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.
Congress wants to know if skilled troops are stuck
Why it matters
Within 180 days of becoming law, every military department would have to show the House and Senate Armed Services Committees whether enlisted troops in six high-skill jobs — cyber, intelligence, linguistics, air traffic control, engineering, and public affairs — are hitting walls on the way to senior ranks.
This is an oversight bill, not a benefits bill. It hands Congress a paper trail, not a fix.
Each military department would have to brief the Armed Services Committees on promotion outcomes for six enlisted specialties: air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs. The briefing has to cover the three most recent promotion cycles and break the data out grade by grade, from E-6 through E-9.
For each field, the services would report how many people were eligible for promotion, how many actually got it, and how long they waited. They'd also have to say whether you can enlist straight into the specialty, whether it comes with a bonus and how much, and whether reaching a higher grade means abandoning the job you trained for.
Finally, each department's Secretary would have to give Congress their own read on what's blocking advancement in these fields. If the data show weaker promotion odds or longer waits, lawmakers would have a documented record to build later reforms on.
H.R. 6382 Bill Summary
What H.R. 6382 actually does.
The Pentagon gets a 180-day clock
Each military department's Secretary would have to brief the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within 180 days of the bill becoming law.
Six high-skill enlisted jobs go under the microscope
The review covers enlisted members in six specialties: air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs.
Three promotion cycles, not a one-time snapshot
The briefing must cover the three most recent promotion cycles, so Congress sees a trend rather than a single year's numbers.
Promotion odds broken out from E-6 to E-9
For each senior enlisted grade, the services would report how many members were eligible, how many were promoted, the selection rate, and average time in grade and time in service.
Bonuses and direct-entry rules laid bare
For each specialty, the briefing must state whether you can enlist directly into it, whether it carries a bonus, and the exact dollar amount of that bonus.
An honest answer on whether you have to switch jobs to move up
The services must say whether reaching a higher grade requires changing specialties, and each Secretary must give their own analysis of what's blocking advancement in these fields.
Who benefits from H.R. 6382?
Enlisted cyber operators and intelligence analysts
These are some of the hardest jobs to fill and keep. The briefing would surface whether they can enlist directly into the field, whether they get a bonus and how big, and whether their promotion odds at senior grades hold up.
Military linguists and air traffic controllers
Both require heavy training investment. The review would show whether selection rates and time-in-grade for these specialties lag at E-6 through E-9 — and whether moving up means leaving the specialty behind.
Engineers and public affairs enlisted members
They'd get a documented look at eligibility counts, promotion counts, and average waits across the three most recent cycles, which could expose structural delays that retention surveys miss.
The Armed Services Committees
Lawmakers would get a standardized, grade-by-grade briefing within 180 days, giving them comparable data across every military department instead of anecdotes.
Who is affected by H.R. 6382?
Secretaries of the military departments
They'd have to assemble and deliver the briefing within 180 days, including both the hard numbers and their own analysis of advancement barriers.
Enlisted members in the six named specialties
Their promotion records across the three most recent cycles become the direct subject of the review, from eligibility through selection rate.
Military personnel and promotion offices
These offices would have to compile grade-by-grade data for E-6 through E-9 — eligibility counts, promotion counts, selection rates, and average time in grade and service.
Service leaders setting retention policy
If the briefing shows members must change specialties to advance, or that bonus amounts vary sharply by field, leaders could face pressure to revisit promotion and incentive policies.
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 the full bill text, status, and legislative actions.
The bill requires each military department to brief the House Committee on Armed Services within 180 days of enactment.
The bill also directs each military department to brief the Senate Committee on Armed Services on enlisted promotion outcomes.
Official Defense Department overview of how enlisted promotions and pay grades work across the services, the system the bill's E-6 through E-9 review examines.
Official Army benefits page detailing how enlistment and skill bonuses are tied to specific military occupational specialties, which the bill requires each department to report.
Official guide to military basic pay, allowances, and special and incentive pays, the compensation context behind the bill's bonus-disclosure requirement.
H.R. 6382 Common Questions
What does H.R. 6382 actually require the military to do?
It directs each military department to brief Congress, within 180 days, on promotion outcomes for enlisted troops in six high-skill jobs. It's an oversight report, not a new benefit or a guaranteed promotion.
Which military jobs does H.R. 6382 cover?
Six enlisted specialties: air traffic controller, engineer, intelligence analyst, cyber, linguistics, and public affairs.
Which enlisted ranks would the promotion data cover?
Grades E-6 through E-9. For each grade, the services would report how many members were eligible, how many were promoted, the selection rate, and average time in grade and time in service.
How far back would the promotion data go?
The briefing has to cover the three most recent promotion cycles, so Congress sees a trend instead of a single year.
Would the military have to disclose bonus amounts for these jobs?
Yes. For each specialty, the briefing must say whether a bonus exists and list the exact dollar amount.
Does H.R. 6382 ask whether you have to switch jobs to get promoted?
Yes. The services must report whether reaching a higher grade requires changing your specialty — one of the bill's central questions about why skilled troops may stall.
Would the military have to explain why troops are stuck, not just show numbers?
Yes. Each department's Secretary must give Congress their own analysis of the challenges to advancement in each of the six fields, on top of the raw data.
Who in Congress receives these briefings?
The Senate and House Committees on Armed Services, which handle military personnel policy.
Based on H.R. 6382 bill text
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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