10 U.S.C. § 505 — Regular components: qualifications, term,

Page 531 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 505 (ii) a period of 30 days has elapsed after the date on which Congress receives the notice. (Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 2(a)(1)(B), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 754; amended Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 542(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3253; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 521(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1755.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Another section 504 was renumbered section 500d of this title. AMENDMENTS 2018—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–232, § 521(a)(1), in- serted ‘‘and subject to paragraph (3),’’ after ‘‘Notwith- standing paragraph (1),’’ substituted ‘‘person possesses a critical skill or expertise—’’ for ‘‘enlistment is vital to the national interest.’’, and added subpars. (A) and (B). Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–232, § 521(a)(2), added par. (3). 2006—Pub. L. 109–163 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries PROVISION OF INFORMATION REGARDING FEDERAL SERV- ICE TO CERTAIN PERSONS INELIGIBLE TO ENLIST IN CERTAIN ARMED FORCES Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 536, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1888, provided that: ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2024], the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations direct- ing the Secretary of a military department to provide, to a person described in subsection (b), information re- garding opportunities for Federal, or other public, serv- ice for which the person may be qualified. ‘‘(b) CERTAIN PERSONS NOT QUALIFIED TO ENLIST.—A person described in this subsection is a person ineli- gible to serve in a covered Armed Force. ‘‘(c) COVERED ARMED FORCE DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘covered Armed Force’ means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.’’ PROHIBITION ON WAIVER FOR COMMISSIONING OR EN- LISTMENT IN THE ARMED FORCES FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL CONVICTED OF A FELONY SEXUAL OFFENSE Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, § 523, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1723, which provided that an individual may not be provided a waiver for commissioning or enlistment in the Armed Forces if convicted of rape or other sex- ual offenses, was repealed by Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1711(b), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 963. See section 657 of this title. § 505. Regular components: qualifications, term, grade (a) The Secretary concerned may accept origi- nal enlistments in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, of qualified, effective, and able-bodied persons who are not less than seventeen years of age nor more than forty-two years of age. However, no person under eighteen years of age may be origi- nally enlisted without the written consent of his parent or guardian, if he has a parent or guard- ian entitled to his custody and control. (b) A person is enlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Ma- rine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard in the grade or rating prescribed by the Secretary concerned. (c) The Secretary concerned may accept origi- nal enlistments of persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of at least two but not more than eight years, in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Ma- rine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be. (d)(1) The Secretary concerned may accept a reenlistment in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, for a period determined under this subsection. (2) In the case of a member who has less than 10 years of service in the armed forces as of the day before the first day of the period for which reenlisted, the period for which the member re- enlists shall be at least two years but not more than eight years. (3) In the case of a member who has at least 10 years of service in the armed forces as of the day before the first day of the period for which reen- listed, the Secretary concerned may accept a re- enlistment for either— (A) a specified period of at least two years but not more than eight years; or (B) an unspecified period. (4) No enlisted member is entitled to be reen- listed for a period that would expire before the end of the member’s current enlistment. (e) ENLISTMENTS IN THE SPACE FORCE.—For en- listments in the Space Force, see sections 20301 and 20302 of this title. (Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 2(a)(1)(B), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 754; amended Pub. L. 93–290, May 24, 1974, 88 Stat. 173; Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 820(a), Oct. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 1627; Pub. L. 98–94, title X, § 1023, Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 671; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 511, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2514; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §§ 543, 544, Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3253; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 531(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4449; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(5)(A), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3822; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1717(b)(2), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 655.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Another section 505 was renumbered section 500e of this title. AMENDMENTS 2023—Pub. L. 118–31, § 1717(b)(2)(A), struck out ‘‘Reg- ular Space Force,’’ after ‘‘Regular Marine Corps,’’ wherever appearing. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 118–31, § 1717(b)(2)(B), added sub- sec. (e). 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘Regular Marine Corps, Regular Space Force,’’ for ‘‘Regular Marine Corps,’’ wherever appearing. 2008—Subsec. (d)(2), (3)(A). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted ‘‘eight years’’ for ‘‘six years’’. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–163, § 543, in first sen- tence, substituted ‘‘forty-two years of age’’ for ‘‘thirty- five years of age’’. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–163, § 544, substituted ‘‘eight years’’ for ‘‘six years’’. 1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–201 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as fol- lows: ‘‘The Secretary concerned may accept reenlist- ments in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, for period of at least two but not Page 532 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 506 more than six years. No enlisted member is entitled to be reenlisted for a period that would expire before the end of his current enlistment.’’ 1983—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 98–94 substituted ‘‘at least two but not more than six years’’ for ‘‘two, three, four, five, or six years’’. 1978—Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 95–485 redesignated subsec. (e) as (d). Former subsec. (d), which provided that in the Regular Army female persons may be en- listed only in the Women’s Army Corps, was struck out. 1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–290, § 1, struck out provi- sions which prohibited the Secretary from accepting original enlistments from female persons less than 18 years of age, and which required consent of the parent or guardian for an original enlistment of a female per- son under 21 years of age. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–290, § 2, substituted provisions permitting the Secretary to accept original enlist- ments of persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years, for provisions which limited the Secretary to accept origi- nal enlistments from male persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years, and from female persons for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. § 506. Regular components: extension of enlist- ments during war An enlistment in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, Space Force, or Regular Coast Guard in effect at the beginning of a war, or entered into during a war, unless sooner terminated by the President, continues in effect until six months after the termination of that war. (Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 2(a)(1)(B), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 754; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(5)(B), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3822; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1717(b)(3), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 655.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Another section 506 was renumbered section 500f of this title. AMENDMENTS 2023—Pub. L. 118–31 struck out ‘‘Regular’’ before ‘‘Space Force’’. 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘Regular Marine Corps, Regular Space Force,’’ for ‘‘Regular Marine Corps,’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. § 507. Extension of enlistment for members need- ing medical care or hospitalization (a) An enlisted member of an armed force on active duty whose term of enlistment expires while he is suffering from disease or injury inci- dent to service and not due to his misconduct, and who needs medical care or hospitalization, may be retained on active duty, with his con- sent, until he recovers to the extent that he is able to meet the physical requirements for reen- listment, or it is determined that recovery to that extent is impossible. (b) This section does not prevent the retention in service, without his consent, of an enlisted member of an armed force under section 972 of this title. (Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 2(a)(1)(B), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 754.) § 508. Reenlistment: qualifications (a) No person whose service during his last term of enlistment was not honest and faithful may be reenlisted in an armed force. However, the Secretary concerned may authorize the re- enlistment in the armed force under his jurisdic- tion of such a person if his conduct after that service has been good. (b) A person discharged from a Regular compo- nent may be reenlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Ma- rine Corps, Space Force, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, under such regula- tions as the Secretary concerned may prescribe. (c) This section does not deprive a person of any right to be reenlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Ma- rine Corps, Space Force, or Regular Coast Guard under any other provision of law. (Added Pub. L. 90–235, § 2(a)(1)(B), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 755; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(5)(C), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3822; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1717(b)(4), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 655.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2023—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 118–31 struck out ‘‘Reg- ular’’ before ‘‘Space Force’’. 2021—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘Regular Marine Corps, Regular Space Force,’’ for ‘‘Regular Marine Corps,’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.