Why was the M.A.V.N.I program suspended till date?

Ope Oguntoyinbo — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 11:02:23 -0500

The M.A.V.N.I program has been suspended since President Trump assumed office, is there a particular reason why the suspension has not been lifted? I thought that was an opportunity to retain the best hands in the US military.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Dec 14 at 2019 1:31 PM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 13:31:52 -0500

In 2016, during the Obama administration, the security checks for MAVNI significantly increased. This situation not only blocked many prospects but jeopardized those already in service. Here is a good article on the subject.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/military-accessions-mavni-program-3354096

The Military Accessions Vital to MAVNI program

The Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program allowed non-U.S. citizens to serve in the military. The program closed in 2016.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2019 2:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 14:38:55 -0500

This wasn't a Trump thing, it was a Secretary of Defense thing. China was heavily infiltrating our MAVNI program because we were accessing people without completing background checks because of the presumption that they were vital to national interests. Thus the name, Military Accession Vital to National Interests.
All we did is tell people that they have to wait for a background check to be completed like any other applicant.

Response by LTC Margaret Stock made Apr 10 at 2022 2:51 PM

LTC Margaret Stock — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 14:51:21 -0400

The law was changed to prevent the MAVNI program from operating again except in very tiny numbers (and only in the Air Force and maybe the Navy). The new law prohibits the Army from enlisting MAVNIs unless the MOS into which they are enlisting requires their specific foreign language. There are no such noncitizen MOSs in the Army anymore. Military linguist jobs in the Army require US citizenship for enlistment and MAVNIs by definition are not US citizens.