Title 50, War and National DefenseRelease 119-110
§3610 Senior Cryptologic Executive Service
Title 50 › CHAPTER 47 — NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY › § 3610
Summary
The Secretary of Defense (or a person they pick) can create a Senior Cryptologic Executive Service for senior civilian cryptologic staff at the National Security Agency. The rules for that service must follow key Senior Executive Service rules: meet the requirements in section 3131 of Title 5, make positions consistent with section 3132(a)(2), set pay within the minimum and maximum in section 5382 and adjust pay when SES pay is adjusted, use a performance appraisal like subchapter II of chapter 43, allow removal consistent with section 3592 and removal/suspension like 7543(a)–(c) (with hearings or appeals handled under Defense rules), allow performance awards like section 5384, permit sabbatical leaves like section 3396(c), and require recertification like section 3393a. The Secretary may also apply other Title 5 rules and may hire or promote people into these jobs without using competitive service rules. The President may give ranks under section 4507. The NSA Director may assign members to jobs outside the NSA without them losing their service status. The Secretary may set up a merit pay system like section 5401(a). No member may be paid more in one fiscal year than the annual rate for Executive Schedule Level I in effect at the end of that year.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3610
War and National Defense, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Establishment; applicable personnel provisions
(1)The Secretary of Defense (or his designee) may by regulation establish a personnel system for senior civilian cryptologic personnel in the National Security Agency to be known as the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service. The regulations establishing the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service shall—
(A)meet the requirements set forth in section 3131 of title 5 for the Senior Executive Service;
(B)provide that positions in the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service meet requirements that are consistent with the provisions of section 3132(a)(2) of such title;
(C)provide, without regard to section 2, rates of pay for the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service that are not in excess of the maximum rate or less than the minimum rate of basic pay established for the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of such title, and that are adjusted at the same time and to the same extent as rates of basic pay for the Senior Executive Service are adjusted;
(D)provide a performance appraisal system for the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service that conforms to the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 43 of such title;
(E)provide for removal consistent with section 3592 of such title, and removal or suspension consistent with subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 7543 of such title (except that any hearing or appeal to which a member of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service is entitled shall be held or decided pursuant to procedures established by regulations of the Secretary of Defense or his designee);
(F)permit the payment of performance awards to members of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service consistent with the provisions applicable to performance awards under section 5384 of such title;
(G)provide that members of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service may be granted sabbatical leaves consistent with the provisions of section 3396(c) of such title; and
(H)provide for the recertification of members of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service consistent with the provisions of section 3393a 1 of such title.
(2)Except as otherwise provided in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense (or his designee) may—
(A)make applicable to the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service any of the provisions of title 5 applicable to applicants for or members of the Senior Executive Service; and
(B)appoint, promote, and assign individuals to positions established within the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments and other personnel actions in the competitive service.
(3)The President, based on the recommendations of the Secretary of Defense, may award ranks to members of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 4507 of title 5.
(4)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Director of the National Security Agency may detail or assign any member of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service to serve in a position outside the National Security Agency in which the member’s expertise and experience may be of benefit to the National Security Agency or another Government agency. Any such member shall not by reason of such detail or assignment lose any entitlement or status associated with membership in the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service.
(b)Merit pay system
The Secretary of Defense (or his designee) may by regulation establish a merit pay system for such employees of the National Security Agency as the Secretary of Defense (or his designee) considers appropriate. The merit pay system shall be designed to carry out purposes consistent with those set forth in section 5401(a) of title 5.
(c)Maximum pay for fiscal year
Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow the aggregate amount payable to a member of the Senior Cryptologic Executive Service under this section during any fiscal year to exceed the annual rate payable for positions at level I of the Executive Schedule in effect at the end of such year.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 2, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(C), meant section 2 of Pub. L. 86–36, May 29, 1959, 73 Stat. 63; Pub. L. 87–367, title II, § 201, Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 789; Sept. 23, 1950, ch. 1024, title III, § 306(a), as added Pub. L. 88–290, Mar. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 170; Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 306(h), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 430; Pub. L. 88–631, § 3(d), Oct. 6, 1964, 78 Stat. 1008; Pub. L. 89–632, § 1(e)(1), Oct. 8, 1966, 80 Stat. 878; Pub. L. 102–496, title IV, § 405, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3186, which related to authority of Secretary of Defense to establish positions and fix compensation, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XVI, §§ 1633(b)(1), 1635, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2751, 2752, effective Oct. 1, 1996. A new section 2 of Pub. L. 86–36 subsequently was added by Pub. L. 111–259, title IV, § 433, Oct. 7, 2010, 124 Stat. 2732, and is classified to section 3602 of this title. Section 3393a of title 5, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(H), was repealed by Pub. L. 107–296, title XIII, § 1321(a)(1)(B), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2296. Level I of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (c), is set out in section 5312 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Codification Section was formerly classified in a note under section 402 of this title prior to editorial reclassification as this section.
Amendments
1996—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 104–106 struck out par. (5), which required the Director of the National Security Agency to submit to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate annual reports on executive personnel in the National Security Agency. 1989—Subsec. (a)(1)(F). Pub. L. 101–194, § 506(c)(2)(A), struck out “and” at end of subpar. (F). Subsec. (a)(1)(G). Pub. L. 101–194, § 506(c)(2)(B), which directed amendment by inserting “and” after the semicolon at the end of subpar. (G), was executed by substituting “; and” for the period at the end of subpar. (G), to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Subsec. (a)(1)(H). Pub. L. 101–194, § 506(c)(2)(C), added subpar. (H).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1989 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–194 effective Jan. 1, 1991, see section 506(d) of Pub. L. 101–194, set out as a note under section 3151 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1981, see section 806 of Pub. L. 97–89, set out as a note under section 1621 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3610
Title 50, War and National Defense
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110