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall be as follows:
    - (A) For the first year of employment, 50 percent of the basic salary, except that the payment may not exceed $25,000.
    - (B) For the second year of employment, 40 percent of the basic salary, except that the payment may not exceed $10,000.
    - (C) For the third year of employment, 30 percent of the basic salary, except that the payment may not exceed $7,500.
    - (D) For the fourth year of employment, 20 percent of the basic salary, except that the payment may not exceed $5,000.
    - (E) For the fifth year of employment, 10 percent of the basic salary, except that the payment may not exceed $2,500.
  - (3) Payments required under [paragraph (2)](#d-2) may be made by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) in such installments as the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may determine.
  - (4) If a participant who is placed under this [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) leaves the employment of the [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider before the end of the five years of required employment service, the provider shall reimburse the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) in an amount that bears the same ratio to the total amount already paid under the agreement as the unserved portion bears to the five years of required service.
  - (5) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may not make a grant under this subsection to a [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) provider if the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) determines that the provider terminated the employment of another employee in order to fill the vacancy so created with a participant in this [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
- (e) **Agreements With States.—**
  - (1) In addition to the agreements referred to in [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, may enter into an agreement directly with a [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) to allow the [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) to arrange the placement of participants in the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) with [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) providers. Paragraphs [(2)](#d-2) through [(5)](#d-5) of subsection (d) shall apply with respect to any placement made through such an agreement.
  - (2) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) up to 10 percent of the funds made available to carry out the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) for a fiscal year for the placement of participants through agreements entered into under [paragraph (1)](#e-1).
- (f) **Definitions.—** In this section, the term “[State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4)” [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4) the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Federated [States](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Palau, and the Virgin Islands.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title XIII, § 1332(b), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1795; amended Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 543(e), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2771; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2002—Subsecs. (a), (c)(1), (2), (d)(1), (e)(1). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(1), inserted “, and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard,” after “Secretary of Defense”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(2), struck out “by the Secretary of Defense” after “selection” in introductory provisions and inserted “concerned” after “Secretary” in two places in subpar. (C).

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(3), inserted “, and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard,” after “Secretary of Defense” and “concerned” after “to the Secretary” and substituted “Secretaries may” for “Secretary may”.

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(4), inserted “of Defense, and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard,” after “The Secretary” and “concerned” after “unless the Secretary”.

Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(5), substituted “Secretaries” for “Secretary” in subpars. (A) and (B).

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(6)(A), inserted “and the Secretary of Transportation” after “Secretary of Defense”.

Subsec. (d)(2) to (5). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(6)(B), inserted “concerned” after “Secretary” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(7)(A), inserted “, and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard,” after “the Secretary of Defense”.

Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 103–337, § 543(e)(7)(B), inserted “concerned” after “The Secretary”.

### 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.