---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 10212"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "10212"
heading: "Gratuitous services of officers: authority to accept"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/10212"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part I — Organization and Administration"
  - "Chapter 1007 — Administration of Reserve Components"
---

# §10212. Gratuitous services of officers: authority to accept

- (a) Notwithstanding [section 1342 of title 31](/usc/31/1342.md), the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense may accept the gratuitous services of an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component (other than an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) or the [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5)) in consultation upon matters relating to the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).
- (b) Notwithstanding [section 1342 of title 31](/usc/31/1342.md), the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of a military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) may accept the gratuitous services of an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component under the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4)’s jurisdiction (other than an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) or the [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5))—
  - (1) in the furtherance of the enrollment, organization, and training of that [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component or the [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’ Training Corps; or
  - (2) in consultation upon matters relating to the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1661(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2978; amended Pub. L. 103–355, title III, § 3021(a), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3333.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 279 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1661(a)(2)(A), and in sections 4541 and 9541 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–160, § 822(d)(2).

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–355 added subsec. (a) and designated existing provisions as subsec. (b).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–355, title III, § 3021(b), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3333, provided that: “Notwithstanding section 10001 [set out as a note under section 2302 of this title], the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on December 1, 1994, immediately after the amendments made by the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act [Pub. L. 103–337, see Tables for classification].”

### 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.