---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 20601"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "20601"
heading: "Officers: voluntary retirement for length of service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/20601"
units:
  - "Subtitle F — Alternative Military Personnel Systems"
  - "Part I — Space Force"
  - "Chapter 2013 — Voluntary Retirement for Length of Service"
---

# §20601. Officers: voluntary retirement for length of service

- (a) **Twenty Years or More.—** The Secretary of the Air Force may, upon the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s request, retire a [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) of the Space Force who has at least 20 years of service computed under [section 20602 of this title](/usc/10/20602.md), at least 10 years of which have been [active service](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-3) as a [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2).
- (b) **Thirty Years or More.—** A [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) of the Space Force who has at least 30 years of service computed under [section 20602 of this title](/usc/10/20602.md) may be retired upon the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s request, in the discretion of the President.
- (c) **Forty Years or More.—** Except as provided in [section 20503 of this title](/usc/10/20503.md), a [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) of the Space Force who has at least 40 years of service computed under [section 20602 of this title](/usc/10/20602.md) shall be retired upon the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s request.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1719A(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 662.)