US Code

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

10 U.S.C. § 971

Service credit: officers may not count service performed while serving as cadet or midshipman

(a)

Prohibition on Counting Enlisted Service Performed While at Service Academy or in Navy Reserve .—

The period of service under an enlistment or period of obligated service while also performing service as a cadet or midshipman or serving as a midshipman in the Navy Reserve may not be counted in computing, for any purpose, the length of service of an officer of an armed force or an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service.
(b)

Prohibition on Counting Service as a Cadet or Midshipman .—

In computing length of service for any purpose, service as a cadet or midshipman may not be credited to any of the following officers:
(1)
An officer of the Navy or Marine Corps.
(2)
A commissioned officer of the Army, Air Force, or Space Force.
(3)
An officer of the Coast Guard.
(4)
An officer in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service.
(c)

Service as a Cadet or Midshipman Defined .—

In this section, the term “service as a cadet or midshipman” means—
(1)
service as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or United States Coast Guard Academy; or
(2)
service as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy.

Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(20)72 Stat. 1442Pub. L. 90–235, § 6(a)81 Stat. 761Pub. L. 98–557, § 17(a)98 Stat. 2867Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VI, § 652(a)(1)(A)103 Stat. 1461Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 581110 Stat. 2537Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, § 1073(a)(13)111 Stat. 1900Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(D)119 Stat. 3233Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(22)134 Stat. 3824(Added , , ; amended (1), , ; , , ; , (2), , ; , , ; , , ; , (2), , , 3234; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

971

50:1414.

June 25, 1956, ch. 439, § 4, 70 Stat. 333.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–2832021—Subsec. (b)(2). substituted “, Air Force, or Space Force” for “or Air Force”.

Pub. L. 109–163Navy ReserveNaval Reserve2006—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “” in heading and “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve” in text.

Pub. L. 105–851997—Subsec. (b)(4). substituted “Commissioned Corps” for “commissioned corps”.

Pub. L. 104–201, § 581(c)(3)1996—, struck out “enlisted” after “count” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 104–201, § 581(a)Subsec. (a). , (c)(2), inserted heading, substituted “while also performing service as a cadet or midshipman or serving as a midshipman” for “while also serving as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy or”, and inserted before period at end “or an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service”.

Pub. L. 104–201, § 581(b)Subsec. (b). , amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “In computing length of service for any purpose—

“(1) no officer of the Navy or Marine Corps may be credited with service as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy or as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or United States Coast Guard Academy;

“(2) no commissioned officer of the Army or Air Force may be credited with service as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy or as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or United States Coast Guard Academy; and

“(3) no officer of the Coast Guard may be credited with service as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy or as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or United States Coast Guard Academy.”

Pub. L. 104–201, § 581(c)(1)Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 101–189, § 652(a)(1)(A)1989—Subsec. (a). , struck out “, under an appointment accepted after ,” after “Naval Reserve”.

Pub. L. 101–189, § 652(a)(2)(A)Subsec. (b)(1). , struck out “, if he was appointed as a midshipman or cadet after ” after “United States Coast Guard Academy”.

Pub. L. 101–189, § 652(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(2). , struck out “, if he was appointed as a midshipman or cadet after ” after “United States Coast Guard Academy”.

Pub. L. 98–5571984—Subsec. (b)(3). added par. (3).

Pub. L. 90–2351968— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

section 542 of Title 6For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .

Application of Subsection (a) to Service Under Appointment Accepted Before

Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VI, § 652(a)(1)(B)103 Stat. 1461, , , provided that the computing limitation in subsection (a) of this section did not apply to service under an appointment as a cadet or midshipman accepted before .