Title 32 — National GuardRelease 119-73
§302 Enlistments, reenlistments, and extensions
Title 32 › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - PERSONNEL › § 302
Summary
Under Secretary rules, Guard may accept enlistments: new recruits minimum 3 years; prior-service minimum 1 year; reenlistments fixed or open-ended for those who last held a top-five enlisted grade. At their request, members can extend enlistments at least 6 months, or the President may extend them until 6 months after a Congressional emergency ends.
Full Legal Text
Title 32, §302
National Guard — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, original enlistments in the National Guard may be accepted for—
(1)any specified term, not less than three years, for persons who have not served in an armed force; or
(2)any specified term, not less than one year, for persons who have served in any armed force.
(b)Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, reenlistment in the National Guard may be accepted for any specified period, or, if the person last served in one of the highest five enlisted grades, for an unspecified period.
(c)Enlistments or reenlistments in the National Guard may be extended—
(1)under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, at the request of the member, for any period not less than six months; or
(2)by proclamation of the President, if Congress declares an emergency, until six months after termination of that emergency.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 30232:124.
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 69; restated
July 11, 1919, ch. 8 (20th par. under “National Guard”); restated
June 4, 1920, ch. 227, subch. I, § 37; restated
June 6, 1924, ch. 275, § 4; restated
June 15, 1933, ch. 87, § 7, 48 Stat. 156;
July 9, 1952, ch. 608, § 806(a), 66 Stat. 506. 32:124 (1st proviso) is omitted as executed. The word “reenlistments” is substituted for the words “subsequent enlistments”.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1961—Pub. L. 87–378 permitted original enlistments for any specified term, not less than three years, for persons who have not served in an armed force, authorized reenlistments for any specified period, or if the person last served in one of the highest five enlisted grades, for an unspecified period, extensions of enlistments or reenlistments at the request of the member for any period not less than six months after termination of the emergency.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1961 Amendment Pub. L. 87–378, § 6, Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 808, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by section 3, 4, and 5 of this Act [amending this section and section 3261 and 8261 of Title 10, Armed Forces] shall not affect any enlistment, reenlistment, or appointment entered into or made before the
Effective Date
of this Act [Oct. 4, 1961].”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
32 U.S.C. § 302
Title 32 — National Guard
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73