Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60
§509 Voluntary Extension of Enlistments: Periods and Benefits
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— General Military Law › Part II— PERSONNEL › Chapter 31— ENLISTMENTS › § 509
Summary
A service member can agree in writing to lengthen their enlistment for any time the branch’s Secretary allows, but all extensions added together cannot be more than four years. If they are discharged after an extended enlistment, they get the same benefits and legal standing as if they had been 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
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60