SERVE Act Updates Deployment Stipulation for Guard, Reserves

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bipartisan Service member Enrollment and Readmission for Valuable Education (SERVE) Act was signed into law on Dec. 23, 2024, as part of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to guarantee that students called to short-term National Guard and Reserve mobilizations can seamlessly resume their education.

The SERVE Act addresses a gap in existing law by removing a “more than 30 days” stipulation that previously limited readmission protections to service members mobilized for longer periods.

“Many Guard and Reserve mobilizations last fewer than 30 days, putting numerous students who have volunteered to serve our nation at risk of having their educational pursuits derailed,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), a proponent of the measure. “I’m pleased the FY2025 NDAA includes an overdue fix to this problem.”

The FY2025 NDAA also includes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, a 4.5% raise for all service members, and expanded child care access for military families.