---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1169"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1169"
heading: "Regular enlisted members: limitations on discharge"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1169"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 59 — Separation"
---

# §1169. Regular enlisted members: limitations on discharge


No [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of an armed force may be discharged before his term of service expires, except—

- (1) as prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5);
- (2) by sentence of a general or special court martial; or
- (3) as otherwise provided by law.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 3(a)(1)(A), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 757.)