H.R. 3769House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Servicemember Safety and Security Improvement Act of 2021

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 4:04 AM UTC

The Servicemember Safety and Security Improvement Act of 2021 seeks to strengthen the protection of service members by overhauling how the military reports and handles cases of personnel who are absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing. It directs the Secretary of Defense to require each service department to review its reporting policies, and it orders installation commanders to update their own procedures and quickly share information with local and federal law‑enforcement agencies. The changes affect all branches of the Armed Forces and the law‑enforcement partners that respond to missing‑service‑member incidents.

Key Provisions

Secretary of Defense must instruct each military department to conduct a comprehensive review of its policies and procedures for reporting members who are absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing.
Installation commanders must review and update installation‑level reporting policies to prioritize force protection and ensure the earliest reasonable notification to local and federal law‑enforcement agencies.
Each installation must establish a protocol—such as a memorandum of understanding—to immediately notify all relevant law‑enforcement agencies when a service member’s status changes to absent without leave, unauthorized absence, or missing, and submit that protocol to the higher installation command.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 8, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 8, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 8, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 8, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3769

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 8, 2021

Mr. Jackson (for himself and Mr. Cuellar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To improve the safety and security of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Servicemember Safety and Security Improvement Act of 2021.

Measures to improve the safety and security of members of the Armed Forces

(a)

Comprehensive review of missing persons reporting

The Secretary of Defense shall instruct the Secretary of each military department to undertake a comprehensive review of the department’s policies and procedures for reporting members of the Armed Forces absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing.

(b)

Review of installation-Level procedures

The head of each military installation command shall—

(1)

direct each military installation under its command to review its policies and procedures for carrying out the reporting activities described under subsection (a); and

(2)

update such installation-level policies and procedures with a view towards force protection, enhanced security for members of the Armed Forces living on base, and prioritizing reporting at the earliest reasonable time to local law enforcement at all levels, and Federal law enforcement field offices with overlapping jurisdiction with that installation, when a member is determined to be missing.

(c)

Installation-Specific reporting protocols

(1)

In general

The commander of each military installation shall establish a protocol for sharing information with local and Federal law enforcement agencies about members of the Armed Forces that are absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing. The protocol shall provide, by memorandum of understanding or otherwise, for the commander to immediately notify all local and Federal law enforcement agencies with jurisdictions in the immediate area of the military installation when the status of a member assigned to such installation has been changed to absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing.

(2)

Reporting to military installation command

The commander of each military installation shall submit the protocol established pursuant to paragraph (1) to the relevant military installation command.