Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§703 Reenlistment Leave

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 40 — LEAVE › § 703

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows up to 90 days of leave, if the Secretary in charge (or a person they pick) agrees, for a service member who reenlists. That leave is taken out of leave they already earned before reenlisting, or taken from leave they earn later, or both. Under rules set by the Secretary of Defense, a service member on active duty in certain designated areas who extends their required tour there by at least six months through reenlistment, enlistment extension, or other voluntary action may get up to 30 days of leave (not counting travel time) at a place they choose, and the United States will pay travel to and from that place. That 30-day leave does not count for regular leave under section 701 and only applies to extensions made on or before June 30, 1973.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §703

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Leave for not more than 90 days may be authorized, in the discretion of the Secretary concerned, or his designated representative, to a member of an armed force who reenlists. Leave authorized under this section shall be deducted from leave accrued during active service before reenlistment or charged against leave that may accrue during future active service, or both.
(b)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, and notwithstanding subsection (a), a member who is on active duty in an area described in section 310(a)(2) or paragraph (1) or (3) of section 351(a) of title 37 and who, by reenlistment, extension of enlistment, or other voluntary action, extends his required tour of duty in that area for at least six months may be—
(1)authorized not more than thirty days of leave, exclusive of travel time, at an authorized place selected by the member; and
(2)transported at the expense of the United States to and from that place.
Leave under this subsection may not be charged or credited to leave that accrued or that may accrue under section 701 of this title. The provisions of this subsection shall be effective only in the case of members who extend their required tours of duty on or before June 30, 1973.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 70337:31a(a) (4th and 7th sentences).Aug. 9, 1946, ch. 931, § 3(a) (4th and 7th sentences), 60 Stat. 963. 37:32(f) (last 8 words)Aug. 9, 1946, ch. 931, § 2(f) (last 8 words), 60 Stat. 963. The 4th sentence of section 31a(a) of existing title 37 is omitted as executed. The words “, or his designated representative,” are substituted for the last 8 words of section 32(f) of existing title 37.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–91 inserted “or paragraph (1) or (3) of section 351(a)” after “section 310(a)(2)” in introductory provisions. 1972—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 92–481 substituted “
June 30, 1973” for “
June 30, 1972”. 1970—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–302 substituted “
June 30, 1972” for “
June 30, 1970”. 1968—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–330 substituted “
June 30, 1970” for “
June 30, 1968”. 1966—Pub. L. 89–735 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Nov. 1, 1962, see section 15 of Pub. L. 87–649, set out as a note preceding section 101 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 703

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110