---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 14901"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "14901"
heading: "Separation of chaplains for loss of professional qualifications"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/14901"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part III — Promotion and Retention of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List"
  - "Chapter 1411 — Additional Provisions Relating to Involuntary Separation"
---

# §14901. Separation of chaplains for loss of professional qualifications

- (a) **Separation.—** Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of Defense, an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) on the [reserve active-status list](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-7) who is appointed or designated as a chaplain may, if the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) fails to maintain the qualifications needed to perform the professional function of a chaplain, be discharged. The authority under the preceding sentence applies without regard to the provisions of [section 12645 of this title](/usc/10/12645.md).
- (b) **Effect of Separation.—** If an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) separated under this section is eligible for retirement, the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) may be retired. If the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has completed the years of service required for eligibility for retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under [chapter 1223](/usc/10/chstE/ptII/ch1223.md) of this title, the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) may be transferred to the Retired [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2957.)

## Notes

### 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.