---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 14703"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "14703"
heading: "Authority to retain chaplains and officers in medical specialties until specified age"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/14703"
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"
---

# §14703. Authority to retain chaplains and officers in medical specialties until specified age

- (a) **Retention.—** Notwithstanding any provision of [chapter 1407](/usc/10/chstE/ptIII/ch1407.md) of this title and except for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) referred to in sections [14503](/usc/10/14503.md), [14504](/usc/10/14504.md), [14505](/usc/10/14505.md), and [14506](/usc/10/14506.md) of this title and under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense—
  - (1) the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Army may, with the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s consent, retain in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) any [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) assigned to the Medical Corps, the Dental Corps, the Veterinary Corps, the Medical Services Corps (if the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has been designated as allied health [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) or biomedical sciences [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in that Corps), the Optometry Section of the Medical Services Corps, the Chaplains, the Army Nurse Corps, or the Army Medical Specialists Corps;
  - (2) the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Navy may, with the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s consent, retain in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) any [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) appointed in the Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, or Chaplain Corps or appointed in the Medical Services Corps and designated to perform as a veterinarian, optometrist, podiatrist, allied health [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), or biomedical sciences [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1); and
  - (3) the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Air Force may, with the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s consent, retain in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) any [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who is designated as a [medical officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-14), [dental officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-15), Air Force nurse, Medical Service Corps [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), biomedical sciences [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), or chaplain.
- (b) **Separation at Specified Age.—**
  - (1) Subject to [paragraph (2)](#b-2), an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) may not be retained in [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) under this section later than the date on which the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) becomes 68 years of age.
  - (2) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) may, with the consent of the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), retain in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in a medical specialty described in [subsection (a)](#a) beyond the date described in paragraph (1) of this subsection if the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) determines that such retention is necessary to the military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) concerned. Each such retention shall be made on a case-by-case basis and for such period as the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) determines appropriate.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2956; amended Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, § 516, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 594; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title V, § 523], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–108; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 516(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4442; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 516, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1349.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in sections 3855(a), (c)(1), 6392(a), (c)(1), and 8855(a), (c)(1) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1629(a)(3), (b)(3), (c)(3).

### Amendments

2019—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–92 designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “Subject to paragraph (2), an” for “An”, and added par. (2).

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted “68 years” for “67 years”.

2000—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 106–398 substituted “Air Force nurse, Medical Service Corps officer, biomedical sciences officer, or chaplain.” for “veterinary officer, Air Force nurse, or chaplain or who is designated as a biomedical sciences officer and is qualified for service as a veterinarian, optometrist, or podiatrist.”

1999—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–65 struck out “(or, in the case of a reserve officer of the Army in the Chaplains or a reserve officer of the Air Force designated as a chaplain, 60 years of age)” after “67 years of age”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1996, see section 1691(b)(1) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.