---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 3072"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "3072"
heading: "Eligibility for veterans benefits and other rights, privileges, immunities, and benefits under certain provisions of law"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/3072"
units:
  - "Chapter 43 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps"
  - "Subchapter V — Rights and Benefits"
---

# §3072. Eligibility for veterans benefits and other rights, privileges, immunities, and benefits under certain provisions of law

- (a) **In general—** Active service of [officers](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-3) of the [Administration](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-7) shall be deemed to be active military service for the purposes of all rights, privileges, immunities, and benefits under the following:
  - (1) Laws administered by the [Secretary](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-6) of Veterans Affairs.
  - (2) The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act [[50 U.S.C. 3901](/usc/50/3901.md) et seq.].
  - (3) [Section 410 of title 42](/usc/42/410.md), as in effect before September 1, 1950.
- (b) **Exercise of authority—** In the [administration](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-7) of the laws and regulations referred to in [subsection (a)](#a), with respect to the [Administration](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-7), the authority vested in the [Secretary](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-6) of Defense and the [Secretaries](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-6) of the military departments and their respective departments shall be exercised by the [Secretary](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-6) of Commerce.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–372, title II, § 262, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3092; Pub. L. 108–189, § 2(g), Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2866.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is act Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, 54 Stat. 1178, which is classified principally to chapter 50 (§ 3901 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in sections 857 and 857–3(a) of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 107–372.

### Amendments

2003—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 108–189 amended par. (2) generally substituting “The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act” for “The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940 (50 App. U.S.C. 501 et seq.)”.