---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 690"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "690"
heading: "Retired members ordered to active duty: limitation on number"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/690"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 39 — Active Duty"
---

# §690. Retired members ordered to active duty: limitation on number

- (a) **General and Flag Officers.—** Not more than 15 retired [general officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-4) of the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force, and not more than 15 retired [flag officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-5) of the Navy, may be on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) at any one time. For the purposes of this subsection a retired [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) ordered to [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) for a period of 60 days or less is not counted.
- (b) **Limitation by Service.—**
  - (1) Not more than 25 [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of any one armed force may be serving on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) concurrently pursuant to orders to [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) issued under [section 688 of this title](/usc/10/688.md).
  - (2) In the administration of [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the following [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) shall not be counted:
    - (A) A chaplain who is assigned to duty as a chaplain for the period of [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) to which ordered.
    - (B) A [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) professional (as characterized by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5)) who is assigned to duty as a [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) professional for the period of the [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) to which ordered.
    - (C) Any [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) assigned to duty with the American Battle Monuments Commission for the period of [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) to which ordered.
    - (D) Any member of the Retiree Council of the Army, Navy, or Air Force for the period on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) to attend the annual meeting of the Retiree Council.
    - (E) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who is assigned to duty as a defense attaché or service attaché for the period of [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) to which ordered.
- (c) **Waiver for Periods of War or National Emergency.—** [Subsection (a)](#a) does not apply in time of war or of national emergency declared by Congress or the President after November 30, 1980. [Subsection (b)](#b) does not apply in time of war or of national emergency declared by Congress or the President.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 521(a), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2516; amended Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, § 507, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 591; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 509(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1091; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1741(b)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 680.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 690 was renumbered section 12321 of this title.

Provisions similar to those in subsecs. (a) and (c) of this section were contained in section 688(c) of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–201, § 521(a).

### Amendments

2023—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force,” for “or Marine Corps,”.

2001—Subsec. (b)(2)(E). Pub. L. 107–107 added subpar. (E).

1999—Subsec. (b)(2)(D). Pub. L. 106–65 added subpar. (D).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2001 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–107 applicable with respect to officers serving on active duty as a defense attaché or service attaché on or after Dec. 28, 2001, see section 509(c) of Pub. L. 107–107, set out as a note under section 688 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 30, 1997, see section 521(b) of Pub. L. 104–201, set out as a note under section 688 of this title.