Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102
§509 Voluntary Extension of Enlistments: Periods and Benefits
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 31 — ENLISTMENTS › § 509
Summary
The Secretary in charge can make rules that let a service member extend (or extend again) their enlistment if the member agrees in writing. Extensions can be any length, but all extensions together cannot total more than four years. When a member is discharged after an extended enlistment, they keep the same rights, privileges, and benefits they would have had if they were discharged at that time from an enlistment that was not extended.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §509
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe, the term of enlistment of a member of an armed force may be extended or reextended with his written consent for any period. However, the total of all such extensions of an enlistment may not exceed four years.
(b)When a member is discharged from an enlistment that has been extended under this section, he has the same rights, privileges, and benefits that he would have if discharged at the same time from an enlistment not so extended.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 509
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102