Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§12731a Temporary special retirement qualification authority

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle E— - Reserve Components › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL GENERALLY › Chapter CHAPTER 1223— - RETIRED PAY FOR NON-REGULAR SERVICE › § 12731a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows the relevant Secretary to treat some Selected Reserve members as if they met the service-time rule in section 12731(a)(2) during the period from October 23, 1992, through December 31, 2001, and to give them the notice required by section 12731(d). This can apply to a member who, as of October 1, 1991, had at least 15 but less than 20 years of service, or who reached 15 years after that date but before December 31, 2001. If the member asks, the Secretary can move the member into the Retired Reserve. The Secretary can limit who is covered by these rules by groups needed to reduce certain grades, years of service, skills, or competitive categories, and those limits must follow section 4414(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993. The Secretary may also give the section 12731(d) notice to someone who lost Selected Reserve status only because of a physical disability, unless the disability was caused by intentional misconduct, willful neglect or failure to meet standards, or happened during an unauthorized absence. The rule does not apply to people mentioned in section 12731(c). The authority is subject to rules from the Secretary of Defense and, for the Coast Guard, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §12731a

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For the purposes of section 12731 of this title, the Secretary concerned may—
(1)during the period described in subsection (b), determine to treat a member of the Selected Reserve of a reserve component of the armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary as having met the service requirements of subsection (a)(2) of that section and provide the member with the notification required by subsection (d) of that section if the member—
(A)as of October 1, 1991, has completed at least 15, and less than 20, years of service computed under section 12732 of this title; or
(B)after that date and before the end of the period described in subsection (b), completes 15 years of service computed under that section; and
(2)upon the request of the member submitted to the Secretary, transfer the member to the Retired Reserve.
(b)The period referred to in subsection (a)(1) is the period beginning on October 23, 1992, and ending on December 31, 2001.
(c)(1)The Secretary concerned may limit the applicability of subsection (a) to any category of personnel defined by the Secretary in order to meet a need of the armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to reduce the number of members in certain grades, the number of members who have completed a certain number of years of service, or the number of members who possess certain military skills or are serving in designated competitive categories.
(2)A limitation under paragraph (1) shall be consistent with the purpose set forth in section 4414(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 (Public Law 102–484; 106 Stat. 2713).
(3)Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4415(2) of the Defense Conversion, Reinvestment, and Transition Assistance Act of 1992 (division D of Public Law 102–484; 106 Stat. 2714), the Secretary concerned may, consistent with the other provisions of this section, provide the notification required by section 12731(d) of this title to a member who no longer meets the qualifications for membership in the Selected Reserve solely because the member is unfit because of physical disability. Such notification may not be made if the disability is the result of the member’s intentional misconduct, willful neglect, or willful failure to comply with standards and qualifications for retention established by the Secretary concerned or was incurred during a period of unauthorized absence.
(d)This section does not apply to persons referred to in section 12731(c) of this title.
(e)The authority provided in this section shall be subject to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 4414(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 and section 4415(2) of the Defense Conversion, Reinvestment, and Transition Assistance Act of 1992, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), (3), are section 4414(a) and 4415(2) of Pub. L. 102–484, which are set out in a note under section 12681 of this title.

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”. 2000—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title V, § 571(n)(2)(A)], substituted “the end of the period described in subsection (b)” for “
October 1, 2001”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title V, § 571(n)(2)(B)], substituted “
December 31, 2001” for “
October 1, 2001”. 1998—Subsec. (a)(1)(B), (b). Pub. L. 105–261 substituted “
October 1, 2001” for “
October 1, 1999”. 1996—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 104–106 inserted comma after “Defense Conversion”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–337, § 1662(j)(1), renumbered section 1331a of this title as this section and amended text generally, changing references to other sections. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 103–337, § 517, added par. (3) which read as follows: “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4415(2) of the Defense Conversion Reinvestment, and Transition Assistance Act of 1992 (division D of Public Law 102–484; 106 Stat. 2714), the Secretary concerned may, consistent with the other provisions of this section, provide the notification required by section 1331(d) of this title to a member who no longer meets the qualifications for membership in the Selected Reserve solely because the member is unfit because of physical disability. Such notification may not be made if the disability is the result of the member’s intentional misconduct, willful neglect, or willful failure to comply with standards and qualifications for retention established by the Secretary concerned or was incurred during a period of unauthorized absence.” 1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–160, § 564(c)(1), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary of a military department” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 103–160, § 561(f)(4)(A), substituted “
October 1, 1999” for “
October 1, 1995”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 103–160, § 561(f)(4)(B), struck out “within one year after the date of the notification referred to in paragraph (1)” after “to the Secretary”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–160, § 561(f)(4)(C), substituted “
October 1, 1999” for “
October 1, 1995”. Pub. L. 103–35 substituted “
October 23, 1992,” for “the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993”. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 103–160, § 564(c)(2), struck out “of the military department” after “The Secretary”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–160, § 564(c)(3), inserted before period at end “and by the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment 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 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–106 effective as if included in the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act, title XVI of Pub. L. 103–337, as enacted on Oct. 5, 1994, see section 1501(f)(3) of Pub. L. 104–106, set out as a note under section 113 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by section 1662(j)(1) of 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 12731a

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73