US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

14 U.S.C. § 2104

Appointment of temporary officers

(a)
The president may appoint temporary commissioned officers—
(1)
in the Regular Coast Guard in a grade, not above lieutenant, appropriate to their qualifications, experience, and length of service, as the needs of the Coast Guard may require, from among the commissioned warrant officers, warrant officers, and enlisted members of the Coast Guard, and from holders of licenses issued under chapter 71 of title 46; and
(2)
in the Coast Guard Reserve in a grade, not above lieutenant, appropriate to their qualifications, experience, and length of service, as the needs of the Coast Guard may require, from among the commissioned warrant officers of the Coast Guard Reserve.
(b)
Temporary appointments under this section do not change the permanent, probationary, or acting status of individuals so appointed, prejudice them in regard to promotion or appointment, or abridge their rights or benefits. An individual who is appointed under this section may not suffer any reduction in the rate of pay and allowances to which he would have been entitled had he remained in his former grade and continued to receive the increases in pay and allowances authorized for that grade.
(c)
An appointment under this section, or a subsequent promotion appointment of a temporary officer, may be vacated by the appointing officer at any time. Each officer whose appointment is so vacated shall revert to his permanent status.
(d)
Appointees under this section shall take precedence in the grade to which appointed in accordance with the dates of their appointments as officers in such grade. Appointees whose dates of appointment are the same shall take precedence with each other as the Secretary shall determine.

Pub. L. 88–130, § 1(10)(C)77 Stat. 178 Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(12)80 Stat. 196 Pub. L. 93–283, § 1(5)88 Stat. 140 Pub. L. 96–376, § 694 Stat. 1509 Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(B)98 Stat. 2865 Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 541(f)(6)108 Stat. 2767 Pub. L. 104–324, title II, § 211(a)110 Stat. 3915 Pub. L. 111–281, title II, § 211124 Stat. 2914 Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 112(b)132 Stat. 4216 Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV134 Stat. 4748 (Added , , , § 214; amended –(14), , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; renumbered § 2104, , , ; [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(15), , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–2832021—Subsec. (b). substituted “individuals” for “persons” and “An individual” for “A person”.

Pub. L. 115–282section 214 of this title2018— renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 111–2812010—Subsec. (a). amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “The President may appoint temporary commissioned officers in the Regular Coast Guard in a grade, not above lieutenant, appropriate to their qualifications, experience, and length of service, as the needs of the Coast Guard may require, from among the commissioned warrant officers, warrant officers, and enlisted members of the Coast Guard, and from licensed officers of the United States merchant marine.”

Pub. L. 104–324, § 211(a)(1)1996—, substituted “Appointment” for “Original appointment” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 104–324, § 211(a)(2)Subsec. (b). , redesignated subsec. (d) as (b).

Pub. L. 104–324, § 211(a)(2)Subsec. (c). , (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (c) and inserted “, or a subsequent promotion appointment of a temporary officer,” after “section”.

Pub. L. 104–324, § 211(a)(2)Subsecs. (d) to (f). , redesignated subsecs. (d) to (f) as (b) to (d), respectively.

Pub. L. 103–3371994—Subsecs. (b), (c). struck out subsecs. (b) and (c) which read as follows:

“(b) The President may appoint temporary commissioned warrant officers in the Regular Coast Guard, as the needs of the Coast Guard may require, from among the warrant officers and enlisted members of the Coast Guard, and from licensed officers of the United States merchant marine.

“(c) The Secretary may appoint temporary warrant officers (W–1) in the Regular Coast Guard, as the needs of the Coast Guard require, from among the enlisted members of the Coast Guard, and from licensed officers of the United States merchant marine.”

Pub. L. 98–5571984—Subsecs. (a) to (c). substituted reference to enlisted members for reference to enlisted men wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 96–3761980—Subsec. (d). substituted prohibition against any reduction in rate of pay and allowances of temporary officer appointee to which appointee would have been entitled had he remained in his former grade and continued to receive the increases in pay and allowances authorized for that grade for prior prohibition against reduction in pay and allowances to which appointee was entitled because of his permanent status at the time of his temporary appointment, or any reduction in pay and allowances to which appointee was entitled under a prior temporary appointment in a lower grade.

Pub. L. 93–2831974—Subsec. (d). prohibited any reduction in the pay and allowances to which a temporary officer was entitled under a prior temporary appointment in a lower grade.

Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(12)1966—Subsec. (a). , added licensed officers of the United States merchant marine to the group from which the President may appoint temporary commissioned officers for the Regular Coast Guard not above lieutenant.

Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(13)Subsec. (b). , added licensed officers of the United States merchant marine to the group from which the President may appoint temporary commissioned warrant officers for the Regular Coast Guard.

Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(14)Subsec. (c). , added licensed officers of the United States merchant marine to the group from which the Secretary may appoint temporary warrant officers (W–1) in the Regular Coast Guard.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–337section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337section 571 of Title 10Amendment by effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

Effective Date of 1974 Amendment

Pub. L. 93–283, § 288 Stat. 141

section 288 of this title“Paragraphs (5) and (8) of section 1 of this Act [amending this section and ] are effective as of the original date of enactment [] of the sections thereby amended.”
, , , provided that:

Temporary Appointments Prior to September 24, 1963

section 5(e) of Pub. L. 88–130section 2101 of this titleSavings provisions in considering officers appointed with temporary commissions prior to , as appointed under this section, are set out as a note under .

Executive Documents

Delegation of Authority

section 2101 of this titleAuthority of President under subsec. (a) of this section to make temporary appointments not above lieutenant in the Regular Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve delegated to Secretary of Homeland Security by Ex. Ord. No. 14106, § 1(e), , 88 F.R. 55905, set out in a note under .