US Code

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

14 U.S.C. § 339

Prevention and response workforces

(a)

Career Paths .—

The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall ensure that appropriate career paths for civilian and military Coast Guard personnel who wish to pursue career paths in prevention or response positions are identified in terms of the education, training, experience, and assignments necessary for career progression of civilians and members of the Armed Forces to the most senior prevention or response positions, as appropriate. The Secretary shall make available published information on such career paths.
(b)

Qualifications for Certain Assignments .—

An officer, member, or civilian employee of the Coast Guard assigned as a—
(1)
section 3316 of title 46 marine inspector shall have the training, experience, and qualifications equivalent to that required for a similar position at a classification society recognized by the Secretary under for the type of vessel, system, or equipment that is inspected;
(2)
marine casualty investigator shall have the training, experience, and qualifications in investigation, marine casualty reconstruction, evidence collection and preservation, human factors, and documentation using best investigation practices by Federal and non-Federal entities;
(3)
marine safety engineer shall have knowledge, skill, and practical experience in—
(A)
the construction and operation of commercial vessels;
(B)
judging the character, strength, stability, and safety qualities of such vessels and their equipment; or
(C)
the qualifications and training of vessel personnel;
(4)
waterways operations manager shall have knowledge, skill, and practical experience with respect to maritime transportation system management; or
(5)
port and facility safety and security specialist shall have knowledge, skill, and practical experience with respect to the safety, security, and environmental protection responsibilities associated with maritime ports and facilities.
(c)

Apprenticeship Requirement To Qualify for Certain Careers .—

The Commandant may require an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard in training for a specialized prevention or response career path to serve an apprenticeship under the guidance of a qualified individual. However, an individual in training to become a marine inspector, marine casualty investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist shall serve a minimum of one-year as an apprentice unless the Commandant authorizes a shorter period for certain qualifications.
(d)

Management Information System .—

The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall establish a management information system for the prevention and response workforces that shall provide, at a minimum, the following standardized information on individuals serving in those workforces:
(1)
Qualifications, assignment history, and tenure in assignments.
(2)
Promotion rates for military and civilian personnel.
(e)

Sector Chief of Prevention .—

There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Prevention who shall be at least a Lieutenant Commander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule, and who shall be a—
(1)
marine inspector, qualified to inspect vessels, vessel systems, and equipment commonly found in the sector; and
(2)
qualified marine casualty investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist.
(f)

Signatories of Letter of Qualification for Certain Prevention Personnel .—

Each individual signing a letter of qualification for marine safety personnel must hold a letter of qualification for the type being certified.
(g)

Sector Chief of Response .—

There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Response who shall be at least a Lieutenant Commander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule in each Coast Guard sector.

Pub. L. 111–281, title V, § 521(a)124 Stat. 2953Pub. L. 113–281, title II128 Stat. 3024Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b)132 Stat. 4196Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV134 Stat. 4747Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(b)139 Stat. 1675(Added , , , § 57; amended , §§ 203, 221(b)(1)(B), , , 3038; renumbered § 312, , , ; [LXXXV], §§ 8504(a), 8505(a)(1), , ; renumbered § 339, , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 115–282section 101 of this titleFor redesignation of prior sections 350 to 500 not listed below as having been previously repealed or renumbered, see Table Showing Redesignations Made by Title I of preceding .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 521act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 3664 Stat. 408A prior section 356, , , related to retirement for disabilities incident to service, prior to repeal by , . See sections 1204 and 1376 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 163 Stat. 522Pub. L. 88–114, § 1(2)77 Stat. 144A prior section 358, , , limited number of retirements in a calendar year of enlisted men who had completed 20 years of service, to not more than the whole number nearest 1 percent of the total enlisted force on the active list, and any men so authorized to be retired annually who were not so retired, could be retired during any subsequent year providing the total retired in that year did not exceed 3 percent of the total enlisted force, prior to repeal by , , .

act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 3664 Stat. 408Prior sections 363 and 364 were repealed by , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 523section 1207 of Title 10Section 363, , , related to retiring or dropping for disabilities not incident to service. See , Armed Forces.

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 523section 1207 of Title 10Section 364, , , related to dropping for disabilities due to vicious habits. See , Armed Forces.

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 524Pub. L. 97–322, title I, § 115(b)(1)96 Stat. 1585A prior section 368, , , related to discharge in case of under-age enlistment, prior to repeal by , , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 525act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 3664 Stat. 408section 1216 of Title 10A prior section 425, , , related to retiring boards, prior to repeal by , . See , Armed Forces.

Pub. L. 99–640, § 10(a)(6)(A)100 Stat. 3549Prior sections 431, 433, and 434 were repealed by , , , which provided in part that such repeal did not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun under those sections before .

Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 526Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 2464 Stat. 407Section 431, acts , ; , , related to personnel of former Life Saving Service.

Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 528Sept. 27, 1949, ch. 58663 Stat. 698Pub. L. 88–130, § 1(11)77 Stat. 190Pub. L. 97–295, § 2(11)96 Stat. 1302Section 433, acts , ; , ; , , ; , , (14), , related to personnel of former Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation and Bureau of Customs.

act Sept. 23, 1950, ch. 99664 Stat. 978Pub. L. 97–295, § 2(14)96 Stat. 1302Section 434, added , ; amended , , , related to personnel appointed as constructors.

Pub. L. 88–130, § 4(a)77 Stat. 192Prior sections 435 to 437 were repealed by , , .

act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 9(a)70A Stat. 620Section 435, added , , related to temporary appointments in time of war or national emergency.

act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 9(a)70A Stat. 621Section 436, added , , related to temporary promotions in time of war or national emergency.

Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 9(a)70A Stat. 622Pub. L. 87–509, § 4(b)76 Stat. 121Section 437, acts , ; , , , related to discharge during war or emergency of officers having less than 20 years of service for un­satisfactory performance of duty.

act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 9(a)70A Stat. 623Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(21)80 Stat. 197Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 505(b)94 Stat. 2918Pub. L. 99–640, § 10(a)(6)(A)100 Stat. 3549A prior section 438, added , ; amended , , ; , , , related to laws not applicable to warrant officers of former Life Saving Service, Lighthouse Service, Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation, and Bureau of Customs, prior to repeal by , , , which provided in part that such repeal did not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun under that section before .

Pub. L. 88–130, § 4(a)77 Stat. 192Prior sections 439 and 440 were repealed by , , .

act July 20, 1956, ch. 647, § 3(a)70 Stat. 588Section 439, added , , related to oath of office.

Pub. L. 85–861, § 33(b)(1)72 Stat. 1567Section 440, added , , , related to temporary promotion of warrant officers.

Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 530Pub. L. 86–474, § 1(19)74 Stat. 146Pub. L. 87–64976 Stat. 502section 202 of Title 37A prior section 462, acts , ; , , , related to pay and allowances of rear admirals, prior to repeal by , §§ 14d(1), 15, , , effective . See , Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 10(a)70A Stat. 623Pub. L. 87–649, § 7(b)76 Stat. 495Pub. L. 97–417, § 2(11)96 Stat. 2086A prior section 462a, added , ; amended , , , related to retired pay after two years of active duty for retired rear admirals, prior to repeal by , , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 530act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 3664 Stat. 408A prior section 463, , , related to continuation of additional pay, prior to repeal by , .

Pub. L. 87–64976 Stat. 502Prior sections 464 and 465 were repealed by , §§ 14d(2), (3), 15, , , effective .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 531section 703 of Title 37Section 464, , , related to allotments of pay. See , Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 531section 1006 of Title 37Section 465, , , related to advances to officers ordered to and from sea or shore duty beyond the seas. See , Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 531act July 12, 1955, ch. 328, § 5(3)69 Stat. 296section 2771 of Title 10section 714 of Title 32A prior section 466, , , provided for settlement of accounts of deceased officers and men, prior to repeal by , . See , Armed Forces, and , National Guard.

act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 11(a)70A Stat. 624Pub. L. 87–651, title III, § 307B76 Stat. 526A prior section 471a, added , , authorized transportation of motor vehicles on permanent change of station, prior to repeal by , , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 532act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 3664 Stat. 408A prior section 472, , , related to travel allowance to enlisted men on discharge, prior to repeal by , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 532Pub. L. 97–295, § 2(15)(A)96 Stat. 1302A prior section 473, , , authorized Secretary to discharge underage Coast Guard enlisted personnel with appropriate pay and allowances, such persons to be given subsistence and transportation in kind to their homes, prior to repeal by , , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 532act Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1211, § 568 Stat. 1130A prior section 474, , , related to compensation for travel tolls and fares, prior to repeal by , .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 534act Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 837, title V, § 502(8)(A)70 Stat. 886A prior section 489, , , provided for payment of a death gratuity to survivors of officers and enlisted men of Regular Coast Guard, prior to repeal by , . See sections 1475 to 1480 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 163 Stat. 534Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 2664 Stat. 407Pub. L. 85–738, § 172 Stat. 832Pub. L. 89–185, § 279 Stat. 789Pub. L. 88–558, § 778 Stat. 768section 3721 of Title 31Pub. L. 89–185Pub. L. 88–558Pub. L. 97–258, § 5(b)96 Stat. 1068A prior section 490, acts , ; , ; , , ; , , , provided for settlement of claims of military and civilian personnel, prior to repeal by , , , effective two years from . See , Money and Finance. and were repealed by , , .

section 492b of this titlesection 2738 of this titleA prior section 492a was renumbered and subsequently renumbered .

act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 39363 Stat. 535Pub. L. 87–526, § 1(3)76 Stat. 141Pub. L. 87–64976 Stat. 502A prior section 495, , , related to additional pay for holders of medals, prior to repeal by , , , and by , §§ 14d(5), 15, , , effective .

Amendments

Pub. L. 119–60section 312 of this title2025— renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 116–283, § 8504(a)2021—Subsec. (b)(4). , substituted “maritime transportation system” for “marine transportation system”.

Pub. L. 116–283, § 8505(a)(1)Subsec. (d). , substituted “individuals” for “persons” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 115–282section 57 of this title2018— renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(1)2014—Subsec. (b)(4), (5). , added pars. (4) and (5).

Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(2)Subsec. (c). , substituted “marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist” for “or marine safety engineer”.

Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B)Subsec. (e). , redesignated subsec. (f) as (e) and struck out former subsec. (e) which related to assessment of adequacy of marine safety workforce.

Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B)(ii)Subsec. (f). , redesignated subsec. (g) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e).

Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(3)Subsec. (f)(2). , substituted “investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist” for “investigator or marine safety engineer”.

Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B)(ii)Subsecs. (g), (h). , redesignated subsec. (h) as (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (f).