---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 708"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "708"
heading: "Educational leave of absence"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/708"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 40 — Leave"
---

# §708. Educational leave of absence

- (a) Under such regulations as the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may prescribe after consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Homeland Security and subject to [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may grant to any eligible member (as defined in [subsection (e)](#e)) a leave of absence for the purpose of permitting the member to pursue a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education. The period of a leave of absence granted under this section may not exceed two years, except that the period may exceed two years but may not exceed three years in the case of an eligible member pursuing a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education in a [health care](/usc/10/1072.md?p=10) profession.
- (b)
  - (1) A member may not be granted a leave of absence under this section unless—
    - (A) in the case of an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6), the member agrees in writing to extend his current enlistment after completion (or other termination) of the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education for which the leave of absence was granted for a period of two months for each month of the period of the leave of absence; and
    - (B) in the case of an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), the member agrees to serve on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) after completion (or other termination) of the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education for which the leave of absence was granted for a period (in addition to any other period of obligated service on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1)) of two months for each month of the period of the leave of absence.
  - (2) A member may not be granted a leave of absence under this section until he has completed any extension of enlistment or reenlistment, or any period of obligated service, incurred by reason of any previous leave of absence granted under this section.
- (c)
  - (1) While on a leave of absence under this section, a member shall be paid basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) but may not receive basic allowance for housing under [section 403 of title 37](/usc/37/403.md), basic allowance for subsistence under [section 402](/usc/10/402.md) of such title, or any other [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) and allowances to which he would otherwise be entitled for such period.
  - (2) A period during which a member is on a leave of absence under this section shall be counted for the purposes of computing the amount of the member’s basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), for the purpose of determining the member’s eligibility for retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), and for the purpose of determining the member’s time in [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) for promotion purposes, but may not be counted for the purposes of completion of the term of enlistment of the member (in the case of an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6)) or for purposes of [section 3021 of title 38](/usc/38/3021.md), relating to entitlement to supplemental educational assistance.
- (d)
  - (1) In time of war, or of national emergency declared by the President or the Congress after October 19, 1984, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may cancel any leave of absence granted under this section.
  - (2) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may cancel a leave of absence granted to a member under this section if the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines that the member is not satisfactorily pursuing the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education for which the leave was granted.
- (e) In this section, the term “eligible member” means a member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) who is eligible for basic educational assistance under [chapter 30](/usc/38/chptIII/ch30.md) of title 38 and who—
  - (1) in the case of an [enlisted member](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6), has completed at least one term of enlistment and has reenlisted; and
  - (2) in the case of an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), has completed the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’s initial period of obligated service on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 98–525, title VII, § 707(a)(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2571; amended Pub. L. 100–26, § 7(i)(2), (k)(3), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 282, 284; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title X, § 1070(e)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2859; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VI, § 603(d)(2)(A), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1782; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 554, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1913; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, § 1071(g)(3), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2402.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–364 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 108–375, § 554(1). See 2004 Amendment note below.

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375, § 554(2), inserted at end “The period of a leave of absence granted under this section may not exceed two years, except that the period may exceed two years but may not exceed three years in the case of an eligible member pursuing a program of education in a health care profession.”

Pub. L. 108–375, § 554(1), as amended by Pub. L. 109–364, struck out “for a period of not to exceed two years” after “leave of absence”.

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

1997—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted “basic allowance for housing under section 403 of title 37, basic allowance for subsistence under section 402 of such title,” for “basic allowance for quarters or basic allowance for subsistence”.

1994—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 103–337 substituted “section 3021 of title 38” for “section 1421 of title 38”.

1987—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 100–26, § 7(i)(2), substituted “October 19, 1984” for “the date of the enactment of this section”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100–26, § 7(k)(3), inserted “the term” after “In this section,”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2006 Amendment

Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, § 1071(g), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2402, provided that the amendment made by section 1071(g)(3) is effective as of Oct. 28, 2004, and as if included in Pub. L. 108–375 as enacted.

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1997 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–85 effective Jan. 1, 1998, see section 603(e) of Pub. L. 105–85, set out as a note under section 5561 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 98–525, title VII, § 707(b), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2572, provided that: “Section 708 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on October 1, 1985.”