,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ecba ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #a1 #bjbc,mr4 ,bacon introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjai to improve the ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain strategic defense fellows program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strategic ,defense ,fellows ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,improvements to the ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain strategic defense fellows program 7a7 ,selection of participants ,subsection 7d77#b7 of section #icb of the ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjai 7,public ,law #aae-bcb2 #aj ,u4,s4,c4 #aehj note prec47 is amended to read as follows3 7#b7 ,geographical representation ,out of the total number of individuals selected to participate in the fellows program in any year1 no more than #bj percent may be from any of the following geographic regions3 7,a7 ,the ,northeast ,united ,states4 7,b7 ,the ,southeast ,united ,states4 7,c7 ,the ,midwest ,united ,states4 7,d7 ,the ,southwest ,united ,states4 7,e7 ,the ,western ,united ,states4 7,f7 ,alaska1 ,hawaii1 ,united ,states territories1 and areas outside the ,united ,states4 4 7b7 ,appointment1 placement1 and conversion ,such section is further amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7d77#c7-- 7,a7 by striking assigned and inserting appointed2 and 7,b7 by striking assignment and inserting appointment2 and 7#b7 by amending subsections 7e7 and 7f7 to read as follows3 7e7 ,appointment 7#a7 ,in general ,an individual who participates in the fellows program shall be appointed into an excepted service position in the ,department4 7#b7 ,position requirements ,each year1 the head of each ,department of ,defense ,component shall submit to the ,secretary of ,defense placement opportunities for participants in the fellows program4 ,such placement opportunities shall provide for leadership development and potential commencement of a career track toward a position of senior leadership in the ,department4 ,the ,secretary of ,defense1 in coordination with the heads of ,department of ,defense ,components1 shall establish qualification requirements for the appointment of participants under paragraph 7#a7 and subsection 7f77#b74 7#c7 ,appointment to positions ,each year1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall appoint participants in the fellows program to positions in the ,department of ,defense ,components4 ,in making such appointments1 the ,secretary shall seek to best match the qualifications and skills of the participants with the requirements for positions available for appointment4 7#d7 ,term ,the term of each appointment under the fellows program shall be one year with the option to extend the appointment up to one additional year4 7#e7 ,grade ,an individual appointed to a position under the fellows program shall be appointed at a level between ,,gs-#aj and ,,gs-#ab of the ,general ,schedule based on the directly-related qualifications1 skills1 and professional experience of the individual4 7#f7 ,education loan repayment ,to the extent that funds are provided in advance in appropriations ,acts1 the ,secretary of ,defense may repay a loan of a participant in the fellows program if the loan is described by subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 of section #afcja7;a77#a7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4 ,any repayment of a loan under this paragraph may require a minimum service agreement1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#g7 ,department of defense component defined ,in this subsection1 the term ,department of ,defense ,component means a ,department of ,defense ,component1 as set forth in section #aaa of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7f7 ,career development 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall ensure that participants in the fellows program-- 7,a7 receive career development opportunities and support appropriate for the commencement of a career track within the ,department leading toward a future position of senior leadership within the ,department1 including ongoing mentorship support through appropriate personnel from entities within the ,department2 and 7,b7 are provided appropriate employment opportunities for competitive and excepted service positions in the ,department upon successful completion of the fellows program4 7#b7 ,noncompetitive appointment or conversion ,upon a participant's successful completion of the fellows program1 the ,secretary may1 without regard to the provisions of subchapter ,i of chapter #cc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 noncompetitively appoint or convert the participant into a vacant competitive or excepted service position in the ,department1 if the ,secretary determines that such appointment or conversion will contribute to the development of highly qualified future senior leaders for the ,department4 ,the ,secretary may appoint or convert the participant into a position up to the ,,gs-#ac level of the ,general ,schedule or an equivalent position for which the participant is qualified without regard to any minimum time in grade requirements4 7#c7 ,appointment of former participants ,the ,secretary may utilize the authority in paragraph 7#b7 for a participant-- 7,a7 up to #b years after the date of the participant's successful completion of the fellows program2 or 7,b7 in the case of a participant who entered the fellows program before the date of the enactment of this subparagraph1 up to #e years after the date of the participant's successful completion of the fellows program4 7#d7 ,publication of selection ,the ,secretary shall publish1 on an ,internet website of the ,department available to the public1 the names of the individuals selected to participate in the fellows program4 4