HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania has expanded its National Guard tuition reimbursement program to include Judge Advocate General officers, chaplains and additional medical specialties, a move state lawmakers say is intended to strengthen recruitment in hard-to-fill military positions.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 1102 into law Monday as Act 30 of 2026. Sponsored by state Rep. Chris Pielli, D-Chester, the measure broadens eligibility for the Commonwealth’s Medical Officer and Health Officer Incentive Program while updating the list of qualifying medical and health officer positions.
The law also establishes a tiered tuition reimbursement structure based on educational attainment, helping offset the higher costs associated with advanced professional degrees required for attorneys, chaplains and specialized healthcare personnel.
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs reported the existing incentive program has helped fill some medical officer positions to 100% capacity. However, officials determined the law did not extend benefits to several critical medical specialties or to Judge Advocate General officers and chaplains despite ongoing recruitment needs.
Pielli indicated that the changes modernize a program that has been in place for nearly a decade.
“Given that the cost of education and training in these fields has only increased, an expansion of the program to bring even more qualified people into our forces was needed,” Pielli said. “This new law will work even better to bolster recruitment to serve both our commonwealth’s interests and our national security.”
Pielli credited state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-Venango/Butler/Clarion, with working on the legislation and thanked lawmakers in both chambers and the governor for supporting the measure.
The incentive program provides partial tuition reimbursement to qualified professionals who enlist in the Pennsylvania National Guard, using financial assistance to attract candidates with specialized education and training needed for military service.
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