---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 12686"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "12686"
heading: "Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/12686"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part II — Personnel Generally"
  - "Chapter 1221 — Separation"
---

# §12686. Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty

- (a) **Limitation.—** Under regulations to be prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9), which shall be as uniform as practicable, a member of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component who is on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) (other than for training) and is within two years of becoming eligible for retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) or retainer [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under a purely military retirement system (other than the retirement system under [chapter 1223](/usc/10/chstE/ptII/ch1223.md) of this title), may not be involuntarily released from that duty before he becomes eligible for that [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), unless the release is approved by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4).
- (b) **Waiver.—** With respect to a member of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component who is to be ordered to [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) (other than for training) under [section 12301 of this title](/usc/10/12301.md) pursuant to an order to [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) that specifies a period of less than 180 days and who (but for this subsection) would be covered by [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may require, as a condition of such order to [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1), that the member waive the applicability of [subsection (a)](#a) to the member for the period of [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) covered by that order. In carrying out this subsection, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may require that a waiver under the preceding sentence be executed before the period of [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) begins.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(i)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2998; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 533, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2520; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 522, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1888.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 1163(d) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1662(i)(2).

### Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375 inserted “(other than the retirement system under chapter 1223 of this title)” after “retirement system”.

1996—Pub. L. 104–201 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

### 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.