Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

37 U.S.C. § 415

Uniform allowance: officers; initial allowance

(a)
Subject to subsection (b), an officer of an armed force is entitled to an initial allowance of not more than $400 as reimbursement for the purchase of required uniforms and equipment—
(1)
upon first reporting for active duty (other than for training) for a period of more than 90 days;
(2)
upon completing at least 14 days of active duty as a member of a reserve component;
(3)
upon completing 14 periods, each of which was of at least two hours’ duration, of inactive-duty training as a member of the Ready Reserve; or
(4)
section 2121(c) of title 10 upon reporting for the first period of active duty required by as a member of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program.
(b)
An officer who has received an initial uniform reimbursement or allowance under any other law is not entitled to an initial allowance under subsection (a).
(c)
An allowance of $250 for uniforms and equipment may be paid to each commissioned officer of the Public Health Service who is—
(1)
on active duty or on inactive duty training status; and
(2)
required by directive of the Surgeon General to wear a uniform.
An officer is not entitled to more than one allowance under this subsection.

Pub. L. 87–64976 Stat. 477 Pub. L. 88–647, title II, § 202(3)78 Stat. 1070 Pub. L. 89–444, § 2(1)80 Stat. 198 Pub. L. 89–718, § 6380 Stat. 1123 Pub. L. 90–83, § 5(1)81 Stat. 221 Pub. L. 91–278, § 3(3)84 Stat. 306 Pub. L. 96–76, title III, § 313(c)93 Stat. 586 Pub. L. 96–513, title IV, § 41294 Stat. 2905 Pub. L. 97–22, § 10(c)95 Stat. 137 Pub. L. 97–60, title I, § 131(a)95 Stat. 1005 Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(1)105 Stat. 117 Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654 (, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , (c), , ; , title VI, § 610(a)], , , 1654A–150.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

415(a)

415(b)

415(c)

37:255(a) (less provisos).

37:255(a) (2d proviso).

37:255(a) (last proviso).

Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, § 305(a) (less 1st proviso); added Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 20(d) (1st par., less 1st proviso), 70A Stat. 628.

415(d)

42:214.

July 1, 1944, ch. 373, § 213; restated Apr. 27, 1956, ch. 211, § 2(a), 70 Stat. 116.

415(e)

37:256.

Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, § 306; added Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 20(d) (last par.), 70A Stat. 629.

[Uncodified.]

Aug. 7, 1947, ch. 512, § 302(f), 61 Stat. 830.

66 Stat. 492 In subsection (a), the words “Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section,” are inserted for clarity. The words “of an armed force” are inserted, since the source section, as originally enacted, did not apply to the Public Health Service or the Coast and Geodetic Survey. (See section 243 of the Armed Forces Reserve Act of 1952 ().) The words “of the Army, or the Air Force, without specification of component” are inserted to reflect the definition of “reserve component” in section 102(k) of the source statute. That definition is executed throughout this revised title. For that reason, the words “but not as a member of the Army without specification of component or the Air Force without specification of component, in section 255(a)(2) of existing title 37”, are omitted, and since those categories are excluded by the words “member of a reserve component”. The words “of a reserve component”, in section 255(a)(3) of existing title 37, are omitted, since the Ready Reserve cannot be in anything other than a reserve component.

In subsection (b), the words “heretofore or hereafter” are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (c), the words “An officer” are substituted for the words “any individual”, since the revised section applies only to officers.

In subsection (d), the words “who is in pay grade O–1, O–2, or O–3” are substituted for the words “is receiving the pay of the junior assistant, assistant, or senior assistant grade” to reflect current terminology. (See chapter 3 of this revised title.) The last sentence is substituted for section 214 (words following semicolon) of title 14.

section 302(f) of the Act of August 7, 1947 In subsection (e), the words “as a temporary officer” are inserted for clarity. The words “5596 or” are substituted for , cited above.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 106–3982000—Subsec. (a). substituted “$400” for “$200” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 102–251991—Subsecs. (a), (b). struck out “of this section”.

Pub. L. 97–221981—Subsec. (a). substituted “subsection (b) of this section” for “subsections (b) and (c) of this section”.

Pub. L. 97–60Subsec. (a)(4). added par. (4).

Pub. L. 96–513, § 412(1)1980—Subsec. (a). , (2), substituted “an officer of an armed force is entitled” for “a reserve officer of an armed force, an officer of the Army or the Air Force without specification of component, or a regular officer of an armed force appointed under section 2106 or 2107 of title 10 is entitled”.

Pub. L. 96–513, § 412(3)Subsecs. (c), (d). , (4), redesignated subsec. (d) as (c). Former subsec. (c), relating to limitations on qualifications for initial allowances by certain officers, was struck out.

Pub. L. 96–513, § 412(3)Subsec. (e). , struck out subsec. (e) relating to uniform allowances for temporary officers or warrant officers.

Pub. L. 96–761979—Subsec. (d). in cl. (1) inserted provisions for applicability to officers on inactive duty training status, and struck out cl. (3) setting forth applicability to officers entitled to basic pay of pay grade O–1, O–2, or O–3.

Pub. L. 91–278section 213 of title 141970—Subsec. (e). provided for entitlement to uniform allowance of enlisted member appointed a warrant officer under .

Pub. L. 90–831967—Subsec. (d)(3). substituted “entitled to the basic pay” for “is entitled to the basic pay”.

Pub. L. 89–7181966—Subsec. (a). struck out “, United States Code,” after “title 10”.

Pub. L. 89–444section 214 of title 14section 435 of title 14Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 88–6471964—Subsec. (a). included a regular officer of an armed force appointed under section 2106 or 2107 of title 10.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654

section 416 of this title“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and ] shall take effect on .”
, title VI, § 610(c)], , , 1654A–150, provided that:

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–22, § 10(c)95 Stat. 137 , , , provided that the amendment made by that section is effective .

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–513section 412 of Pub. L. 96–513section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513section 101 of Title 10Amendment by effective , but the authority to prescribe regulations under the amendment by effective on , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–76section 314 of Pub. L. 96–76section 206 of Title 42Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under , The Public Health and Welfare.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

80 Stat. 1610 section 3508(b) of Title 20Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and all functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. , 31 F.R. 8855, , set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare redesignated Secretary of Health and Human Services by , Education.