§204. Commissioned corps; composition; appointment of Regular and Reserve officers; appointment and status of warrant officers

There shall be in the Service a commissioned Regular Corps and, for the purpose of securing a reserve for duty in the Service in time of national emergency, a Reserve Corps. All commissioned officers shall be citizens and shall be appointed without regard to the civil-service laws and compensated without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5. Commissioned officers of the Reserve Corps shall be appointed by the President and commissioned officers of the Regular Corps shall be appointed by him by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Commissioned officers of the Reserve Corps shall at all times be subject to call to active duty by the Surgeon General, including active duty for the purpose of training and active duty for the purpose of determining their fitness for appointment in the Regular Corps. Warrant officers may be appointed to the Service for the purpose of providing support to the health and delivery systems maintained by the Service and any warrant officer appointed to the Service shall be considered for purposes of this chapter and title 37 to be a commissioned officer within the commissioned corps of the Service.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title II, §203, 58 Stat. 683 ; Feb. 28, 1948, ch. 83, §2, 62 Stat. 39 ; Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, title XI, §1106(a), 63 Stat. 972 ; Sept. 29, 1979, Pub. L. 96–76, title III, §302(a), 93 Stat. 584 .)

References in Text

The civil-service laws, referred to in text, are set forth in Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. See, particularly, section 3301 et seq. of Title 5.

Codification

"Chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5" substituted in text for "the Classification Act of 1949, as amended" on authority of Pub. L. 89–554, §7(b), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 631 , the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

1979-Pub. L. 96–76 inserted provisions relating to appointment and status of warrant officers.

1949-Act Oct. 28, 1949, substituted "Classification Act of 1949" for "Classification Act of 1923".

1948-Act Feb. 28, 1948, struck out provision that all active service in Reserve Corps, as well as service in Regular Corps, shall be credited for purpose of promotion in Regular Corps.

Repeals

Act Oct. 28, 1949, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed (subject to a savings clause) by Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, §8, 80 Stat. 632 , 655.

Transfer of Functions

Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and 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. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855, 80 Stat. 1610, set out as a note under section 202 of this title. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare redesignated Secretary of Health and Human Services by section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.

Delegation of Functions

Functions of President delegated to Secretary of Health and Human Services and Surgeon General, see Ex. Ord. No. 11140, Jan. 30, 1964, 29 F.R. 1637, as amended, set out as a note under section 202 of this title.

Osteopaths as Reserve Officers

Section 709 of act July 1, 1944, formerly §609, renumbered §709 by act Aug. 13, 1946, ch. 958, §5, 60 Stat. 1049 , which provided for appointment of osteopaths as reserve officers until six months after World War II, was repealed by Joint Res. July 25, 1947, ch. 327, §1, 61 Stat. 449 .

Cross References

Pay and allowances of commissioned officers, see section 210 of this title.