GAMES Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Gaining Meaningful Experiences from Service Act, or GAMES Act, amends the military adaptive sports program in title 10. Current language ties certain veteran eligibility to the one-year period after separation. The bill strikes that time limit, so veterans who otherwise meet program criteria can participate even if their separation from military service occurred more than one year ago. The practical effect is wider access to adaptive athletic, rehabilitation, and community reintegration opportunities for veterans with service-connected injuries or disabilities.
Who Benefits and How
Veterans with disabilities benefit because eligibility for the military adaptive sports program would no longer expire after the first post-separation year. Adaptive sports program participants benefit from a larger pool of veterans who can train, compete, and use rehabilitation programming. Veterans service organizations benefit because they can refer long-separated veterans to a federal adaptive sports pathway. Military families benefit if older or long-separated veterans gain access to peer support, fitness, and recovery programming.
Who Bears the Burden and How
DOD adaptive sports staff must administer eligibility without the one-year cutoff and may need to handle a larger applicant pool. Program event organizers must accommodate veterans whose military separation dates are farther in the past. Federal taxpayers bear any added participation, travel, equipment, or administrative costs from expanded eligibility. Veterans benefits counselors must update referral guidance for veterans who were previously outside the one-year window.
Key Provisions
- Expands eligibility for the military adaptive sports program by removing the one-year post-separation limit.
- Provides access for otherwise eligible veterans separated from service more than one year earlier.
- Improves rehabilitation and community reintegration options for disabled veterans.
- Requires DOD adaptive sports administrators to apply eligibility without the old timing restriction.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Removes the one-year post-separation limit on veterans' eligibility for the military adaptive sports program, opening participation to eligible veterans regardless of how long ago they left service.
Key Policy Areas
Veterans, Military, Adaptive Sports
Primary Purpose
Removes the one-year post-separation limit on veterans' eligibility for the military adaptive sports program, opening participation to eligible veterans regardless of how long ago they left service.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Veterans with disabilities
- Adaptive sports program participants
- Veterans service organizations
- Military families
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- DOD adaptive sports staff
- Program event organizers
- Federal taxpayers
- Veterans benefits counselors
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Mast introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology