§690 Retired members ordered to active duty: limitation on number

Summary

At any time, no more than 15 retired general officers from the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force combined, and no more than 15 retired Navy flag officers, may be on active duty. A retired officer called back for 60 days or less does not count toward those totals. No more than 25 officers from any single armed force may be on active duty at once under orders under section 688. The count does not include chaplains on chaplain duty, health care professionals on health-care duty, officers working for the American Battle Monuments Commission, members of the Army/Navy/Air Force Retiree Council attending its annual meeting, or officers serving as defense or service attachés. The 15-officer cap is lifted during war or a national emergency declared by Congress or the President after November 30, 1980. The 25-officer cap is also lifted during war or a national emergency declared by Congress or the President.