---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 10145"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "10145"
heading: "Ready Reserve: placement in"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/10145"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part I — Organization and Administration"
  - "Chapter 1005 — Elements of Reserve Components"
---

# §10145. Ready Reserve: placement in

- (a) Each person required under law to serve in a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component shall, upon becoming a member, be placed in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of his armed force for his prescribed term of service, unless he is transferred to the Standby [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) under [section 10146(a) of this title](/usc/10/10146.md?p=a).
- (b) The units and members of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) and of the [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5) are in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of the Army and the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of the Air Force, respectively.
- (c) All [Reserves](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) assigned to units organized to serve as units and designated as units in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) are in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6).
- (d) Under such regulations as the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may prescribe, any qualified member of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component or any qualified retired [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) component may, upon his request, be placed in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6). However, a member of the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) entitled to retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) or a retired [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) component may not be placed in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) unless the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) makes a special finding that the member’s services in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) are indispensable. The authority of the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) under the preceding sentence may not be delegated—
  - (1) to a civilian [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or employee of the military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) concerned below the level of Assistant [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4); or
  - (2) to a member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) below the level of the lieutenant general or vice admiral in an armed force with responsibility for military personnel policy in that armed force.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1661(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2973; amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 513, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1460.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 269(a)–(d) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1661(a)(2)(A).

### Amendments

2003—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–136 substituted last sentence of introductory provisions and pars. (1) and (2) for “The Secretary concerned may not delegate his authority under the preceding sentence.”

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section 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.