---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 20401"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "20401"
heading: "Applicability of certain provisions of law related to separation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/20401"
units:
  - "Subtitle F — Alternative Military Personnel Systems"
  - "Part I — Space Force"
  - "Chapter 2009 — Retention and Separation Generally"
---

# §20401. Applicability of certain provisions of law related to separation

- (a) **Officer Separation.—** Except as specified in this section or otherwise modified in this chapter, the provisions of [chapter 59](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch59.md) of this title applicable to [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) component shall apply to [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Space Force.
- (b) Except as specified in this section or otherwise modified in this chapter, the provisions of sections [1169](/usc/10/1169.md), [1170](/usc/10/1170.md), [1171](/usc/10/1171.md), [1173](/usc/10/1173.md), [1174(b)](/usc/10/1174.md?p=b), and [1176(a)](/usc/10/1176.md?p=a) of [chapter 59](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch59.md) of this title applicable to [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) component shall apply to [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Space Force.
- (c) The provisions of [section 1172 of this title](/usc/10/1172.md) pertaining to a person enlisted under [section 518 of this title](/usc/10/518.md) shall apply to an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Space Force.
- (d) The provisions of [section 1174 of this title](/usc/10/1174.md)—
  - (1) pertaining to a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall apply to a Space Force [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4);
  - (2) pertaining to a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) shall apply to an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Space Force serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4); and
  - (3) pertaining to other members shall apply to members of the Space Force not serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4).
- (e) The provisions of [section 1175 of this title](/usc/10/1175.md) pertaining to a voluntary appointment, enlistment, or transfer to a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) component shall apply to the voluntary release from [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) of a member of the Space Force on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4).
- (f) The provisions of [section 1176 of this title](/usc/10/1176.md)—
  - (1) pertaining to a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) shall apply to an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Space Force serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4); and
  - (2) pertaining to a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) serving in an [active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-4) shall apply to an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) of the Space Force serving in a [space force active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-1) or on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1718(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 656; amended Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 521(w), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1883.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–159 inserted “, and” after “1174(b)”.