US Code

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

10 U.S.C. § 532

Qualifications for original appointment as a commissioned officer

(a)
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, an original appointment as a commissioned officer (other than as a commissioned warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps may be given only to a person who—
(1)
is a citizen of the United States;
(2)
is of good moral character;
(3)
is physically qualified for active service; and
(4)
has such other special qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned may prescribe by regulation.
(b)
(1)
Original appointments in the Regular Army in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps, and original appointments in the Regular Air Force with a view to designation of an officer as a medical or dental officer, may be made in the grades of first lieutenant through colonel. Original appointments in the Regular Navy in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps may be made in the grades of lieutenant (junior grade) through captain. Such appointments may be made only from persons who are qualified doctors of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry.
(2)
To be eligible for an original appointment as a medical officer, a doctor of osteopathy must—
(A)
be a graduate of a college of osteopathy whose graduates are eligible to be licensed to practice medicine or surgery in a majority of the States;
(B)
be licensed to practice medicine, surgery, or osteopathy in a State or in the District of Columbia;
(C)
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, have completed a number of years of osteopathic and preosteopathic education equal to the number of years of medical and premedical education prescribed for persons entering recognized schools of medicine who become doctors of medicine and who would be qualified for an original appointment in the grade for which that person is being considered for appointment; and
(D)
have such other qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned prescribes after considering the recommendations, if any, of the Surgeon General of the armed force concerned.
(c)
Original appointments in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps of officers designated for limited duty shall be made under section 8139 or 8146 of this title.
[(d)
Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 501(b)132 Stat. 1739 Repealed. , , .]
[(e)
Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 501(a)(1)118 Stat. 1872 Repealed. , , .]
(f)
section 2107(a) of this titlesection 2107a of this title The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) with respect to a person who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under or as a cadet under , when the Secretary determines that the national security so requires, but only for an original appointment in a grade below the grade of major or lieutenant commander.

Pub. L. 96–513, title I, § 104(a)94 Stat. 2845Pub. L. 97–22, § 3(b)95 Stat. 124Pub. L. 97–295, § 1(7)96 Stat. 1289Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title V, § 501105 Stat. 1354Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title V, § 510107 Stat. 1648Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 501(a)(1)118 Stat. 1872Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 534(c)119 Stat. 3248Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, § 501(a)124 Stat. 4206Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 501(a)132 Stat. 1739Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(4)(B)134 Stat. 3822Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1716(b)(3)137 Stat. 633(Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; –(3)(A), , ; , , ; , , ; , (b), title VIII, § 809(a), , , 1840; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 118–312023—Subsec. (a). substituted “or Regular Marine Corps” for “Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 116–2832021—Subsec. (a). substituted “Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force” for “or Regular Marine Corps” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 115–232, § 501(a)2018—Subsec. (a)(2) to (5). , redesignated pars. (3) to (5) as (2) to (4), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “is able to complete 20 years of active commissioned service before his sixty-second birthday;”.

Pub. L. 115–232, § 809(a)Subsec. (c). , substituted “section 8139 or 8146” for “section 5589 or 5596”.

Pub. L. 115–232, § 501(b)Subsec. (d). , struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows:

“(1) A person receiving an original appointment as a medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a).

“(2) A commissioned officer appointed in a medical skill other than as a medical officer or dental officer (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense) is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a).”

Pub. L. 111–3832011—Subsec. (d)(2). struck out “reserve” before “commissioned officer”.

Pub. L. 109–163section 2107(a) of this titlesection 2107a of this title2006—Subsec. (f). inserted “, or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under or as a cadet under ,” after “for permanent residence”.

Pub. L. 108–375, § 501(a)(2)2004—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “sixty-second birthday” for “fifty-fifth birthday”.

Pub. L. 108–375, § 501(a)(1)Subsec. (e). , struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: “After , no person may receive an original appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps until that person has completed one year of service on active duty as a commissioned officer (other than a warrant officer) of a reserve component.”

Pub. L. 108–375, § 501(a)(3)(A)Subsec. (f). , added subsec. (f).

Pub. L. 103–1601993—Subsec. (d). designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 102–1901991—Subsec. (e). added subsec. (e).

Pub. L. 97–2951982— inserted “a” after “original appointment as” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 97–221981—Subsec. (d). substituted “medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps” for “medical officer or dental officer or as a chaplain”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 501(c)132 Stat. 1739

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [], and shall apply with respect to original appointments of regular commissioned officers of the Armed Forces made on or after that date.”
, , , provided that:

section 809(a) of Pub. L. 115–232section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232section 3001 of this titleAmendment by effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

section 501(a)(1) of Pub. L. 108–375Pub. L. 108–375section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375section 531 of this titleAmendment by effective on , and amendment by section 501(a)(2), (3)(A) of effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513section 101 of this titleSection effective , but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under .

Appointment of Citizens of Northern Mariana Islands as Commissioned Officers

Pub. L. 98–94, title X, § 100697 Stat. 661section 1801 of Title 48, , , provided that a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands who indicates in writing to a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of the United States an intent to become a citizen, and not a national, of the United States, and who is otherwise qualified for military service under applicable laws and regulations, may be appointed as an officer in the Armed Forces of the United States, may be appointed or enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program of any of the Armed Forces under chapter 103 of title 10, United States Code, and may be selected to be a participant in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program under chapter 105 of such title, and that this section shall expire upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Commonwealth was established as of 12:01 a.m., , see section 2(a), (b) of Proc. No. 5564, set out as a note under , Territories and Insular Possessions.