US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

10 U.S.C. § 1150

Affiliation with Guard and Reserve units: waiver of certain limitations

(a)

Preference for Certain Persons .—

A person who is separated from the armed forces during the period beginning on , and ending on , and who applies to become a member of a National Guard or Reserve unit within one year after the date of such separation shall be given preference over other equally qualified applicants for existing or projected vacancies within the unit to which the member applies.
(b)

Limited Waiver of Strength Limitations .—

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, a person covered by subsection (a) who enters a National Guard or Reserve unit pursuant to an application described in such subsection may be retained in that unit for up to three years without regard to reserve-component strength limitations so long as the individual maintains good standing in that unit.
(c)

Coast Guard .—

This section shall apply to the Coast Guard in the same manner and to the same extent as it applies to the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall prescribe regulations to implement this section for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title V, § 502(a)(1)104 Stat. 1557Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title V, § 514106 Stat. 2406Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title V, § 561(j)107 Stat. 1668Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 542(a)(9)108 Stat. 2768Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title V, § 561(p)112 Stat. 2027Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]o114 Stat. 1654Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1)116 Stat. 2314Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(f)(18)126 Stat. 1952(Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title V, § 571()], , , 1654A–135; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–2392013—Subsec. (c). inserted “when it is not operating as a service in the Navy” after “for the Coast Guard”.

Pub. L. 107–2962002—Subsec. (c). substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

Pub. L. 106–3982000—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 105–2611998—Subsec. (a). substituted “during the period beginning on , and ending on ” for “during the nine-year period beginning on ”.

Pub. L. 103–3371994—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 103–1601993—Subsec. (a). substituted “nine-year period” for “five-year period”.

Pub. L. 102–4841992—Subsec. (a). struck out “involuntarily” after “who is”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–296section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–337section 542(e) of Pub. L. 103–337section 1141 of this titleAmendment by applicable only to members of the Coast Guard who are separated after , see , set out as a note under .