§525. Distribution of commissioned officers on active duty in general officer and flag officer grades

(a) No appointment may be made in a grade above brigadier general in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps if that appointment would result in more than 50 percent of the general officers of that armed force on active duty being in grades above brigadier general. No appointment may be made in a grade above rear admiral (lower half) in the Navy if that appointment would result in more than 50 percent of the flag officers of the Navy on active duty being in grades above rear admiral (lower half).

(b)(1) No appointment may be made in a grade above major general in the Army or Air Force if that appointment would result in more than 15.7 percent of the general officers of that armed force on active duty being in grades above major general. Of the 15.7 percent of general officers of the Army or Air Force on active duty who may be serving in grades above major general, not more than 25 percent may be serving in the grade of general.

(2)(A) No appointment may be made in a grade above rear admiral in the Navy if that appointment would result in more than 15.7 percent of the flag officers of the Navy on active duty being in grades above rear admiral. Of the 15.7 percent of flag officers on active duty who may be serving in grades above rear admiral, not more than 25 percent may be serving in the grade of admiral.

(B) No appointment may be made in a grade above major general in the Marine Corps if that appointment would result in more than 17.5 percent of the general officers of the Marine Corps on active duty being in grades above major general.

(3) An officer while serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or as Chief of Staff to the President, if serving in the grade of general or admiral, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for his armed force for that grade under paragraph (1) or (2).

(4)(A) An officer while serving in a position designated under subparagraph (B), if serving in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for that officer's armed force for that grade under paragraph (1) or (2).

(B) The President, with the advice and assistance of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, may designate not more than seven positions within the Joint Staff (provided for under section 155 of this title) as positions referred to in subparagraph (A). The authority of the President under the preceding sentence may not be delegated.

(5)(A) An officer while serving in a position specified in section 604(b) of this title, if serving in the grade of general or admiral, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for that officer's armed force for officers serving on active duty in grades above major general or rear admiral, as the case may be, under the first sentence of paragraph (1) or (2), as applicable. Any increase by reason of the preceding sentence in the number of officers of an armed force serving on active duty in grades above major general or rear admiral may only be realized by an increase in the number of lieutenant generals or vice admirals, as the case may be, serving on active duty, and any such increase may not be construed as authorizing an increase in the limitation on the total number of general or flag officers for that armed force under section 526(a) of this title or in the number of general and flag officers that may be designated under section 526(b) of this title.

(B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply in the case of an officer serving in such a position if the Secretary of Defense, when considering officers for recommendation to the President for appointment to fill the vacancy in that position which was filled by that officer, did not have a recommendation for that appointment from each Secretary of a military department who (pursuant to section 604(a) of this title) was required to make such a recommendation.

(6) An officer while serving as Chief of the National Guard Bureau is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for that officer's armed force for officers serving on active duty in grades above major general under paragraph (1).

(7) An officer of the Army while serving as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, if serving in the grade of lieutenant general, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for the Army for officers serving on active duty in grades above major general under paragraph (1). An officer of the Navy or Marine Corps while serving as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, if serving in the grade of vice admiral or lieutenant general, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for the Navy or Marine Corps, respectively, for officers serving on active duty in grades above major general or rear admiral under paragraph (1) or (2). An officer while serving as Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy, if serving in the grade of lieutenant general, is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for the Air Force for officers serving on active duty in grades above major general under paragraph (1).

(8) An officer while serving in a position designated by the Secretary of Defense as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, if serving in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral, is in addition to the number that otherwise would be permitted for that officer's armed force for that grade under paragraph (1) or (2). Only one officer may be designated as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this paragraph.

(c)(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the President-

(A) may make appointments in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the grade of lieutenant general and in the Army and Air Force in the grade of general in excess of the applicable numbers determined under subsection (b)(1), and may make appointments in the Marine Corps in the grade of general in addition to the Commandant and Assistant Commandant, if each such appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2); and

(B) may make appointments in the Navy in the grades of vice admiral and admiral in excess of the applicable numbers determined under subsection (b)(2) if each such appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2).

(2) For each appointment made under the authority of paragraph (1) in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps in the grade of lieutenant general or general or in the Navy in the grade of vice admiral or admiral, the number of appointments that may be made in the equivalent grade in one of the other armed forces (other than the Coast Guard) shall be reduced by one. When such an appointment is made, the President shall specify the armed force in which the reduction required by this paragraph is to be made.

(3)(A) The number of officers that may be serving on active duty in the grades of lieutenant general and vice admiral by reason of appointments made under the authority of paragraph (1) may not exceed the number equal to 10 percent of the total number of officers that may be serving on active duty in those grades in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps under subsection (b).

(B) The number of officers that may be serving on active duty in the grades of general and admiral by reason of appointments made under the authority of paragraph (1) may not exceed the number equal to 15 percent of the total number of general officers and flag officers that may be serving on active duty in those grades in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

(4) Upon the termination of the appointment of an officer in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral or general or admiral that was made in connection with an increase under paragraph (1) in the number of officers that may be serving on active duty in that armed force in that grade, the reduction made under paragraph (2) in the number of appointments permitted in such grade in another armed force by reason of that increase shall no longer be in effect.

(d) An officer continuing to hold the grade of general or admiral under section 601(b)(4) of this title after relief from the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or Commandant of the Marine Corps shall not be counted for purposes of this section.

(e) In determining the total number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force on active duty for purposes of this section, the following officers shall not be counted:

(1) An officer of that armed force in the grade of brigadier general or above or, in the case of the Navy, in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) or above, who is on leave pending the retirement, separation, or release of that officer from active duty, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the commencement of such leave of such officer.

(2) An officer of that armed force who has been relieved from a position designated under section 601(a) of this title and is under orders to assume another such position, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which those orders are published.

(f) An officer while serving as Attending Physician to the Congress is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for that officer's armed force for officers serving on active duty in grades above brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half) under subsection (a).

(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §103, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2844 ; amended Pub. L. 97–86, title IV, §405(b)(1), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1105 ; Pub. L. 99–145, title V, §514(b)(1), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 628 ; Pub. L. 99–433, title II, §202(a), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1010 ; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, §511(a), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1088 ; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title IV, §405, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1546 ; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IV, §405(a), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2744 ; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title IV, §403(a), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 286 ; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title IV, §404(b), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2506 ; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title IV, §§404, 406, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 1996 ; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, §§509(b), (c), 532(b), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 592 , 604; Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §507(g)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654 , 1654A-105; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title IV, §§404(a), (b), 405(b), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2525 , 2526; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, §504(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1456 ; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §503(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3226 ; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, §507(b), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2180 .)

Amendments

2006-Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163 added subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364 added subsec. (f).

2003-Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out subpar. (C) which read as follows: "This paragraph shall cease to be effective at the end of December 31, 2004."

2002-Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 107–314, §404(b), substituted "17.5 percent" for "16.2 percent".

Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 107–314, §405(b), substituted "December 31, 2004" for "September 30, 2003".

Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 107–314, §404(a), added par. (8).

2000-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §507(g)(1)], in first sentence, substituted "Army or Air Force" for "Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps" and "15.7 percent" for "15 percent" and, in second sentence, substituted "Of" for "In the case of the Army and Air Force, of" and "15.7 percent" for "15 percent" and inserted "of the Army or Air Force" after "general officers".

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §507(g)(2)], designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), substituted "15.7 percent" for "15 percent" in two places, and added subpar. (B).

1999-Subsec. (b)(5)(A). Pub. L. 106–65, §509(c), inserted at end "Any increase by reason of the preceding sentence in the number of officers of an armed force serving on active duty in grades above major general or rear admiral may only be realized by an increase in the number of lieutenant generals or vice admirals, as the case may be, serving on active duty, and any such increase may not be construed as authorizing an increase in the limitation on the total number of general or flag officers for that armed force under section 526(a) of this title or in the number of general and flag officers that may be designated under section 526(b) of this title."

Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 106–65, §509(b), substituted "September 30, 2003" for "September 30, 2000".

Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 106–65, §532(b), added par. (7).

1998-Subsec. (b)(4)(B). Pub. L. 105–261, §404, substituted "seven" for "six".

Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 105–261, §406, added par. (6).

1996-Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted "September 30, 2000" for "September 30, 1997".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–106 added subsec. (d).

1994-Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 103–337 added par. (5).

1990-Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 101–510, §405(b), substituted "that would otherwise be permitted for" for "authorized".

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 101–510, §405(a), added par. (4).

1987-Pub. L. 100–180 added subsec. (c).

1986-Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 99–433 inserted "or Vice Chairman".

1985-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–145 substituted "rear admiral (lower half)" for "commodore" in two places.

1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–86 substituted "commodore" for "commodore admiral" in two places.

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title IV, §404(d), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2526 , provided that: "The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the receipt by Congress of the report required by subsection (c) [set out below]."

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Implementation of 2000 Amendments

Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §507(i)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654 , 1654A-106, provided that:

"(1) An appointment or reappointment, in the case of the incumbent in a reserve component chief position, shall be made to each of the reserve component chief positions not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000], in accordance with the amendments made by subsections (a) through (e) [amending sections 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038, and 10506 of this title].

"(2) An officer serving in a reserve component chief position on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000] may be reappointed to that position under the amendments made by subsection (a) through (e), if eligible and otherwise qualified in accordance with those amendments. If such an officer is so reappointed, the appointment may be made for the remainder of the officer's original term or for a full new term, as specified at the time of the appointment.

"(3) An officer serving on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000] in a reserve component chief position may continue to serve in that position in accordance with the provisions of law in effect immediately before the amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038, and 10506 of this title and repealing section 12505 of this title] until a successor is appointed under paragraph (1) (or that officer is reappointed under paragraph (1)).

"(4) The amendments made by subsection (g) [amending this section] shall be implemented so that each increase authorized by those amendments in the number of officers in the grades of lieutenant general and vice admiral is implemented on a case-by-case basis with an initial appointment made after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000], as specified in paragraph (1), to a reserve component chief position.

"(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'reserve component chief position' means a position specified in section 3038, 5143, 5144, or 8038 of title 10, United States Code, or the position of Director, Army National Guard or Director, Air National Guard under section 10506(a)(1) of such title."

Savings Provision

Section 511(b) of Pub. L. 100–180 provided that: "An officer of the Armed Forces on active duty holding an appointment in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral or general or admiral on September 30, 1987, shall not have that appointment terminated by reason of the numerical limitations determined under section 525(b) of title 10, United States Code. In the case of an officer of the Marine Corps serving in the grade of general by reason of an appointment authorized by section 511(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 (Public Law 99–661; 100 Stat. 3869) [see below], that appointment shall not be terminated except as provided in section 601 of title 10, United States Code."

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Review of Active Duty and Reserve General and Flag Officer Authorizations

Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title IV, §404(c), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2525 , provided that:

"(1) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report containing any recommendations of the Secretary (together with the rationale of the Secretary for the recommendations) concerning the following:

"(A) Revision of the limitations on general and flag officer grade authorizations and distribution in grade prescribed by sections 525, 526, and 12004 of title 10, United States Code.

"(B) Statutory designation of the positions and grades of any additional general and flag officers in the commands specified in chapter 1006 of title 10, United States Code, and the reserve component offices specified in sections 3038, 5143, 5144, and 8038 of such title.

"(2) The provisions of subsection (b) through (e) of section 1213 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104–201; 110 Stat. 2694) shall apply to the report under paragraph (1) in the same manner as they applied to the report required by subsection (a) of that section."

Report on Management of Senior General and Flag Officer Positions

Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IV, §405(d), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2745 , directed the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a report on the implementation of the amendments made by Pub. L. 103–337, §405, enacting sections 528 and 604 of this title and amending this section, not later than Mar. 1, 1996.

Temporary Exclusion of Superintendent of Naval Academy From Counting Toward Number of Senior Admirals Authorized To Be on Active Duty

Section 406 of Pub. L. 103–337 provided that: "The officer serving as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 1994], while so serving, shall not be counted for purposes of the limitations contained in section 525(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code."

Temporary Increase in Number of General and Flag Officers Authorized To Be on Active Duty

Temporary increases in the number of officers authorized in particular grades under this section were contained in the following authorization acts:

Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title V, §511, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3869 .

Pub. L. 99–570, title III, §3058, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–79 .

Pub. L. 99–145, title V, §515, Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 630 .

Pub. L. 98–525, title V, §511, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2521 .

Pub. L. 98–94, title X, §1001, Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 654 .

Pub. L. 97–252, title XI, §1116, Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 750 .