PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§541 Graduates of the United States Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS OF REGULAR OFFICERS IN GRADES ABOVE WARRANT OFFICER GRADES › § 541

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Cadets at the Military Academy and Air Force Academy, and midshipmen at the Naval Academy, must be allowed to say which service they want to join before they graduate: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force. If the Secretary of the academy’s military department and the Secretary of the chosen service agree, the graduate can be appointed there. But no more than 12½ percent of any graduating class can go to services outside the academy’s department. The Secretary of Defense must make fair rules to divide those outside-service appointments if more than 12½ percent ask for them.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §541

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each cadet at the United States Military Academy or the United States Air Force Academy, and each midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, is entitled, before graduating from that Academy, to state his preference for appointment, upon graduation, as a commissioned officer in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.
(b)With the consent of the Secretary of the military department administering the Academy from which the cadet or midshipman is to be graduated, and of the Secretary of the military department having jurisdiction over the armed force for which that graduate stated his preference, the graduate is entitled to be accepted for appointment in that armed force. However, not more than 12½ percent of any graduating class at an Academy may be appointed in armed forces not under the jurisdiction of the military department administering that Academy.
(c)The Secretary of Defense shall, by regulation, provide for the equitable distribution of appointments in cases where more than 12½ percent of the graduating class of any Academy request appointment in armed forces not under the jurisdiction of the military department administering that Academy.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 541(a)10:1092c–1(a) (1st 59 words of 1st sentence).Apr. 1, 1954, ch. 127, § 8, 68 Stat. 48. 10:1856(a) (1st 59 words of 1st sentence). 34:1057–1(a) (1st 59 words of 1st sentence). 541(b)10:1092c–1(a) (1st sentence, less 1st 59 words). 10:1856(a) (1st sentence, less 1st 59 words). 34:1057–1(a) (1st sentence, less 1st 59 words). 541(c)10:1092c–1 (less (a)). 10:1856 (less (a)). 34:1057–1 (less (a)). In subsection (a), the words “is entitled * * * to” are substituted for the words “shall * * * be afforded an opportunity to”. In subsection (b), the words “is entitled” are substituted for the word “shall”. In subsection (c), the words “and fair” are omitted as surplusage. 10:1092c–1(c), 10:1856(c), and 34:1057–1(c) are omitted as covered by section 51(a) of the bill.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 52(a), 70A Stat. 641, provided that: “Section 541 of title 10, United States Code, enacted by section 1 of this Act, takes effect (1) in the year in which the initial class graduates from the United States Air Force Academy, or (2) upon the rescission of the agreement under which graduates of the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy may volunteer for appointment in the Air Force, whichever is earlier.” Appointment of United States Military Academy Graduates in Air ForceAct Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 44, 70A Stat. 637, provided that a cadet who had graduated from the United States Military Academy could, upon graduation and before the

Effective Date

of section 541 of this title, be appointed a second lieutenant in the Regular Air Force, and set forth provisions relating to date of appointment, service credit, rank among graduates, and increase in authorized strength.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 541

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73