Section 511 - College First Program(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.-The Secretary of each military department may establish a program to increase the number of, and the level of the qualifications of, persons entering the armed forces as enlisted members by encouraging recruits to pursue higher education or vocational or technical training before entry into active service.(b) DELAYED ENTRY WITH ALLOWANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.-The Secretary concerned may-(1) exercise the authority under section 513 of this title-(B) to authorize, notwithstanding the period limitation in subsection (b) of that section, a delay of the enlistment of any such person in a regular component under that subsection for the period during which the person is enrolled in, and pursuing a program of education at, an institution of higher education, or a program of vocational or technical training, on a full-time basis that is to be completed within the maximum period of delay determined for that person under subsection (c); and(2) subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (d) and except as provided in paragraph (3) of that subsection, pay an allowance to a person accepted for enlistment under paragraph (1)(A) for each month of the period during which that person is enrolled in and pursuing a program described in paragraph (1)(B).(c) MAXIMUM PERIOD OF DELAY.-The period of delay authorized a person under paragraph (1)(B) of subsection (b) may not exceed the 30-month period beginning on the date of the person's enlistment accepted under paragraph (1)(A) of such subsection.(d) ALLOWANCE.-(1) The monthly allowance paid under subsection (b)(2) shall be equal to the amount of the subsistence allowance provided for certain members of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps with the corresponding number of years of participation under section 209(a) of title 37. The Secretary concerned may supplement that stipend by an amount not to exceed $225 per month.(2) An allowance may not be paid to a person under this section for more than 24 months.(3) A member of the Selected Reserve of a reserve component may be paid an allowance under this section only for months during which the member performs satisfactorily as a member of a unit of the reserve component that trains as prescribed in section 10147(a)(1) of this title or section 502(a) of title 32. Satisfactory performance shall be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.(4) An allowance under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowance to which a member of a reserve component is entitled by reason of participation in the Ready Reserve of that component.(e) RECOUPMENT OF ALLOWANCE.-(1) A person who, after receiving an allowance under this section, fails to complete the total period of service required of that person in connection with delayed entry authorized for the person under section 513 shall repay the United States the amount which bears the same ratio to the total amount of that allowance paid to the person as the unserved part of the total required period of service bears to the total period.(2) An obligation to repay the United States imposed under paragraph (1) is for all purposes a debt owed to the United States.(3) A discharge of a person in bankruptcy under title 11 that is entered less than five years after the date on which the person was, or was to be, enlisted in the regular Army pursuant to the delayed entry authority under section 513 does not discharge that person from a debt arising under paragraph (1).(4) The Secretary concerned may waive, in whole or in part, a debt arising under paragraph (1) in any case for which the Secretary determines that recovery would be against equity and good conscience or would be contrary to the best interests of the United States.(f) SPECIAL PAY AND BONUSES.-Upon enlisting in the regular component of the member's armed force, a person who initially enlisted as a Reserve under this section may, at the discretion of the Secretary concerned, be eligible for all regular special pays, bonuses, education benefits, and loan repayment programs.Added Pub. L. 108-375, div. A, title V, §551(a)(1), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1909; amended Pub. L. 118-31, div. A, title XVII, §1717(b)(6), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 655.EDITORIAL NOTES
PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 511 was renumbered section 12103 of this title.
AMENDMENTS2023-Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 118-31 inserted "or as a member of the Space Force," after "reserve component,".
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
CONTINUATION FOR ARMY OF PRIOR ARMY COLLEGE FIRST PROGRAM Pub. L. 108-375, div. A, title V, §551(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1911, provided that: "The Secretary of the Army shall treat the program under section 511 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), as a continuation of the program under section 573 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 [Pub. L. 106-65] ([formerly] 10 U.S.C. 513 note), and for such purpose the Secretary may treat such section 511 as having been enacted on October 1, 2004."
- Air National Guard of the United States
- The term "Air National Guard of the United States" means the reserve component of the Air Force all of whose members are members of the Air National Guard.
- Army National Guard of the United States
- The term "Army National Guard of the United States" means the reserve component of the Army all of whose members are members of the Army National Guard.
- Secretary concerned
- The term "Secretary concerned" means-(A) the Secretary of the Army, with respect to matters concerning the Army;(B) the Secretary of the Navy, with respect to matters concerning the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard when it is operating as a service in the Department of the Navy;(C) the Secretary of the Air Force, with respect to matters concerning the Air Force and the Space Force; and(D) the Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy.
- active service
- The term "active service" means service on active duty or full-time National Guard duty.
- armed forces
- The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
- pay
- The term "pay" includes basic pay, special pay, retainer pay, incentive pay, retired pay, and equivalent pay, but does not include allowances.