---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 14701a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "14701a"
heading: "Continuation on reserve active-status list: officers in certain military specialties and career tracks"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/14701a"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part III — Promotion and Retention of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List"
  - "Chapter 1409 — Continuation of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List and Selective Early Removal"
---

# §14701a. Continuation on reserve active-status list: officers in certain military specialties and career tracks

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) concerned may authorize a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) above O-2 to remain on the [reserve active-status list](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-7) after the date otherwise provided for the separation or retirement of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under section [14505](/usc/10/14505.md), [14506](/usc/10/14506.md), or [14507](/usc/10/14507.md) of this title, as applicable, if the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has a military occupational specialty, [rating](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9), or specialty code in a military specialty designated pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Military Specialties.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of a military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) shall designate the military specialties in which a military occupational specialty, [rating](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9), or specialty code, as applicable, assigned to members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) under the jurisdiction of such [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) authorizes the members to be eligible for continuation on the [reserve active-status list](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-7) as provided in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Duration of Continuation.—** An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) continued on the [reserve active-status list](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-7) pursuant to this section shall, if not earlier retired, transferred to the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6), or discharged, be separated in accordance with section [14513](/usc/10/14513.md) or [14514](/usc/10/14514.md) of this title, as applicable, on the first day of the month after the month in which the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) completes 40 years of commissioned service.
- (d) **Regulations.—** The [Secretaries](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) shall carry out this section in accordance with regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense. The regulations shall specify the criteria to be used by the [Secretaries](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) in designating military specialties for purposes of [subsection (b)](#b).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 513(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1876.)