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

10 U.S.C. § 8090

Staff corps of the Navy

(a)
The staff corps of the Navy are—
(1)
the Medical Corps;
(2)
the Dental Corps;
(3)
the Judge Advocate General’s Corps;
(4)
the Chaplain Corps;
(5)
the Supply Corps;
(6)
the Civil Engineer Corps;
(7)
the Nurse Corps;
(8)
the Medical Service Corps; and
(9)
such other staff corps as may be established by the Secretary of the Navy under subsection (b).
(b)
(1)
The Secretary of the Navy may establish staff corps of the Navy in addition to the staff corps specified in subsection (a). The Secretary may designate commissioned officers in, and may assign members to, any such staff corps.
(2)
The Secretary of the Navy may provide for the appointment of the chief of any staff corps established under this subsection.

Pub. L. 96–513, title III, § 35194 Stat. 2902Pub. L. 97–22, § 6(a)95 Stat. 129Pub. L. 97–86, title IV, § 405(b)(1)95 Stat. 1105Pub. L. 99–433, title V, § 514(a)(2)100 Stat. 1054Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title XIII, § 1343(a)(23)100 Stat. 3994Pub. L. 100–26, § 3(7)101 Stat. 274Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title X, § 1061(a)(22)(A)105 Stat. 1473Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, § 504(a)(2)116 Stat. 2531Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, § 501(b)126 Stat. 1714Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, § 502(hh)130 Stat. 2105Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(a)(2)132 Stat. 1834Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title IX, § 923138 Stat. 2039(Added , , , § 5155; amended , , ; , , ; renumbered § 5150, , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; renumbered § 8090, , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 118–159, § 923(a)2024—Subsec. (a)(5) to (9). , added pars. (5) to (8) and redesignated former par. (5) as (9).

Pub. L. 118–159, § 923(b)Subsec. (b)(1). , substituted “staff corps specified in subsection (a)” for “Medical Corps, the Dental Corps, the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and the Chaplain Corps”.

Pub. L. 115–232section 5150 of this title2018— renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 114–328, § 502(hh)(1)2016—Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “The Secretary” for “Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary”.

Pub. L. 114–328, § 502(hh)(2)section 611(a) of this titleSubsec. (c). , struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: “The Secretary of the Navy, whenever the needs of the service require, may convene a selection board under to select an officer in the Nurse Corps or in the Medical Service Corps (if such corps has been established under subsection (a)) for promotion to the grade of rear admiral, in the case of an officer in the Nurse Corps, or rear admiral (lower half), in the case of an officer in the Medical Service Corps. An officer promoted pursuant to such a selection shall be appointed by the Secretary to the position of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps, respectively, for a term of four years, to serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.”

Pub. L. 112–239section 526 of this title2013—Subsec. (c). struck out at end “For the purpose of computing the total number of flag officers in the staff corps of the Navy under , an officer so appointed shall be considered an additional number in grade.”

Pub. L. 107–3142002—Subsec. (c). substituted “for promotion to the grade of rear admiral, in the case of an officer in the Nurse Corps, or rear admiral (lower half), in the case of an officer in the Medical Service Corps” for “for promotion to the grade of rear admiral (lower half)” in first sentence.

Pub. L. 102–1901991—Subsec. (c). substituted “section 526” for “section 5444”.

Pub. L. 100–26Pub. L. 99–661, § 1343(a)(23)1987—Subsec. (c). made technical amendment to directory language of . See 1986 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 99–433section 5155 of this title1986— renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 99–661Pub. L. 100–26Subsec. (c). , as amended by , substituted “rear admiral (lower half)” for “commodore”.

Pub. L. 97–861981—Subsec. (c). substituted “commodore” for “commodore admiral”.

Pub. L. 97–22section 5444 of this title substituted “Nurse Corps or in the Medical Service Corps (if such corps has been established under subsection (a)) for promotion to the grade of commodore admiral” for “Nurse Corps or Medical Service Corps for promotion to the grade of commodore admiral or rear admiral, as appropriate”, substituted “An officer promoted pursuant to such a selection shall be appointed by the Secretary to the position of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps, respectively, for a term of four years, to serve at the pleasure of the Secretary” for “An officer so selected shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of four years to serve in the position, respectively, of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps”, and inserted provision that for the purpose of computing the total number of flag officers in the staff corps of the Navy under , an officer so appointed shall be considered an additional number in grade.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

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 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–26Pub. L. 99–661section 12(a) of Pub. L. 100–26section 776 of this titleAmendment by applicable as if included in when enacted on , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–86section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective , 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 on , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under .

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

Pub. L. 96–513Pub. L. 96–513Pub. L. 96–513section 611 of this titleFor provisions to prevent extinction or premature termination of rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed or were begun prior to the effective date of and otherwise to allow for an orderly transition to the system of officer personnel management put in place under , see section 601 et seq. of , set out as a note under .