10 U.S.C. § 7442
Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 15 persons1 for each vacancy that is available to him under this section. Nominees may be submitted without ranking or with a principal candidate and 9 ranked or unranked alternates. Qualified nominees not selected for appointment under this subsection shall be considered qualified alternates for the purposes of selection under other provisions of this chapter. When a nominee of a Senator, Representative, or Delegate is selected for appointment as a cadet, the Senator, Representative, or Delegate shall be notified at least 48 hours before the official notification or announcement of the appointment is made.
however, a person who is eligible for selection under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) may not be selected under this paragraph.
1See Applicability of Amendment note below.
10 U.S.C. § 7442
| HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTE | ||
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 4342(a) | 10:1092a (1st par., less clauses (a) through (e)).10:1092a (clause (a), less 14th through 52d words after 4th semicolon; and less last 32 words). | R.S. 1317.June 30, 1950, ch. 421, §§1, 2 (last proviso), 64 Stat. 303, 304; June 3, 1954, ch. 251, §2, 68 Stat. 169. |
| 10:1092a (1st 13 words of clause (b)). | ||
| 10:1092a (1st 26 words of clause (c)). | ||
| 10:1092a (clause (d)). | ||
| 10:1092a (clause (e), less last 53 words). | ||
| 4342(b) | 10:1092a (last par.).10:1098. | |
| 4342(c) | 10:1092a (14th through 52d words after 4th semicolon of clause (a)).10:1092b (last proviso). | |
| 4342(d) | 10:1092a (last 32 words of clause (a)). | |
| 4342(e) | 10:1092a (clause (b), less 1st 13 words, and less 1st proviso). | |
| 4342(f) | 10:1092a (1st proviso of clause (b)). | |
| 4342(g) | 10:1092a (clause (c), less 1st 26 words). | |
| 4342(h) | 10:1092a (last 53 words of clause (e)). | |
Applicability of Amendment Amendment of section by section 561(a) of Pub. L. 118-31 applicable to nominations of candidates and appointments to the Service Academies for classes entering such Service Academies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. See 2023 Amendment notes below.
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS2023-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118-31, §561(a)(1), substituted "15 persons" for "10 persons" in concluding provisions. Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 118-31, §562(a), substituted "Five" for "Four".Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 118-31, §561(a)(2), substituted "200" for "150".2022-Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 117-263 substituted "paragraphs (3) through (10)" for "paragraphs (3) and (4)".2018- Pub. L. 115-232, §808(c)(1), renumbered section 4342 of this title as this section.Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 115-232, §809(a), substituted "section 7443" for "section 4343". 2016-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114-328 inserted at end of concluding provisions "When a nominee of a Senator, Representative, or Delegate is selected for appointment as a cadet, the Senator, Representative, or Delegate shall be notified at least 48 hours before the official notification or announcement of the appointment is made." 2015-Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 114-92, §556(a)(1), substituted "Four" for "Three".Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 114-92, §556(a)(2), substituted "Four" for "Three". Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 114-92, §556(a)(3), substituted "Three" for "Two".Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 114-92, §556(a)(4), substituted "Three" for "Two".2013-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112-239, §1076(f) (38)(A)(i), substituted "paragraph" for "clause" in two places in concluding provisions.Subsecs. (b)(5), (d), (f). Pub. L. 112-239, §1076(f) (38)(A)(ii)-(C), substituted "paragraphs" for "clauses".2009-Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 111-84 substituted "Two cadets" for "One cadet". 2008-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110-417 substituted "4,400 or such lower number" for "4,000 or such higher number" in introductory provisions.Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 110-229 substituted "Delegate in Congress" for "resident representative".Subsec. (j)(1). Pub. L. 110-181 struck out last sentence which read as follows: "However, no increase may be prescribed for any academic year after the 2007-2008 academic year."2006-Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 109-364 substituted "cadets" for "cadet". 2003-Subsec. (a)(6), (8). Pub. L. 108-136, §524(a)(1), substituted "Three" for "Two".Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 108-136, §524(a)(2), substituted "Two" for "One".Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 108-136, §1031(a) (53), substituted "Superintendent" for "Secretary of the Army". 2002-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107-314, §532(a)(1), inserted before period at end of first sentence "or such higher number as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army under subsection (j)". Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 107-314, §532(f), struck out "(beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year)" after "any year".Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 107-314, §532(a)(2), added subsec. (j). 2000-Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 106-398, §1[[div. A], title V, §531(a)(1)], struck out ",other than those granted retired pay under section 12731 of this title (or under section 1331 of this title as in effect before the effective date of the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act)" after "retired or retainer pay".Subsec. (b)(1)(C), (D). Pub. L. 106-398, §1[[div. A], title V, §531(a)(2)], added subpars. (C) and (D).1999-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106-65, §531(b)(1)(A), substituted "(determined for any year as of the day before the last day of the academic year) is 4,000. Subject to that limitation, cadets are selected as follows:" for "is as follows:" in introductory provisions.Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 106-65, §1067(1), substituted "and the Committee on Armed Services" for "and the Committee on National Security" in introductory provisions. Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 106-65, §531(b)(1)(B), added subsec. (i). 1997-Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 105-85 substituted "Mariana" for "Marianas". 1996-Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 104-106, §532(a), added par. (10).Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104-106, §1502(a)(1), substituted "Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives" for "Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives".1994-Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 103-337 substituted "section 12731 of this title (or under section 1331 of this title as in effect before the effective date of the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act)" for "section 1331 of this title". 1993-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-160 in concluding provisions substituted "10 persons" for "a principal candidate and nine alternates" and inserted at end "Nominees may be submitted without ranking or with a principal candidate and 9 ranked or unranked alternates. Qualified nominees not selected for appointment under this subsection shall be considered qualified alternates for the purposes of selection under other provisions of this chapter."1990-Subsec. (a)(8) to (10). Pub. L. 101-510, §532(a)(1)(A), redesignated cls. (9) and (10) as (8) and (9), respectively, and struck out former cl. (8) which read as follows: "One cadet nominated by the Administrator of the Panama Canal Commission from the children of civilian personnel of the United States Government residing in the Republic of Panama who are citizens of the United States."Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101-510, §532(a)(1)(B), substituted "clauses (2) through (9)" for "clauses (2)-(7), (9), or (10)".Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101-510, §532(a)(1)(C), substituted "clauses (3) through (9)" for "clauses (3)-(7), (9) and (10)".1989-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101-189 substituted "Department of Veterans Affairs" for "Veterans' Administration".1983-Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 98-94, §1005(b)(1), substituted "One cadet nominated by the Administrator of the Panama Canal Commission from the children of civilian personnel of the United States Government residing in the Republic of Panama who are citizens of the United States" for "One cadet nominated by the Governor of the Panama Canal from the children of civilians residing in the Canal Zone or the children of civilian personnel of the United States Government, or the Panama Canal Company, residing in the Republic of Panama".Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 98-94, §1005(a)(1), substituted ",nominated by the Delegate in Congress from American Samoa" for "nominated by the Secretary of the Army upon recommendation of the Governor of Samoa". 1981-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97-60 substituted provisions authorizing the Superintendent to nominate for appointment each year 50 persons from the country at large for provisions that all cadets were to be appointed by the President and that all such appointments were conditional until the cadet was admitted. See section 4341a of this title. 1980-Subsec. (a)(6), (9). Pub. L. 96-600 substituted "Two cadets" for "One cadet".Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 96-513 substituted "The" for "Effective beginning with nominations for appointment to the Academy in the calendar year 1964, the". 1975-Subsecs. (a)(1), (8), (b)(1), (c). Pub. L. 94-106 substituted "children" for "sons" wherever appearing. 1973-Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 93-171, §1(1), substituted "One cadet from the Virgin Islands, nominated by the Delegate in Congress from the Virgin Islands" for "Five cadets from each Territory, nominated by the Delegate in Congress from the Territory". Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 93-171, §1(2), struck out reference to Guam and Virgin Islands.Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 93-171, §1(3), added cl. (10).Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 93-171, §1(4), substituted ",(9) and (10) of subsection (a)" for "and (9) of subsection (a)" and struck out reference to Territory. 1972-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 92-365 increased the number of cadets from 40 to 65 and added sons of members who are in a missing status and sons of civilian employees who are in missing status as eligible for the competitive examination.1970-Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 91-405 substituted "Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia" for "Commissioner of that District". 1968-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90-374 increased from five to nine the number of alternates for each vacancy each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate.Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 90-623 substituted "Commissioner" for "Commissioners". 1966-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 89-650, §1(1), provided for selection of cadets to the Military Academy from sons of members of the armed forces who have a 100 per centum service-connected disability and removed the limitation to active service during World War I or World War II or after June 26, 1950, and before Feb. 1, 1955.Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 89-650, §1(2), provided for nominations to the Military Academy by the President pro tempore of the Senate if there is no Vice President. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 89-650, §1(3), increased the number of Presidential appointments to the Military Academy from 75 to 100, provided for selection of eligible persons as stated in items (A) and (B), previously chosen from sons of members of regular components, and declared persons eligible under subsec. (a)(1) ineligible under subsec. (b)(1) of this section. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 89-650, §1(4), substituted "reserve components of the Army" for "the Army Reserve". 1964-Pub. L. 88-276 amended section generally, and among other changes, in the noncompetitive appointments, increased the number of cadets nominated by the Vice President from three to five, each Senator, Representative, and Delegate from 4 to 5, and the Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 4 to 5, authorized the Governor of Puerto Rico to appoint one cadet, each Senator, Representative and Delegate to nominate a principal and five alternates for each vacancy, and, in the competitive appointments, permitted the President to appoint 75 cadets annually from the sons of members of the Regular components, instead of a cumulative total of 89, the Secretary of the Army to appoint 85 cadets annually from enlisted members of the Regular Army, instead of a cumulative total of 90, 85 annually from enlisted members of the Army Reserve, instead of a cumulative total of 90, 20 annually from honor graduates of designated honor schools and the R.O.T.C., instead of a cumulative total of 40 from honor schools only, 150 annually, in order of merit, from among the qualified alternates nominated by members of Congress, and when the quota of cadets selected under subsecs. (b)(1), (2), (3) is not filled, to fill the vacancies by appointing those best qualified from any of the three sources, decreased the number of cadets nominated by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia from 6 to 5, and by the Governor of the Panama Canal from 2 to 1, limited appointments to the number that can be adequately accommodated at the Academy, within the limitation that congressional appointments cannot be limited to less than four, and if limited, a priority of selection is established for the other categories, and, beginning in 1964, the Secretary may upon request of a Member of Congress, furnish him the name of any nominating authority responsible for the nomination of any identified person to the Academy.1962-Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 87-663, §1(1), added cl. (10).Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 87-633, §1(2), inserted references to American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, and substituted "clauses (1)-(5) and (10)" for "clauses (1)-(5)."1958-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85-861 inserted a comma after "district".
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2023 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 118-31, div. A, title V, §561(d), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 274, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 8454 and 9442 of this title] shall apply to nominations of candidates and appointments to the Service Academies (as such term is defined in section 347 of title 10, United States Code) for classes entering such Service Academies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year."
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 2016 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 114-328, div. A, title V, §566(e), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2139, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section, sections 6954 and 9342 of this title, and section 51302 of Title 46, Shipping] shall apply with respect to the appointment of cadets and midshipmen to the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy for classes entering these service academies after January 1, 2018."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2015 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 114-92, div. A, title V, §556(d), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 825, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 6954 and 9342 of this title] shall apply with respect to the nomination of candidates for appointment to the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy for classes entering these military service academies after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 25, 2015]."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2009 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 111-84, div. A, title V, §527(d), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2288, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 6954 and 9342 of this title] shall apply with respect to appointments to the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy beginning with the first class of candidates nominated for appointment to these military service academies after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 2009]."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2008 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 110-417, [div. A], title V, §540(d), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4454, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 6954 and 9342 of this title] shall apply with respect to academic years at the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy after the 2007-2008 academic year."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2003 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 108-136, div. A, title V, §524(d), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1465, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 6954 and 9342 of this title] shall apply with respect to the nomination of candidates for appointment to the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy for classes entering those academies after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 24, 2003]."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103-337 effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103-337, set out as an Effective Date note under section 10001 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97-60 effective with respect to nominations for appointment to the first class admitted to each Academy after Oct. 14, 1981, see section 203(d) of Pub. L. 97-60, set out as an Effective Date note under section 7441a of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENTS Pub. L. 96-600, §2(d), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3493, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 6954 and 9342 of this title] shall be effective beginning with the nominations for appointment to the service academies for academic years beginning more than one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 24, 1980]." Amendment by Pub. L. 96-513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96-513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1973 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 93-171, §4, Nov. 29, 1973, 87 Stat. 691, provided that: "The amendments made by this Act [amending this section and sections 4343, 6954, 6956, 6958, 9342, and 9343 of this title] shall be effective beginning with the nominations for appointments to the service academies in the calendar year 1974."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 91-405 effective Sept. 22, 1970, see section 206(b) of Pub. L. 91-405, set out as an Effective Date note under section 25a of Title 2, The Congress.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1968 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 90-623 intended to restate without substantive change the law in effect on Oct. 22, 1968, see section 6 of Pub. L. 90-623, set out as a note under section 5334 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1958 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 85-861 effective Aug. 10, 1956, see section 33(g) of Pub. L. 85-861, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.
INFORMATION ON NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES Pub. L. 116-283, div. A, title V, §575, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3645, as amended by Pub. L. 117-263, div. A, title V, §556, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2595, provided that: "(a) Nominations Portal.-"(1) IN GENERAL.-Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021], the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Superintendents of the military service academies, shall ensure that there is a uniform online portal for all military service academies that enables Members of Congress and other nominating sources to nominate individuals for appointment to each academy through a secure website."(2) INFORMATION COLLECTION AND REPORTING.-The online portal established under paragraph (1) shall have the ability to-"(A) collect, from each nominating source, the demographic information described in subsection (b) for each individual nominated to attend a military service academy; and"(B) collect the information required to be included in each annual report of the Secretary under subsection (c) in a manner that enables the Secretary to automatically compile such information when preparing the report. "(3) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.-The portal shall allow Members of Congress, other nominating sources, and their designees to view their past nomination records for all application cycles."(b) STANDARD CLASSIFICATIONS FOR COLLECTION OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.-"(1) STANDARDS REQUIRED.-The Secretary, in consultation with the Superintendents of the military service academies, shall establish standard classifications that cadets, midshipmen, and applicants to the academies may use to report gender, race, and ethnicity and to provide other demographic information in connection with admission to or enrollment in an academy."(2) CONSISTENCY WITH OMB GUIDANCE.-The standard classifications established under paragraph (1) shall be consistent with the standard classifications specified in Office of Management and Budget Directive No. 15 (pertaining to race and ethnic standards for Federal statistics and administrative reporting) or any successor directive."(3) INCORPORATION INTO APPLICATIONS AND RECORDS.-Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall incorporate the standard classifications established under paragraph (1) into-"(A) applications for admission to the military service academies; and"(B) the military personnel records of cadets and midshipmen enrolled in such academies. "(c) ANNUAL REPORT ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY APPLICANTS.-"(1) REPORT REQUIRED.-Not later than September 30 of each year beginning after the establishment of the online portal, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the demographics of applicants to military service academies for the most recently concluded application year."(2) ELEMENTS.-Each report under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to each military service academy, the following:"(A) The number of individuals who submitted an application for admission to the academy in the application year covered by the report."(B) Of the individuals who submitted an application for admission to the academy in such year-"(i) the overall demographics of applicant pool, disaggregated by the classifications established under subsection (b);"(ii) the number and percentage who received a nomination, disaggregated by the classifications established under subsection (b);"(iii) the number and percentage who received an offer for appointment to the academy, disaggregated by the classifications established under subsection (b); and "(iv) the number and percentage who accepted an appointment to the academy, disaggregated by the classifications established under subsection (b)."(C) Anything the Secretary determines to be significant regarding gender, race, ethnicity, or other demographic information, described in subsection (b), of such individuals."(3) CONSULTATION.-In preparing each report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the Superintendents of the military service academies."(4) AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS AND DATA.-The Secretary shall-"(A) make the results of each report under paragraph (1) available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense; and"(B) ensure that any data included with the report is made available in a machine-readable format that is downloadable, searchable, and sortable."(d) DEFINITIONS.-In this section: "(1) The term 'application year' means the period beginning on January 1 of one year and ending on June 1 of the following year. "(2) The term 'machine-readable' has the meaning given that term in section 3502(18) of title 44, United States Code."(3) The term 'military service academy' means-"(A) the United States Military Academy;"(B) the United States Naval Academy; and"(C) the United States Air Force Academy."
ELIGIBILITY OF FEMALE INDIVIDUALS FOR APPOINTMENT AND ADMISSION TO SERVICE ACADEMIES; UNIFORM APPLICATION OF ACADEMIC AND OTHER STANDARDS TO MALE AND FEMALE INDIVIDUALSPub. L. 94-106, title VIII, §803(a), Oct. 7, 1975, 89 Stat. 537, provided that: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the administration of chapter 403 [now 753] of title 10, United States Code [this chapter] (relating to the United States Military Academy), chapter 603 [now 853] of such title (relating to the United States Naval Academy), and chapter 903 [now 953] of such title (relating to the United States Air Force Academy), the Secretary of the military department concerned shall take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to insure that (1) female individuals shall be eligible for appointment and admission to the service academy concerned, beginning with appointments to such academy for the class beginning in calendar year 1976, and (2) the academic and other relevant standards required for appointment, admission, training, graduation, and commissioning of female individuals shall be the same as those required for male individuals, except for those minimum essential adjustments in such standards required because of physiological differences between male and female individuals."
SECRETARY TO IMPLEMENT POLICY OF EXPEDITIOUS ADMISSION OF WOMEN TO THE ACADEMYPub. L. 94-106, title VIII, §803(c), Oct. 7, 1975, 89 Stat. 538, provided that: "It is the sense of Congress that, subject to the provisions of subsection (a) [note set out above], the Secretaries of the military departments shall, under the direction of the Secretary of Defense, continue to exercise the authority granted them in chapters 403, 603 and 903 [now 753, 853, and 953] of title 10, United States Code, but such authority must be exercised within a program providing for the orderly and expeditious admission of women to the academies, consistent with the needs of the services, with the implementation of such program upon enactment of this Act [Oct. 7, 1975]."
- Air National Guard of the United States
- The term "Air National Guard of the United States" means the reserve component of the Air Force all of whose members are members of the Air National Guard.
- National Guard
- The term "National Guard" means the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.
- active duty
- The term "active duty" means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States, including sustained duty in the Space Force. Such term includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Such term does not include full-time National Guard duty.
- active service
- The term "active service" means service on active duty or full-time National Guard duty.
- armed forces
- The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
- authorized strength
- The term "authorized strength" means the largest number of members authorized to be in an armed force, a component, a branch, a grade, or any other category of the armed forces.
- military departments
- The term "military departments" means the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force.
- officer
- The term "officer" means a commissioned or warrant officer.
- pay
- The term "pay" includes basic pay, special pay, retainer pay, incentive pay, retired pay, and equivalent pay, but does not include allowances.