SUBCHAPTER V—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO PROMOTION, SEPARATION, AND RETIREMENT
641.
Applicability of chapter.
642.
Entitlement of officers discharged or retired under this chapter to separation pay or retired pay.
643.
Chaplains: discharge or retirement upon loss of professional qualifications.
646.
Consideration of performance as a member of the Joint Staff.
647.
Force shaping authority.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2004—Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §501(c)(1)(B), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1874, added item 647.
1994—Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §1671(b)(5), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3013, struck out item 644 "Authority to suspend officer personnel laws".
1984—Pub. L. 98–525, title XIII, §1301(d)(2), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2612, added item 646.
§641. Applicability of chapter
Officers in the following categories are not subject to this chapter (other than section 640 and, in the case of warrant officers, section 628):
(1) Reserve officers—
(A) on active duty authorized under section 115(a)(1)(B) or 115(b)(1) of this title, or excluded from counting for active duty end strengths under section 115(i) of this title;
(B) on active duty under section 7038, 8083, 8084, 9038, 10211, 10301 through 10305, 10502, 10505, 10506(a), 10506(b), 10507, or 12402 of this title or section 708 of title 32; or
(C) on full-time National Guard duty.
(2) The director of admissions, dean, and permanent professors at the United States Military Academy, the registrar, dean, and permanent professors at the United States Air Force Academy, and permanent professors of the Navy (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy).
(3) Warrant officers.
(4) Retired officers on active duty.
(5) Students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2866; amended Pub. L. 98–525, title IV, §414(a)(5), title V, §527(b), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2519, 2525; Pub. L. 99–433, title V, §531(a)(2), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1063; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §1671(c)(5), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3014; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, §1501(c)(6), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 498; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XII, §1212(e), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2694; Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §521], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A-108; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, §511(a), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1092; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title IV, §416(j), title V, §501(d), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1869, 1874; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title VI, §621(c), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2255; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title V, §508(b), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 97; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, §618(b), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1426; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §§1624, 1691(b)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2961, 3026, which directed amendment of this section effective Oct. 1, 1996, by inserting "(a)" before "Officers in the following" and by adding at the end a new subsec. (b), was amended by Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, §1501(a)(1)(A), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 495, and, as so amended, amends section 620 of this title instead of this section.
Amendments
2018—Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted "section 7038, 8083, 8084, 9038," for "section 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038,".
2017—Par. (6). Pub. L. 115–91 struck out par. (6) which read as follows: "Officers appointed pursuant to an agreement under section 329 of title 37."
2008—Par. (2). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted ", the registrar" for "and the registrar" and inserted ", and permanent professors of the Navy (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy)" before period at end.
2006—Par. (6). Pub. L. 109–364 added par. (6).
2004—Par. (1). Pub. L. 108–375, §416(j), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows:
"(1) Reserve officers—
"(A) on active duty for training;
"(B) on active duty under section 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038, 10211, 10301 through 10305, 10502, 10505, 10506(a), 10506(b), 10507, or 12402 of this title or section 708 of title 32;
"(C) on active duty under section 12301(d) of this title in connection with organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components;
"(D) on active duty under section 12301(d) of this title, other than as provided under subparagraph (C), if the call or order to active duty, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, specifies a period of three years or less and continued placement on the reserve active-status list;
"(E) on active duty to pursue special work;
"(F) ordered to active duty under section 12304 of this title;
"(G) on active duty under section 10(b)(2) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 460(b)(2)) for the administration of the Selective Service System; or
"(H) on full-time National Guard duty."
Par. (1)(F). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(d), which directed substitution of "sections 12302 and 12304" for "section 12304" in subpar. (F), could not be executed because par. (1) did not contain a subpar. (F) subsequent to amendment by Pub. L. 108–375, §416(j). See above.
2001—Par. (1)(D). Pub. L. 107–107 amended subpar. (D) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (D) read as follows: "on the reserve active-status list who are on active duty under section 12301(d) of this title, other than as provided in subparagraph (C), under a call or order to active duty specifying a period of three years or less;".
2000—Par. (1)(D) to (H). Pub. L. 106–398 added subpar. (D) and redesignated former subpars. (D) to (G) as (E) to (H), respectively.
1996—Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 104–201 inserted "5143, 5144," after "3038,".
Pub. L. 104–106 substituted "10502, 10505, 10506(a), 10506(b), 10507" for "10501".
1994—Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 103–337, §1671(c)(5)(A), substituted "3038, 8038, 10211, 10301 through 10305, 10501, or 12402" for "175, 265, 3021, 3038, 3040, 3496, 5251, 5252, 8021, 8038, or 8496".
Par. (1)(C). Pub. L. 103–337, §1671(c)(5)(B), substituted "12301(d)" for "672(d)".
Par. (1)(E). Pub. L. 103–337, §1671(c)(5)(C), substituted "12304" for "673b".
1986—Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 99–433 substituted "3021, 3038, 3040, 3496, 5251, 5252, 8021, 8038" for "3015, 3019, 3033, 3496, 5251, 5252, 8019, 8033".
1984—Pub. L. 98–525, §527(b), substituted "(other than section 640 and, in the case of warrant officers, section 628)" for "(other than section 640)" in provisions preceding par. (1).
Par. (1)(C). Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(5)(A), struck out "or under section 502 or 503 of title 32" after "section 672(d) of this title".
Par. (1)(G). Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(5)(B)–(D), added subpar. (G).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Amendment by section 501(d) of Pub. L. 108–375 effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Oct. 28, 2004, see section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375, set out as a note under section 531 of this title.
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, §1501(c), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 498, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective as of Dec. 1, 1994, and as if included as an amendment made by the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act, title XVI of Pub. L. 103–337, as originally enacted.
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this subchapter effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.
Retroactive Application
Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, §511(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1092, provided that:
"(1) The Secretary of the military department concerned may provide that an officer who was excluded from the active-duty list under section 641(1)(D) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by section 521 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–108), shall be considered to have been on the active-duty list during the period beginning on the date on which the officer was so excluded and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 28, 2001].
"(2) The Secretary of the military department concerned may provide that a Reserve officer who was placed on the active-duty list on or after October 30, 1997, shall be placed on the reserve active-status list if the officer otherwise meets the conditions specified in section 641(1)(D) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)."
Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act
For provisions to prevent extinction or premature termination of rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed or were begun prior to the effective date of Pub. L. 96–513 and otherwise to allow for an orderly transition to the system of officer personnel management put in place under Pub. L. 96–513, see section 601 et seq. of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.
§642. Entitlement of officers discharged or retired under this chapter to separation pay or retired pay
(a) An officer who is discharged under this chapter is entitled, if eligible therefor, to separation pay under section 1174 of this title.
(b) An officer who is retired under this chapter is entitled to retired pay computed under chapter 71 of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2867.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.
§643. Chaplains: discharge or retirement upon loss of professional qualifications
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, a commissioned officer on the active-duty list of the Army, Navy, or Air Force who is appointed or designated as a chaplain may, if he fails to maintain the qualifications needed to perform his professional function, be discharged or, if eligible for retirement, may be retired.
(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2867.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.
Section, added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2867; amended Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, §1115, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1503, related to authority to suspend officer personnel laws. See section 123 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of Repeal
Repeal effective Oct. 1, 1996, see section 1691(b)(1) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as an Effective Date note under section 10001 of this title.
§645. Definitions
In this chapter:
(1) The term "promotion zone" means a promotion eligibility category consisting of the officers on an active-duty list in the same grade and competitive category—
(A) who—
(i) in the case of officers in grades below colonel, for officers of the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, or captain, for officers of the Navy, have neither (I) failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade, nor (II) been removed from a list of officers recommended for promotion to that grade (other than after having been placed on that list after a selection from below the promotion zone); or
(ii) in the case of officers in the grade of colonel or brigadier general, for officers of the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, or captain or rear admiral (lower half), for officers of the Navy, have neither (I) not been recommended for promotion to the next higher grade when considered in the promotion zone, nor (II) been removed from a list of officers recommended for promotion to that grade (other than after having been placed on that list after a selection from below the promotion zone); and
(B) are senior to the officer designated by the Secretary of the military department concerned to be the junior officer in the promotion zone eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade.
(2) The term "officers above the promotion zone" means a group of officers on an active-duty list in the same grade and competitive category who—
(A) are eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade;
(B) are in the same grade as those officers in the promotion zone for that competitive category; and
(C) are senior to the senior officer in the promotion zone for that competitive category.
(3) The term "officers below the promotion zone" means a group of officers on the active-duty list in the same grade and competitive category who—
(A) are eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade;
(B) are in the same grade as the officers in the promotion zone for that competitive category; and
(C) are junior to the junior officer in the promotion zone for that competitive category.
(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2867; amended Pub. L. 97–86, title IV, §405(b)(1), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1105; Pub. L. 98–525, title V, §533(a), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2528; Pub. L. 99–145, title V, §514(b)(1), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 628; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, §701(i)(1), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 115.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1991—Pars. (1) to (3). Pub. L. 102–25 inserted "The term" after par. designations and lowercased initial letter of quoted phrases.
1985—Par. (1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 99–145 substituted "rear admiral (lower half)" for "commodore".
1984—Par. (1)(A)(i)(II), (ii)(II). Pub. L. 98–525, §533(a)(1), inserted "(other than after having been placed on that list after a selection from below the promotion zone)".
Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 98–525, §533(a)(2), inserted "in the promotion zone" after "the junior officer" and struck out "in the promotion zone" after "higher grade".
1981—Par. (1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 97–86 substituted "commodore" for "commodore admiral".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.
§646. Consideration of performance as a member of the Joint Staff
The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall ensure that officer personnel policies of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force concerning promotion, retention, and assignment give appropriate consideration to the performance of an officer as a member of the Joint Staff.
(Added Pub. L. 98–525, title XIII, §1301(d)(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2612; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(1)(C), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3820.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "Marine Corps, and Space Force" for "and Marine Corps".
§647. Force shaping authority
(a) Authority.—The Secretary concerned may, solely for the purpose of restructuring an armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary—
(1) discharge an officer described in subsection (b); or
(2) transfer such an officer from the active-duty list of that armed force to the reserve active-status list of a reserve component.
(b) Covered Officers.—(1) The authority under this section may be exercised in the case of an officer (other than an officer of the Space Force) who—
(A) has completed not more than six years of service as a commissioned officer in the armed forces; or
(B) has completed more than six years of service as a commissioned officer in the armed forces, but has not completed a minimum service obligation applicable to that member.
(2) In this subsection, the term "minimum service obligation" means the initial period of required active duty service together with any additional period of required active duty service incurred during the initial period of required active duty service.
(c) Appointment of Transferred Officers.—An officer of the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, Regular Navy, or Regular Marine Corps who is transferred to a reserve active-status list under this section shall be discharged from the regular component concerned and appointed as a reserve commissioned officer under section 12203 of this title.
(d) Regulations.—The Secretary concerned shall prescribe regulations for the exercise of the Secretary's authority under this section.
(e) Space Force.—For a similar provision with respect to officers of the Space Force, see section 20405 of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §501(c)(1)(A), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1873; amended Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title V, §503(b), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 95; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(4)(H), (16), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3822, 3823; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, §1718(b), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 658.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2023—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–31, §1718(b)(1), inserted "(other than an officer of the Space Force)" after "in the case of an officer" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 118–31, §1718(b)(2), which directed amendment of subsec. (c) by substituting "or Regular Marine Corps" for "Regular Marine Corps, of Regular Space Force", was executed by making the substitution for "Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force" to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 118–31, §1718(b)(3), added subsec. (e).
2021—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, §924(b)(16), struck out "of that armed force" before period at end.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, §924(b)(4)(H), substituted "Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force" for "or Regular Marine Corps".
2008—Subsec. (b)(1)(A), (B). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted "six years" for "5 years".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Oct. 28, 2004, see section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375, set out as an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment note under section 531 of this title.