Bill Overview
Title: Geographical Dispersion of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Defense to review and update the 2017 report from the RAND Corporation titled Geographic and Demographic Representativeness of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (Library of Congress Control Number: 2017950423), relating to the representation in, and access to, units of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) for students in the United States.
Sponsors: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
Target Audience
Population: Students potentially affected by changes in access to JROTC programs
Estimated Size: 500000
- The JROTC is a program designed for high school students across America to develop leadership skills and promote community service, while also preparing them for possible future military service.
- There are approximately 3,400 JROTC units across the United States with hundreds of thousands of students enrolled.
- The impact will be directly on students currently enrolled as well as potential future students in high schools that may gain or lose access to JROTC programs.
- There will be an indirect impact on the schools that host these programs and the communities they serve.
- It is also likely to affect educators and military personnel involved in the program's administration and instruction.
Reasoning
- The policy aims to improve representation and access to JROTC programs, potentially impacting the wellbeing of students involved due to enhanced opportunities, particularly in underserved areas.
- The allocation of a limited budget suggests that not all schools will be able to establish JROTC units, so the impact will be unevenly distributed.
- Students currently enrolled may see little change unless their program is expanded or enhanced, while the biggest changes could occur in new areas where JROTC is introduced.
- Indirect effects on educators and military personnel should be acknowledged, as policy changes may affect staffing and roles.
- Communities with newly introduced JROTC units may experience cultural and civic benefits, indirectly boosting wellbeing in those areas.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (Rural Alabama)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- JROTC has been a great experience so far, and I think it could really help more kids if there were more programs like it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
High School Student (Urban Chicago, IL)
Age: 17 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having a JROTC program would be interesting, but we don't have it in our school. More options are always good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- JROTC is preparing me for my future career in the military. Successful integration at more schools could give others the same opportunity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
High School Teacher (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Introducing JROTC here could greatly benefit our students, offering new leadership and career opportunities. I would love to be involved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
JROTC Instructor (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am concerned about potential cuts affecting my career and the students who've found value in JROTC programs here.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Middle School Student (Suburban New Jersey)
Age: 14 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about having JROTC in my high school. It seems like a great way to learn about leadership and community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
High School Student (Rural Texas)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our school doesn't have a JROTC program, which is a shame because I think it would have been a good fit for many of us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Freshman High School Student (Detroit, MI)
Age: 15 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm really enjoying JROTC so far and hope more students can get involved through this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
High School Principal (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our JROTC program is thriving, and any additional resources could help us expand and serve more students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Military Personnel Managing JROTC Programs (San Diego, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The expansion of JROTC is vital to reaching more students and preparing them for future challenges. It's about broadening opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 3: $300000 (Low: $200000, High: $400000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The primary costs are administrative and related to research activities undertaken to update the 2017 RAND report on JROTC.
- Implementation costs are contingent upon potential recommendations from the report; however, these costs are not included as they are speculative beyond the report's scope.
- Potential variation in costs could be associated with the breadth of research needed, potential travel, or stakeholder engagement.