Pappas, Moylan, Golden Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Green to Gold Program Participants’ Benefits

Last week Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), James Moylan (GU-AL), and Jared Golden (ME-02) introduced the Save the Green to Gold Program Act. This bipartisan legislation would ensure servicemembers participation in the Army’s Green-to-Gold (G2G) Active Duty Option Program is recognized toward their Time in Service (TIS) calculation, which determines future pay and retirement benefits.

“The Green-to-Gold Active Duty Program has historically allowed active duty Army soldiers the opportunity to simultaneously serve, advance within the Army, and obtain a degree without any impact on their prospective military careers. However, recent Army policy changes for soldiers’ Time in Service accruement for the program threaten their future pay and retirement benefits,” said Congressman Pappas. “The soldiers who participate in this program have already dedicated themselves to serving our country, commit to remaining on Active Duty, and seek to further their military careers and service. This bipartisan legislation will protect the benefits that Army soldiers participating in the program rightly deserve, and I thank Congressmen Moylan and Golden for joining me in this effort.”

“Through the Save the Green to Gold Program Act, we uphold our duty to support our military personnel in their professional growth and long-term service to the nation. This act ensures their sacrifices and dedication are recognized and rewarded. I want to thank Rep. Pappas and Rep. Golden for their shared commitment to our armed forces and ask my colleagues in Congress to support this measure,” said Rep. Moylan.

“I’m proud to work with Rep. Pappas to ensure that every moment of a soldier’s service is rewarded,” Rep. Golden said. “Soldiers who work hard to obtain the training and education needed to become an officer should have that time counted when the Army determines their eligibility for retirement and promotions — just like it is for the other branches. Our proposal will ensure parity between the departments of our military and fair benefits for our soldiers.”

The G2G Active Duty Program offers eligible enlisted active duty Army soldiers the opportunity to pursue a degree and become commissioned Army officers upon the attainment of their degree. The Army has traditionally counted soldier time enrolled in university as part of TIS for both pay and retirement purposes, making the program a popular pathway to advancement within the Army while also enabling servicemembers to obtain a degree. On April 28, 2023, the U.S. Army Cadet Command revised its ROTC Program policies, including the G2G Active Duty Option Program. This marks a stark departure from the Army’s prior application of its authority under the law regarding TIS accrual during program participation.

In December 2023, Pappas and Moylan sent a bipartisan letter to the Army expressing concerns about its new policy on recognition of the Green-to-Gold (G2G) Active Duty Option Program toward Time in Service (TIS) and calling on them to grant an exception for the most recent class, many of whom applied with the expectation that they would continue to accrue TIS during their participation in the G2G Program as was historically allowed. Heeding their calls, it was announced in March that the Army would fully recognize the participation of this year’s soldiers in the G2G program.