§1802. Participants in program

(a) If the Secretary of Defense carries out a program under section 1801 of this title, the Secretary shall select the volunteers to participate in the program. Volunteers shall be selected from among individuals-

(1) who have retired from active duty or been released from active duty under a voluntary separation program; and

(2) who possess technical skills relevant to the infrastructure needs of the independent states of the former Soviet Union (as identified by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 1803(a) of this title), including skills in areas such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, nuclear plant safety, environmental cleanup, logistics, communications, and health care.

(b) Volunteers may be selected from among individuals who were separated from active duty after October 22, 1990.

(c)(1) The Secretary of Defense may employ volunteers, by contract, to provide services that use their technical skills for the benefit of governmental or nonprofit nongovernmental entities in any of the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

(2) A person who is employed as a volunteer under paragraph (1) shall be considered to be an employee for the purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation for work-related injuries. Such a person who is not otherwise employed by the Federal Government shall not be considered to be a Federal employee for any other purpose by reason of such employment as a volunteer.

(d) Volunteers may be required to agree to serve in an independent state of the former Soviet Union for a period of two years (in addition to such period of education and training provided under section 1803(c) of this title) except to the extent the Secretary of State determines otherwise.

(e) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe procedures for the selection of volunteers, including procedures for the submission of applications.

(f) The Secretary of Defense may maintain a registry of applicants who are qualified to be volunteers, including the skills of such applicants.

(Added Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title XIII, §1322(a)(1), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2551 ; amended Pub. L. 103–35, title II, §201(f)(3), (g)(3), May 31, 1993, 107 Stat. 99 , 100.)

Amendments

1993-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–35, §201(g)(3), substituted "carries" for "carrys" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–35, §201(f)(3), substituted "after October 22, 1990" for "not more than two years before the date of the enactment of this chapter".