,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bffh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #ab1    
#bjah ,mr4 ,burr 7for himself1 ,mrs4    
,murray1 ,mr4 ,nelson1 and ,mr4 ,rubio7 
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a      
,,bill  ,to require a pilot program on  
the earning by special operations forces
 medics of credits towards a physician  
assistant degree4  #a4 ,pilot program on
 earning by special operations forces   
medics of credits towards a physician   
assistant degree  7a7 ,in general ,the  
,secretary of ,defense shall conduct a  
pilot program to assess the feasibility 
and advisability of partnerships between
 special operations forces and          
institutions of higher education with   
appropriate accreditation1 and health   
care systems if determined appropriate  
by the ,secretary for purposes of the   
pilot program1 through which special    
operations forces medics earn credit    

toward the accredited master's degree of
 physician assistant for military       
operational work and training performed 
by the medics4  7b7 ,duration ,the      
,secretary shall conduct the pilot      
program for a period not to exceed five 
years4  7c7 ,clinical training          
,partnerships under subsection 7a7 shall
 permit medics participating in the     
pilot program to conduct clinical       
training at medical facilities of the   
,department of ,defense and the civilian
 sector in order to meet the increasing 
demand for highly trained health care   
providers at such facilities4  7d7      
,evaluation ,the evaluation of work and 
training performed by medics for which  
credits are earned under the pilot      
program shall comply with civilian      
clinical evaluation and accreditation   
standards applicable to the awarding of 
master's degrees of physician assistant4
  7e7 ,reports  7#a7 ,initial report    
,not later than #ahj days after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     

,secretary of ,defense shall submit to  
the ,committees on ,armed ,services of  
the ,senate and the ,house of           
,representative a report that shall     
include the following3  7,a7 ,a         
comprehensive framework for the military
 education to be provided to special    
operations forces medics under the pilot
 program1 including courses of          
instruction at institutions of higher   
education with appropriate accreditation
 and any health care systems            
participating in the pilot program4     
7,b7 ,metrics to be used to assess the  
effectiveness of the pilot program4     
7,c7 ,a description of the mechanisms to
 be used by the ,department1 medics1 or 
both to cover the costs of education    
received by medics under the pilot      
program through institutions of higher  
education or health care systems1       
including payment by the ,department in 
return for a military service           
commitment1 tuition or other educational
 assistance 7including scholarships1    

grants1 or financial aid7 by the        
,department1 use by medics of           
post-#i_/aa educational assistance      
available through the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs1 and any other       
mechanisms the ,secretary considers     
appropriate for purposes of the pilot   
program4  7#b7 ,final report ,not later 
than #ij days after completion of the   
pilot program1 the ,secretary shall     
submit to the ,committees on ,armed     
,services of the ,senate and the ,house 
of ,representatives a final report on   
the pilot program4 ,the report shall    
include the following3  7,a7 ,an        
evaluation of the pilot program using   
the metrics of assessment set forth     
pursuant to paragraph 7#a77;,b74  7,b7  
,an assessment of the utility of the    
funding mechanisms set forth pursuant to
 paragraph 7#a77;,c74  7,c7 ,an         
assessment of the effects of the pilot  
program on recruitment and retention of 
medics for special operations forces4   
7,d7 ,an assessment of the feasibility  

and advisability of extending one or    
more authorities for joint professional 
military education under chapter #ajg of
 title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 to   
warrant officers or enlisted personnel1 
and if the ,secretary considers the     
extension of any such authorities       
feasible and advisable1 recommendations 
for legislative or administrative action
 to so extend such authorities4  7f7    
,construction of authorities ,nothing in
 this section may be construed to-- 7#a7
 authorize an officer or employee of the
 ,federal ,government to create1        
endorse1 or otherwise incentivize a     
particular curriculum or degree track2  
or  7#b7 require1 direct1 review1 or    
control a ,state or educational         
institution1 or the instructional       
content1 curriculum1 and related        
activities of a ,state or educational   
institution4