Title 50 — War and National DefenseRelease 119-73not60
§3804 Volunteer Service of Physicians and Dentists; Minimum Period
Title 50 › Chapter 49— MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE › § 3804
Summary
When the military needs them, physicians or dentists who qualify for a reserve commission must be allowed to volunteer for at least 24 months of active duty. If they volunteer and meet the commission qualifications, they must be ordered to serve at least 24 months, even if that conflicts with the rank they would otherwise hold under the Act of September 9, 1950, as amended.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3804
War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any physician or dentist who meets the qualifications for a reserve commission in the respective military departments shall, so long as there is a need for the services of such a physician or dentist, be afforded an opportunity to volunteer for a period of active duty of not less than twenty-four months. Any physician or dentist who so volunteers his service, and meets the qualifications for a reserve commission shall be ordered to active duty for not less than twenty-four months, notwithstanding the grade or rank to which such physician or dentist is entitled under the provisions of the Act of September 9, 1950, as amended.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Act of
September 9, 1950, as amended, referred to in text, is act Sept. 9, 1950, ch. 939, 64 Stat. 826. section 7 of the Act, as amended (71 Stat. 208), provided that the Act, except for section 3 and 5, shall terminate as of
June 30, 1957. section 3 of the Act amended section 202 of the National Security Act of 1947, by adding subsections (g) to (i) which were classified to section 171a(g) to (i) of former Title 5 and which were later omitted from the Code following the codification of section 202(a) to (f) and (j) of the National Security Act of 1947 in Title 10, Armed Forces, by Pub. L. 87–651, Sept. 7, 1972, 76 Stat. 506. section 5 of the Act was classified to section 234b of former Title 37, and was later omitted from the Code following the enactment of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, by Pub. L. 87–649, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 451. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 454e of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Section was not enacted as part of the Military Selective Service Act, title I of which comprises this chapter.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3804
Title 50 — War and National Defense
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60