; and (ii) provide job placement counseling for the spouse in connection with the transition of the member from military life to civilian life. (b) Participation of members required (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall require the participation in the program under this section of all members eligible for assistance under the program. (2) Waiver The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security may, under regulations such Secretaries shall prescribe, waive the participation requirement in paragraph (1) with respect to such groups or classifications of members as such Secretaries determine, after consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, for whom participation is not and would not be of assistance based on the articulable justification of such Secretaries that there is extraordinarily compelling reason to believe such members are unlikely to face major readjustment, health care, employment, or other challenges associated with transition to civilian life. In issuing any such waiver, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as applicable, shall specify, in writing, the grounds for such waiver. Each Secretary shall maintain a record of all such waivers issued by such Secretary. (c) Service required before furnishing of preseparation counseling (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary concerned shall not furnish pre­sep­a­ra­tion counseling under the program under this section to a member who is being discharged or released before the completion of the first 180 continuous days of active duty of the member. (2) Retirement or separation for disability Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case of a member who is being retired or separated for disability. (3) Determination of duration of service For purposes of calculating the days of active duty of a member under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall exclude any day as follows: (A) Any day on