--- kind: "section" citation: "10 U.S.C. § 12004" title: "10" title_heading: "Armed Forces" number: "12004" heading: "Strength in grade: reserve general and flag officers in an active status" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/12004" units: - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components" - "Part II — Personnel Generally" - "Chapter 1201 — Authorized Strengths and Distribution in Grade" --- # §12004. Strength in grade: reserve general and flag officers in an active status - (a) The [authorized strengths](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-11) of the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps in [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [general officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-4) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4), and the [authorized strength](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-11) of the Navy in [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [grades](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral (lower half) and rear admiral in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4), are as follows: | | | | --- | --- | | Army | 207 | | Air Force | 157 | | Navy | 48 | | Marine Corps | 10. | - (b) The following Army and Air Force [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall not be counted for purposes of this section: - (1) Those serving as adjutants general or assistant adjutants general of a [State](/usc/10/18232.md?p=1). - (2) Those serving in the [National Guard](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-1) Bureau. - (3) Those counted under [section 526 of this title](/usc/10/526.md). - (4) Those serving in a joint duty assignment for purposes of [chapter 38](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch38.md) of this title, except that the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who may be excluded under this paragraph may not exceed the number equal to 20 percent of the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) authorized for the armed force concerned by [subsection (a)](#a). - (c) - (1) The following Navy [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall not be counted for purposes of this section: - (A) Those counted under [section 526 of this title](/usc/10/526.md). - (B) Those serving in a joint duty assignment for purposes of [chapter 38](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch38.md) of this title, except that the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who may be excluded under this paragraph may not exceed the number equal to 20 percent of the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) authorized for the Navy in [subsection (a)](#a). - (2) Not more than 50 percent of the [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) authorized under this section for the Navy may serve in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral. - (d) The following Marine Corps [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall not be counted for purposes of this section: - (1) Those counted under [section 526 of this title](/usc/10/526.md). - (2) Those serving in a joint duty assignment for purposes of [chapter 38](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch38.md) of this title, except that the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who may be excluded under this paragraph may not exceed the number equal to 20 percent of the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) authorized for the Marine Corps in [subsection (a)](#a). - (e) - (1) A [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [general officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-4) of the Army or Air Force may not be reduced in [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) because of a reduction in the number of [general officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-4) authorized under [subsection (a)](#a). - (2) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Navy [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) or the Marine Corps [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) may not be reduced in permanent [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) because of a reduction in the number authorized by this section for his [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). - (f) The limitations in [subsection (a)](#a) do not apply to an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) released from a joint duty assignment or other non-joint [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) departs the joint duty or other [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) assignment. The [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense may authorize the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of a military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, except that not more than three [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) from each [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component may be covered by an extension under this sentence at the same time. ## Source credit (Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2984; amended Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1501(b)(9), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 496; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title IV, § 415, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 1998; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §§ 512, 515(b)(1)(EE), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3232, 3233; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 526, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4448; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title V, § 502(h), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2276; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, § 511, Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4210.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Prior Provisions Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in sections 3218, 5457(a), 5458(a), and 8218 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1662(a)(3). ### Amendments 2011—Subsec. (c)(2) to (5). Pub. L. 111–383 redesignated par. (4) as (2) and struck out former pars. (2), (3), and (5). Former pars. (2) and (3) specified the distribution of Navy reserve officers authorized by subsection (a), and former par. (5) specified the Medical Department staff corps for purposes of par. (1). 2009—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–84 added subsec. (f). 2008—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 110–417, § 526(a), added par. (4). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–417, § 526(b), added par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) to (4) as (2) to (5), respectively, and in introductory provisions of par. (2) substituted “Of the number of Navy reserve officers authorized by subsection (a), 40 are distributed among the line and staff corps as follows:” for “The authorized strength of the Navy under subsection (a) is exclusive of officers counted under section 526 of this title. Of the number authorized under subsection (a), 40 are distributed among the line and the staff corps as follows:”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–417, § 526(c), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “The authorized strength of the Marine Corps under subsection (a) is exclusive of those counted under section 526 of this title.” 2006—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 109–163, § 512(a), (b), (d), substituted “40” for “39” in introductory provisions and “33” for “28” and “5” for “9” in table. Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 109–163, § 512(c), substituted “six” for “seven”. Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 109–163, § 515(b)(1)(EE), substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”. 1998—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 105–261, § 415(1), in table, inserted item relating to Medical Department staff corps and struck out items relating to Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, and Medical Service Corps. Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 105–261, § 415(2), added par. (4). 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted “active status, are” for “active-status, are”. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 104–106 effective as if included in the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act, title XVI of Pub. L. 103–337, as enacted on Oct. 5, 1994, see section 1501(f)(3) of Pub. L. 104–106, set out as a note under section 113 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.