10 U.S.C. § 637a

Current through P.L. 118-59 (published on www.congress.gov on 05/07/2024)

Section 637a - Continuation on active duty: officers in certain military specialties and career tracks

(a) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary of the military department concerned may authorize an officer in a grade above grade O-2 to remain on active duty after the date otherwise provided for the separation or retirement of the officer in section 632, 633, 634, 635, or 636 of this title, as applicable, if the officer has a military occupational specialty, rating, or specialty code in a military specialty designated pursuant to subsection (b).

(b) MILITARY SPECIALTIES.-Each Secretary of a military department shall designate the military specialties in which a military occupational specialty, rating, or specialty code, as applicable, assigned to members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary authorizes the members to be eligible for continuation on active duty as provided in subsection (a).

(c) DURATION OF CONTINUATION.-An officer continued on active duty pursuant to this section shall, if not earlier retired, be retired on the first day of the month after the month in which the officer completes 40 years of active service.

(d) REGULATIONS.-The Secretaries of the military departments shall carry out this section in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The regulations shall specify the criteria to be used by the Secretaries of the military departments in designating military specialties for purposes of subsection (b).

10 U.S.C. § 637a

Added Pub. L. 114-328, div. A, title V, §505(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2107; amended Pub. L. 115-232, div. A, title V, §506, title X, §1081(a)(8), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1743, 1983; Pub. L. 116-92, div. A, title V, §504, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1345.

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS2019-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116-92 inserted "separation or" after "provided for the".2018-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115-232, §506, substituted "grade O-2" for "grade O-4" and inserted "632," before "633,".Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115-232, §1081(a)(8), substituted "specialties" for "specialities".

active duty: The term "active duty" means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States, including sustained duty in the Space Force. Such term includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Such term does not include full-time National Guard duty.
active service: The term "active service" means service on active duty or full-time National Guard duty.
armed forces: The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
grade: The term "grade" means a step or degree, in a graduated scale of office or military rank, that is established and designated as a grade by law or regulation.
military departments: The term "military departments" means the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force.
officer: The term "officer" means a commissioned or warrant officer.
rating: The term "rating" means the name (such as "boatswain's mate") prescribed for members of an armed force in an occupational field. The term "rate" means the name (such as "chief boatswain's mate") prescribed for members in the same rating or other category who are in the same grade (such as chief petty officer or seaman apprentice).