--- kind: "section" citation: "10 U.S.C. § 8001" title: "10" title_heading: "Armed Forces" number: "8001" heading: "Definitions" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/8001" units: - "Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps" - "Part I — Organization" - "Chapter 801 — Definitions" --- # §8001. Definitions - (a) In this subtitle: - (1) The term “Navy” means the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Navy. It [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4) the [Regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) Navy, the Fleet [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6), and the Navy [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6). - (2) The term “Marine Corps” means the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Marine Corps. It [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4) the [Regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) Marine Corps, the Fleet Marine Corps [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6), and the Marine Corps [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6). - (3) The term “member of the naval service” means a person appointed or enlisted in, or inducted or conscripted into, the [Navy](#a-1) or the [Marine Corps](#a-2). - (4) The term “enlisted member” means a [member of the naval service](#a-3) serving in an enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) or [rating](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9). It excludes, unless otherwise specified, a member who holds a permanent enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and a temporary appointment in a commissioned or [warrant officer](#a-7) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). - (5) The term “officer” means a [member of the naval service](#a-3) serving in a commissioned or [warrant officer](#a-7) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). It [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4), unless otherwise specified, a member who holds a permanent enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and a temporary appointment in a commissioned or [warrant officer](#a-7) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). - (6) The term “commissioned officer” means a [member of the naval service](#a-3) serving in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) above [warrant officer](#a-7), W–1. It [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4), unless otherwise specified, a member who holds a permanent enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) or the permanent [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of [warrant officer](#a-7), W–1, and a temporary appointment in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) above [warrant officer](#a-7), W–1. - (7) The term “warrant officer” means a [member of the naval service](#a-3) serving in a warrant officer [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). It [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4), unless otherwise specified, a member who holds a permanent enlisted [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and a temporary appointment in a warrant officer [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). - (8) The term “officer restricted in the performance of duty” means an [officer](#a-5) of the [Navy](#a-1) designated for engineering duty, aeronautical engineering duty, special duty, or limited duty, or an [officer](#a-5) of the [Marine Corps](#a-2) designated for limited duty. - (b) For the purposes of this subtitle, a [member of the naval service](#a-3) who holds a temporary appointment in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than his permanent [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) is considered, unless otherwise specified, to be serving in the higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). ## Source credit (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 276, § 5001; Pub. L. 87–123, § 5(1), Aug. 3, 1961, 75 Stat. 264; Pub. L. 96–513, title III, § 371, title V, § 513(2), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2903, 2931; Pub. L. 100–26, § 7(k)(2), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 284; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(E), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3233; renumbered § 8001, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(a)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1834.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Prior Provisions A prior section 8010 was renumbered section 8011 of this title. ### Amendments 2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5001 of this title as this section. 2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”. 1987—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–26 inserted “The term” after each par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after first quotation marks in pars. (3) to (8) and substituted lowercase letter. 1980—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 96–513, § 513(2), struck out “, male or female,” after “person”. Subsec. (a)(9), (10). Pub. L. 96–513, § 371, struck out pars. (9) and (10) which defined the active lists of the Navy and the Marine Corps, respectively. See section 101 of this title. 1961—Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 87–123 struck out provisions which related to Marine Corps officers designated for supply duty. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title. ### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment Amendment by section 371 of Pub. L. 96–513 effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under the amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title. Amendment by section 513(2) of Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513.