Frequently Asked Questions

The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service was created by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 to review the military selective service process and to consider methods to increase participation in military, national, and public service. The Commission released its final report, Inspired to Serve, and recommendations to the Congress, the President, and America public on March 25, 2020.

No. The Commission is an independent federal agency. It is considered both an “independent establishment” and a “temporary organization” under federal law.

The Commission was formally established on September 19, 2017 and will formally disband in September 2020. The Commission is reviewing the military selective service process and considering ways to increase participation in military, national, and public service by researching previous work done in these areas and studying a range of options for consideration. As part of its work, the Commission seeked public comment from January 2019 through the end of December 2019 via the Federal Register, website, e-mail, and mail. It has also organized a series of public meetings across the country which included visits to service sites, interviews with people from diverse backgrounds, ages, and interests, and meetings with government, nonprofit, civic and for-profit leaders as well as subject matter experts. In February 2019, the Commission held 14 public hearings to explore policy options on a variety of topics under its mandate. The Commission's final report, Inspired to Serve, was released on March 25, 2020. 

The 11 commissioners were chosen in 2017 by the President and congressional leadership. President Barack Obama selected 3 members. In Congress, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Senate, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator John McCain and Ranking Member Jack Reed of the Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, and Mac Thornberry and Ranking Member Adam Smith of the House selected one member each.

The Commission’s approach to its mandate included three primary components: public outreach, policy option development, and analysis of policy proposals. Over the last two and a half years, the Commission traveled across the country, visiting 22 states and 42 cities in all 9 census districts; held 24 public meetings and hearings; reviewed over 4,300 public comments; and met with over 530 organizations. Additionally, the Commission conducted a comprehensive review of academic materials, federal reports, and datasets; studied policy memoranda from key stakeholders; analyzed Federal and State legislation and policies; and conducted historical analysis, alternative analyses, independent statistical analyses, and a comparison of military and national service programs of other countries. The Commission also fielded several sets of questions through youth surveys conducted by partner organizations including DoD’s Joint Advertising, Market Research and Studies (JAMRS) and the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. All public comments, statements for the record, transcripts of testimony, staff memos, and various other materials are made available to the public at www.inspire2serve.gov.

The Commission implemented a robust outreach plan to seek as much input as possible from a wide spectrum of the American public. The Commission held a total of 11 public meetings and forums and 14 public hearings to receive input and feedback on a range of policy options under consideration. We sought input from practitioners, experts, academics, program participants, and other interested stakeholders. Stakeholders who met with the Commission, submitted statements for the record, or testified at public hearings came from a broad range of groups including Federal, State, local and Tribal government agencies; the military services; trade associations; nonprofits; national service organizations; for-profit businesses; activists; interest groups; labor unions; military and veterans service organizations; religious organizations; and institutions of higher education. Public comments collected in-person, by mail, and online allowed Commissioners to receive input from the public on key topics under the Commission’s mandate and in response to staff memorandum. Although public comments were not a representative sample of public opinion across the country, public comments did provide an invaluable resource in uncovering new insights, confirming what was heard over the course of the Commission’s travels, and understanding the arguments that most resonated with the public. While public comments differ from other statistical evidence, the Commission felt the public’s voice was critical as it deliberated issues of national importance that impact the lives of all Americans.

On January 1, 2020, the Commission formally concluded its public comment process. All public comments submitted to the Commission can be found here.

If you have any questions, please call us at (703) 571-3742 or e-mail us at info@inspire2serve.gov. For the latest news and events of the Commission, please visit https://www.inspire2serve.gov/news-events.

On January 1, 2020, the Commission formally concluded its public comment process. All public comments submitted to the Commission can be found here.

The Commission gathered input using a range of methods including public comments, testimony, and statements for the record. Information received through any of these methods is considered part of the Commission’s “record.” All of these contribute to the deliberative process and inform the work of the Commission. In keeping with its commitment to transparency, the Commission posts these and other documents on its website.

• Public comments were welcomed from any member of the public on the Commission’s mandate or a specific topic the Commission is considering. Public comments were submitted in many ways, such as through the comment portal on the Commission’s website, in response to the Federal Register notices, in person, or via mail. On January 1, 2020, the Commission formally concluded its public comment process. All public comments submitted to the Commission can be found here.
• Testimony was provided to the Commission in connection with a public hearing by the invited panelists. Prior to each public hearing, panelists submitted written testimony that reflected their views on the topics related to the hearing. Testimony also included transcripts of the public hearings, which included opening statements by the panelists and Q&A with the Commission. You can find testimony by selecting “Testimony” under the “Document Type” on the Library page.
• A statement for the record is shared with the Commission in response to requests from a staff member or Commissioner. Generally a statement for the record comes from an individual or organization that has relevant expertise on a specific topic related to the Commission’s work, typically to provide input on a position that may not be reflected in public comments or testimony. You can find submitted statements for the record by selecting “Statement” under the “Document Type” on the Library page.

The Commission released its interim report in January 2019 and released its final report, Inspired to Serve, on March 25, 2020. The Commisison's reports and recommendations can be found here. 

The Commission held public meetings in each of the nine geographic Census regions in 2018, including communities in urban and rural areas. In selecting specific locations, the Commission considered many factors, including population density, regional and geographic factors, demographics, socio-economic considerations, and more. You can listen to our 2018 public meetings here.

The Commission held 9 public meetings in 2018 and will hold 14 public hearings in 2019. Public meetings were held across the country and provided opportunities for members of the public to hear from the Commission and local leaders in military, national, and public service. Like town halls, they also allow members of the public to provide comments and questions to commissioners and panelists. Public hearings are more formal events. Public hearings will involve testimony from experts on various issues to help inform and vet policy options that the Commission may consider as it generates its final report. These events will be open to members of the public and will be publicized in advance on our website, social media, and through other means. Public hearings will also be announced through the Federal Register.

The Commission is an independent federal agency and is subject to the same statutory and regulatory requirements as other federal agencies. It is not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which governs certain meetings of advisors to federal agencies. Also, it is not subject to the Government in the Sunshine Act, which governs meetings of agencies where most of the agencies’ members were appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request is a written request received by a U.S. federal agency from an individual or entity requesting agency records. Anyone can submit a FOIA request to the Commission by emailing FOIA@inspire2serve.gov with a description of the desired records. To learn more about the Commission’s FOIA process and other ways to make FOIA requests, please visit https://www.inspire2serve.gov/content/freedom-information-act-foia.

The Selective Service System is an independent agency within the Executive Branch of the United States Government. Their role is to be prepared to provide trained and untrained manpower to the Department of Defense in a national emergency, and to manage a program of alternative service for person’s classified as conscientious objectors to all military service. All male U.S. citizens, regardless of where they live, and male immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, residing in the United States, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service. To learn more about the Selective Service System, please visit https://www.sss.gov.

The Commission will share the findings and recommendations in the final report with Congress, the Executive Branch, stakeholder organizations, and the public through briefings, hearings, conference calls, webinars and events. Given public health and safety concerns related to COVID-19, most of the Commission’s activities will be done virtually.  More information on events—both virtual and in person—can be found at https://inspire2serve.gov/content/attend-event. On June 25, the Commission will host Inspired to Serve: A Path Forward, a culminating event to the Commission’s two and a half years of work. The Commission will cease operations by September 19, 2020.At that time, all Commission records will be shifted to National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in accordance with federal regulations.