---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 10301"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "10301"
heading: "Reserve Forces Policy Board"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/10301"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part I — Organization and Administration"
  - "Chapter 1009 — Reserve Forces Policy Boards and Committees"
---

# §10301. Reserve Forces Policy Board

- (a) **In General.—** As provided in [section 175 of this title](/usc/10/175.md), there is in the Office of the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense a board known as the “[Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) Forces Policy Board” (in this section referred to as the “Board”).
- (b) **Functions.—** The Board shall serve as an independent adviser to the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense to provide advice and recommendations to the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) on strategies, policies, and practices designed to improve and enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and effectiveness of the [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) components.
- (c) **Membership.—** The Board consists of 20 members, appointed or designated as follows:
  - (1) A civilian appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense from among persons determined by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) to have the knowledge of, and experience in, policy matters relevant to national security and [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component matters necessary to carry out the duties of chair of the Board, who shall serve as chair of the Board.
  - (2) Two active or retired [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense upon the recommendation of the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Army—
    - (A) one of whom shall be a member of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) or a former member of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) in the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6); and
    - (B) one of whom shall be a member or retired member of the Army [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6).
  - (3) Two active or retired [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense upon the recommendation of the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Navy—
    - (A) one of whom shall be an active or retired [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Navy [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6); and
    - (B) one of whom shall be an active or retired [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Marine Corps [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6).
  - (4) Two active or retired [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense upon the recommendation of the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Air Force—
    - (A) one of whom shall be a member of the [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5) or a former member of the [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5) in the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6); and
    - (B) one of whom shall be a member or retired member of the Air Force [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6).
  - (5) One active or retired [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Coast Guard designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Homeland Security.
  - (6) Ten persons appointed or designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense, each of whom shall be a [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) citizen having significant knowledge of and experience in policy matters relevant to national security and [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component matters and shall be one of the following:
    - (A) An individual not employed in any Federal or State department or agency.
    - (B) An individual employed by a Federal or State department or agency.
    - (C) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) component of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1), or an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4), who—
      - (i) is serving or has served in a senior position on the Joint Staff, the headquarters staff of a combatant command, or the headquarters staff of an armed force; and
      - (ii) has experience in joint professional military education, joint qualification, and joint operations matters.
  - (7) A [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who is a general or [flag officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-5) recommended by the chair and designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense, who shall serve without vote—
    - (A) as military adviser to the chair;
    - (B) as military executive [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Board; and
    - (C) as supervisor of the operations and staff of the Board.
  - (8) A senior [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component recommended by the chair and designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense, who shall serve without vote as enlisted military adviser to the chair.
- (d) **Matters To Be Acted on.—** The Board may act on those matters referred to it by the chair and on any matter raised by a member of the Board or the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense.
- (e) **Staff.—** The Board shall be supported by a staff consisting of one full-time [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) from each of the [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) components listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of [section 10101 of this title](/usc/10/10101.md) who holds the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of colonel (or in the case of the Navy, the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of captain) or who has been selected for promotion to that [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). These [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall also serve as liaisons between their respective components and the Board. They shall perform their staff and liaison duties under the supervision of the military executive [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Board in an independent manner reflecting the independent nature of the Board.
- (f) **Relationship to Service Reserve Policy Committees and Boards.—** This section does not affect the committees and boards prescribed within the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) by sections [10302](/usc/10/10302.md) through [10305](/usc/10/10305.md) of this title, and a member of such a committee or board may, if otherwise eligible, be a member of the Board.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1661(b)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2980; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(CC), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3233; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, § 514(a)(1), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4211.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 175 of this title, prior to amendment by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1661(b)(3).

### Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 111–383 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to the composition and functions of the Reserve Forces Policy Board.

2006—Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”.

2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, § 514(a)(2), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4213, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect on July 1, 2011.”

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

### 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.