The "Service Enlistment and Recruitment of Valuable Engagement Act," or the SERVE Act , aims to significantly enhance military recruitment efforts amidst the most challenging environment in 50 years. Congress finds that a strong economy, a shrinking eligible population, and declining trust in institutions have led to a lack of awareness regarding the benefits of military service, necessitating a renewed national call to service to meet National Security Strategy requirements. To address these challenges, the bill mandates meaningful access for military recruiters to high schools and colleges, including monthly visits in high-traffic areas and during peak school hours. Educational institutions would be required to provide student names, academic grades , phone numbers, email addresses, and, for students 17 or older, FAFSA information and reasons for not returning to the institution. The Selective Service System would also furnish more comprehensive annual registration data to military services to enhance recruitment prospecting. Furthermore, the SERVE Act establishes new Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) affiliation types , including "cross-town" units, allowing students from schools without JROTC to participate in programs at other schools. It also creates a two-year pilot program to recognize " HERO schools " – high schools with military enlistment rates above the state average that foster a culture of service. These schools would receive formal designation from the Secretary of Defense for their commitment to encouraging military enlistment. Graduates from these designated HERO schools would receive priority consideration for admission to military service academies, including for congressional nominations, provided their high school demonstrates ongoing support for military careers. Finally, the bill designates the first week of April as the " National Week of Military Recruitment " and includes various reporting requirements to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of these new policies and programs.