---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 14705"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "14705"
heading: "Selective early retirement: reserve general and flag officers of the Navy and Marine Corps"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/14705"
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"
---

# §14705. Selective early retirement: reserve general and flag officers of the Navy and Marine Corps

- (a) **Authority To Consider.—** An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the Navy [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) serving in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral (lower half) or rear admiral and an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the Marine Corps [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) serving in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of brigadier general or major general may be considered for early retirement whenever the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Navy determines that such action is necessary.
- (b) **Boards.—**
  - (1) If the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Navy determines that consideration of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) for early retirement under this section is necessary, the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) shall convene a selection board under [section 14101(b) of this title](/usc/10/14101.md?p=b) to recommend an appropriate number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) for early retirement.
  - (2) In the case of such a board convened to consider [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral or major general, the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the Navy may appoint the board without regard to [section 14102(b) of this title](/usc/10/14102.md?p=b). In doing so, however, the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) shall ensure that—
    - (A) each [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) appointed to the board holds a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral or major general; and
    - (B) at least one member of the board is a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who holds the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of rear admiral or major general.
- (c) **Separation Under Section 14514.—** An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) selected for early retirement under this section shall be separated in accordance with [section 14514 of this title](/usc/10/14514.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2957; amended Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title V, § 515, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2008; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 511(b)(3), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1459; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(VV), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3234.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 6389(f)(3) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, § 1628(4).

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”.

2003—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–136 substituted “selection board” for “continuation board”.

1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–261 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted “of officers” after “consideration” and “continuation” after “shall convene a”, and added par. (2).

### 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.