§4837. Settlement of accounts: remission or cancellation of indebtedness of enlisted members

If he considers it in the best interest of the United States, the Secretary may have remitted or cancelled any part of an enlisted member's indebtedness to the United States or any of its instrumentalities remaining unpaid before, or at the time of, that member's honorable discharge.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 273 ; Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–861, §33(a)(27), 72 Stat. 1566 ; Sept. 7, 1962, Pub. L. 87–649, §14c(10), 76 Stat. 501 ; Dec. 12, 1980, Pub. L. 96–513, title V, §512(24)(A), (B), 94 Stat. 2930 .)

In subsection (a), the words "sold to the member on credit under section 4621(a)(1) of this title" are substituted for the words "articles designated by the inspectors general of the Army, and sold to him on credit by officers of the Quartermaster Corps", in 10:875. The words "at cost prices" are omitted to reflect section 4623 of this title.

In subsection (b), the last sentence is substituted for 10:875a (1st and 2d provisos). The words "on current payrolls" are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (c), the words "Subject to subsection (b)" are substituted for the words "in the proportions hereinbefore indicated".

In subsection (d), the words "If he considers it in the best interest of the United States" are substituted for the words "when in his opinion the interests of the Government are best served by such action". The words "before, or at the time of" are substituted for the words "either on * * * or prior thereto".

In subsection (e), the words "member" and "his" are substituted for the words "officer or soldier". The words "or implement" are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (f), the words "or if an article of military supply with whose issue a commissioned officer is charged is damaged" are substituted for 10:872 (last sentence). The words "that he was not at fault" are substituted for the words "that said deficiency [such damage] was not occasioned by any fault on his part".

In subsection (g), the words "bought on credit under section 4621(a)(1) of this title" are substituted for the words "designated by the officers of the Inspector-General's Department of the Army and purchased on credit from commissaries of subsistence".

1958 Act

The change [in subsec. (b)] reflects the opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force (June 10, 1957) that the term "rate of pay", as used in the source law for section 4837(b) (Act of May 22, 1928, ch. 676 (45 Stat. 698), as amended), included special pay and incentive pay.

The change [in subsec. (f)] reflects the opinion of the Assistant General Counsel (Fiscal Matters), Department of Defense (July 19, 1957), that section 1304, Revised Statutes (formerly 10 U.S.C. 872), the source law for this section, applied to warrant officers as well as to commissioned officers.

Amendments

1980-Pub. L. 96–513, substituted "remission or cancellation of indebtedness of enlisted members" for "deductions from pay" in section catchline, and in text substituted "If he" for "(d) If he".

1962-Pub. L. 87–649 repealed subsecs. (a) to (c) and (e) to (g) which related to deductions from pay. See subsecs. (b) to (g), respectively, of section 1007 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

1958-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–861, §33(a)(27)(A), substituted "his pay for that month" for "his basic pay for that month".

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 85–861, §33(a)(27)(B), substituted "an officer" for "a commissioned officer" in two places.

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 87–649 effective Nov. 1, 1962, see section 15 of Pub. L. 87–649, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 85–861 effective Aug. 10, 1956, see section 33(g) of Pub. L. 85–861, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Cross References

Military property of United States-loss, damage, destruction or wrongful disposition; punishment, see section 908 of this title.

Property returns by officers, see section 3531 of Title 31, Money and Finance.

Public accounts to be submitted to Comptroller General; rendition of current accounts, see section 3522 of Title 31.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in title 5 section 5514.