Bill > S3181

This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to create and implement a plan to measure the Department of Defense's (DOD) progress in achieving a military force, particularly among its leaders and senior enlisted personnel, that reflects the diversity of the United States population eligible to serve, including considerations for gender, race, and ethnicity. The plan must include standardized metrics and data collection procedures that are consistent across all military branches, and these metrics should capture not only demographic diversity but also functional expertise and language/cultural skills to enhance readiness. The Secretary will also need to establish a uniform definition of diversity for this purpose and consult annually with military leadership and senior enlisted members to discuss progress. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the progress made in implementing this diversity plan be included in the DOD's annual manpower requirements reports, which will now also detail the number of service members by sex and race/ethnicity, promotions, re-enlistments, and the pool of qualified candidates for high-ranking officer positions.