Title 10 › Subtitle E — Reserve Components › PART II — PERSONNEL GENERALLY › CHAPTER 1223 — RETIRED PAY FOR NON-REGULAR SERVICE › § 12741
Allows some people to choose Reserve retired pay instead of retired or retainer pay under chapters 65, 741, 841, or 941 of Title 10. To choose this, a person must meet the two basic eligibility rules in section 12731, have served in an active status in the Selected Reserve after becoming eligible for retirement under one of those chapters, and have at least two years of satisfactory service in that active Selected Reserve status (active duty time does not count). The Secretary can cut the two-year rule to one year for someone who served at least one year as an adjutant general (or assistant) and left only because that appointment ended under section 324(b) of Title 32. When the person files the choice, the Secretary will end their eligibility or pay under the other retirement chapters and, for commissioned reserve officers, move them to the Retired Reserve. The election must follow the Secretary’s time and form rules. If received within 180 days after the person reaches the eligibility age in section 12731(f), the election is effective as of that age. If received later than 180 days, or if the person retires from active status during that 180-day period, the election is effective the first day of the month after the Secretary gets it.
Full Legal Text
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 12741
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110