Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) and Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) announced their legislation, the Reservists Opportunity Act (H.R. 5063), was signed into law by the President as part of the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation was also introduced in the Senate by Senators Jacky Rosen (NV) and Joni Ernst (IA).
“Ensuring America’s military is ready to face any threat to our nation requires us to retain the best men and women our country has to offer,” Jacobs said. “The Reservists Opportunity Act helps accomplish that goal by streamlining the process for our citizen-soldiers in the National Guard and Army Reserves to access active-duty opportunities. I’m proud to have successfully led this bipartisan effort to set our military up for future success, and I look forward to seeing our citizen-soldiers find new opportunities to serve our nation.”
"When members of our National Guard and Reserve want to step up to serve full-time, the last thing that should stop them are technological barriers. This Reservists Opportunity Act will ensure these servicemembers can access the opportunities available for active-duty service from their personal devices. I’m proud to have worked with my Republican colleague Chris Jacobs and Senators Joni Ernst and Jacky Rosen to get this important legislation across the finish line for our Guard and Reserve members," said Rep. Tim Ryan.
“Army reservists in Iowa, and across the country, should be able to easily access information on opportunities to grow their careers and find positions that best match their skill sets,” said Senator Ernst. “This bipartisan effort will ensure reservists can securely utilize the Tour of Duty system, and in turn improve military readiness and retention. I’m thrilled to see it signed into law.”
“Removing unnecessary red tape and providing more flexibility to securely search for career-enhancing active-duty opportunities is going to help our soldiers in the Army National Guard and Reserve,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to see our bipartisan plan become law through the national defense bill, so we can help the Army find existing talent within their ranks, grow soldiers professionally, and better serve the needs of the nation.”
“Providing ease of access for Citizen Soldiers to find their next opportunity to serve is vital to their growth as soldiers and the readiness of the reserve force,” said ROA’s Executive Director, retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips. “ROA is proud to have been an initial partner with Congressman Jacobs in allowing the Tour of Duty system to be accessed at home, removing any barriers to soldiers looking to be “twice the citizen” and schedule the next time they can serve their country in uniform.”
The Reservists Opportunity Act (H.R. 5063), would allow for members of the Army Reserves and National Guard to access the Army’s “Tour of Duty” system from personal devices, greatly improving access and making it easier for reservists and guardsmen to access active-duty opportunities. Currently, this system can only be accessed at locations with Department of Defense (DoD) network access. More information on this legislation can be found here.
