Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§14902 Separation for substandard performance and for certain other reasons

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle E— - Reserve Components › Part PART III— - PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF OFFICERS ON THE RESERVE ACTIVE-STATUS LIST › Chapter CHAPTER 1411— - ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION › § 14902

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each military department secretary must set rules to review any reserve officer’s record at any time and may require the officer to show cause to remain on active duty for poor performance, misconduct, moral or professional failings, or national security concerns. The Secretary of Defense may limit this.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §14902

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the military department concerned shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any reserve officer to determine whether that officer should be required, because that officer’s performance has fallen below standards prescribed by the Secretary concerned, to show cause for retention in an active status.
(b)The Secretary of the military department concerned shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any reserve officer to determine whether that officer should be required, because of misconduct, because of moral or professional dereliction, or because the officer’s retention is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security, to show cause for retention in an active status.
(c)The authority of the Secretary of a military department under this section shall be carried out subject to such limitations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe by regulation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1996, see section 1691(b)(1) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 14902

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73