H.R. 6382: Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act
Sponsor
Gilbert Cisneros
Democrat · CA-31
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Dec 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Why it matters
The bill would force each military department to explain, within 180 days of enactment, whether enlisted troops in six high-skill specialties are hitting avoidable barriers to promotion.
The practical effect is pressure, not mandates. Once the departments have to explain any challenges to advancement in these six fields, lawmakers will have a clearer basis to ask why air traffic controllers, engineers, intelligence analysts, cyber personnel, linguists, or public affairs specialists may be getting stuck before E-6 through E-9. If the data show that promotion incentives are weaker, bonuses are missing, or advancement requires switching specialties, Congress could use that record to pursue later reforms.
What does H.R. 6382 do?
180-day deadline for military briefings
Each Secretary of a military department must provide a briefing to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives not later than 180 days after enactment.
Six enlisted specialties get targeted review
The bill focuses on enlisted members in six named military occupational specialties: air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs.
Three promotion cycles of hard data required
The briefing must cover the three most recent promotion cycles, giving Congress recent, comparable data instead of a one-time snapshot.
Promotion outcomes broken out by E-6 to E-9
For grades E-6, E-7, E-8, and E-9, the services must report how many members were eligible for promotion, how many were promoted, average time in grade before promotion, and average time in service before promotion.
Bonus amounts and direct-entry rules disclosed
For each covered specialty, the briefing must state whether a person may enlist directly into that specialty, whether members are eligible for a bonus tied to that specialty, and the specific amount of such bonus.
Must explain if promotion requires changing jobs
The services must say whether a member has to change military occupational specialty to receive a promotion to a higher grade, and the Secretary must analyze any challenges to advancement for each of the six named fields.
Who benefits from H.R. 6382?
Enlisted air traffic controllers
They could benefit from congressional scrutiny of whether air traffic controllers face weaker promotion outcomes in the three most recent cycles, especially at grades E-6 through E-9, or whether they must change specialties to move up.
Enlisted cyber personnel, intelligence analysts, and linguists
These high-skill specialties could benefit from clearer visibility into whether members can enlist directly into the field, whether they receive MOS-based bonuses, and the exact amount of any such bonus.
Engineers and public affairs enlisted members
They gain from a required review of selection rates, average time in grade, and average time in service for promotions at E-6, E-7, E-8, and E-9, which could expose structural delays.
Congressional oversight committees
The House and Senate Armed Services Committees get a standardized briefing within 180 days after enactment, giving them comparable data across military departments and specialties.
Who is affected by H.R. 6382?
Secretaries of the military departments
They are required to prepare and deliver the briefing within 180 days after enactment and include both quantitative data and the Secretary’s own analysis of advancement challenges.
Enlisted members in six named specialties
Members in air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs fields are the direct subject of the review, with their promotion outcomes examined across the three most recent cycles.
Military personnel and promotion offices
These offices would need to compile grade-by-grade data for E-6 through E-9, including eligibility counts, promotion counts, average time in grade, average time in service, and selection rates.
Service leaders shaping retention policy
If the briefing shows that members must change MOS to reach a higher grade or that bonus amounts differ sharply by field, leaders may face pressure to revisit promotion and incentive policies.
H.R. 6382 Common Questions
How long would the military have to report on promotion barriers in cyber and intelligence jobs?
Under the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act (Section 2), each military department must brief Congress within 180 days of enactment.
Which military jobs are covered by the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act?
Under the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act (Section 2), the review covers air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs enlisted specialties.
What ranks would be reviewed for promotion data under HR 6382?
According to HR 6382 Section 2, the briefing must break out promotion data for grades E-6, E-7, E-8, and E-9.
How many promotion cycles would the military have to include under HR 6382?
According to HR 6382 Section 2, the briefing must cover the three most recent promotion cycles for the covered specialties.
Does the bill require the military to report bonus amounts for cyber, linguist, or public affairs specialties?
Yes. Under the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act (Section 2(b)(1)), the briefing must say whether a specialty bonus exists and list the specific amount.
Can the military hide whether you can enlist directly into a covered specialty under HR 6382?
No. According to HR 6382 Section 2(b)(1), the briefing must state whether an individual may enlist directly into each covered specialty.
Does HR 6382 require the military to say if promotion means changing your MOS?
Yes. Under the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act (Section 2(b)(1)), the services must report whether a member must change specialty to be promoted to a higher grade.
What promotion statistics would Congress get for E-6 through E-9 under the bill?
According to HR 6382 Section 2(b)(2)-(3), Congress would get eligible and promoted member counts, selection rates, average time in grade, and average time in service, broken out by grade.
Does the bill require an analysis of why air traffic controllers or engineers may be stuck in promotion?
Yes. Under the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act (Section 2(b)(4)), the Secretary must analyze challenges to advancement for each covered specialty.
Which congressional committees would receive the military promotion briefings under HR 6382?
According to HR 6382 Section 2, the briefings go to the Senate and House Committees on Armed Services.
Based on H.R. 6382 bill text
HR6382 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Dec 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
About the Sponsor
Gilbert Cisneros
Democrat, California's 31st congressional district · 7 years in Congress
Committees: Small Business, Armed Services
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Armed Services Committee
0 of 57 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
27 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 6382 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Armed Services
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Introduced
- Dec 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Dec 3, 2025
Official Sources
Official Congress.gov page for the Return on Investment for Military Occupational Specialties Act, including bill text, status, and actions.
The bill requires each military department to brief the House Committee on Armed Services within 180 days of enactment.
The bill also directs briefings to the Senate Committee on Armed Services, making this committee site relevant to oversight.
DMDC is a Defense Department source for military personnel data that is relevant to promotion-cycle statistics, eligibility counts, and service-wide personnel analysis.
Official Defense Department guidance on military career advancement provides context for enlisted promotion pathways and advancement barriers discussed in the bill.
Official DoD information on bonus programs helps explain the bill’s requirement to report whether covered specialties receive bonuses and in what amount.
H.R. 6382 Bill Text
“To direct the Secretary of a military department to submit a briefing on promotions for enlisted members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary and in certain military occupational specialties.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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