§ 12731. Age and service requirements

Type Statute

Publication 2026-03-26

State In force

Department United States Congress

Source OLRC

§ 12731. Age and service requirements

(a) Except as provided in subsection (c), a person is entitled, upon application, to retired pay computed under section 12739 of this title, if the person—

(1) has attained the eligibility age applicable under subsection (f) to that person;

(2) has performed at least 20 years of service computed under section 12732 of this title;

(3) in the case of a person who completed the service requirements of paragraph (2) before April 25, 2005, performed the last six years of qualifying service while a member of any category named in section 12732(a)(1) of this title, but not while a member of a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, except that in the case of a person who completed the service requirements of paragraph (2) before October 5, 1994, the number of years of such qualifying service under this paragraph shall be eight; and

(4) is not entitled, under any other provision of law, to retired pay from an armed force or retainer pay as a member of the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.

(b) Application for retired pay under this section must be made to the Secretary of the military department, or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as the case may be, having jurisdiction at the time of application over the armed force in which the applicant is serving or last served.

(c)

(1) A person who, before August 16, 1945, was a Reserve of an armed force, or a member of the Army without component or other category covered by section 12732(a)(1) of this title except a regular component, is not eligible for retired pay under this chapter unless—

(A) the person performed active duty during World War I or World War II; or

(B) the person performed active duty (other than for training) during the Korean conflict, the Berlin crisis, or the Vietnam era.

(2) In this subsection:

(A) The term “World War I” means the period beginning on April 6, 1917, and ending on November 11, 1918.

(B) The term “World War II” means the period beginning on September 9, 1940, and ending on December 31, 1946.

(D) The term “Berlin crisis” means the period beginning on August 14, 1961, and ending on May 30, 1963.

(E) The term “Vietnam era” means the period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on March 27, 1973.

(d) The Secretary concerned shall notify each person who has completed the years of service required for eligibility for retired pay under this chapter. The notice shall be sent, in writing, to the person concerned within one year after the person completes that service. The notice shall include notice of the elections available to such person under the Survivor Benefit Plan established under subchapter II of chapter 73 of this title and the Supplemental Survivor Benefit Plan established under subchapter III of that chapter, and the effects of such elections.

(e) Notwithstanding section 8301 of title 5, the date of entitlement to retired pay under this section shall be the date on which the requirements of subsection (a) have been completed.

(f)

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the eligibility age for purposes of subsection (a)(1) is 60 years of age.

(2)

(A) In the case of a person who as a member of the Ready Reserve serves on active duty or performs active service described in subparagraph (B) after January 28, 2008, the eligibility age for purposes of subsection (a)(1) shall be reduced, subject to subparagraph (C), below 60 years of age by three months for each aggregate of 90 days on which such person serves on such active duty or performs such active service in any fiscal year after January 28, 2008, or in any two consecutive fiscal years after September 30, 2014. A day of duty may be included in only one aggregate of 90 days for purposes of this subparagraph.

(B)

(i) Service on active duty described in this subparagraph is service on active duty pursuant to a call or order to active duty under section 12301(d) or 12304b of this title, or under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B) of this title. Such service does not include service on active duty pursuant to a call or order to active duty under section 12310 of this title.

(ii) Active service described in this subparagraph is also service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense under section 502(f) of title 32 for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President or supported by Federal funds.

(iii) If a member described in subparagraph (A) is wounded or otherwise injured or becomes ill while serving on active duty pursuant to a call or order to active duty under a provision of law referred to in the first sentence of clause (i) or in clause (ii), and the member is then ordered to active duty under section 12301(h)(1) of this title to receive medical care for the wound, injury, or illness, each day of active duty under that order for medical care shall be treated as a continuation of the original call or order to active duty for purposes of reducing the eligibility age of the member under this paragraph.

(iv) Service on active duty described in this subparagraph is also service on active duty pursuant to a call or order to active duty authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security under section 712 11 See References in Text note below. of title 14 for purposes of emergency augmentation of the Regular Coast Guard forces.

(C) The eligibility age for purposes of subsection (a)(1) may not be reduced below 50 years of age for any person under subparagraph (A).

(3) The Secretary concerned shall periodically notify each member of the Ready Reserve described by paragraph (2) of the current eligibility age for retired pay of such member under this section, including any reduced eligibility age by reason of the operation of that paragraph. Notice shall be provided by such means as the Secretary considers appropriate taking into account the cost of provision of notice and the convenience of members.

In subsection (a), the words “is entitled” are substituted for the words “shall * * * be granted”. The words “in the status of a commissioned officer, warrant officer, flight officer, or enlisted person” and the references to reserve components are omitted as surplusage. Reference to the Army and the Air Force without component is inserted, since the words “reserve component”, as used in 10:1036a(a), include all members of the Army and the Air Force except members of the regular components thereof. The words “service, computed under section 1332 of this title” are substituted for the words “satisfactory Federal service” to make it clear that some service that is not normally covered by the latter term may be counted in determining rights to retired pay under this chapter. Section 311 of the source statute, which made title III of that act applicable to the Coast Guard, was expressly repealed by the Act of August 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 20, 63 Stat. 565, the act which codified Title 14 of the United States Code. 14 U.S.C. 755(e) provides for Coast Guard Reservists the same retirement benefits as those prescribed by law for the Naval Reserve, and, for this purpose, confers upon the Secretary of the Treasury the same authority as that conferred upon the Secretary of the Navy, when the Coast Guard is operating under the Treasury Department. Accordingly, the revised chapter is made expressly applicable to the Coast Guard.

In subsection (c), the words “the Army without component or other category covered by section 1332(a)(1) of this title” are inserted, since the words “reserve component”, as used in 10:1036a(a), also cover members without component and members of the other special categories listed. The words “annual training duty, or attendance at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the appropriate military department” are inserted since the words “active Federal service”, as used in 10:1036a(a), also cover the additional service listed. The words “active duty” are substituted for the words “active Federal service” for uniformity.

Historical and Revision Notes
1956 Act
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
1331(a)	10:1036a(a) (less last proviso).10:1036d (1st sentence).34:440i(a) (less last proviso).34:440l (1st sentence).	June 29, 1948, ch. 708, §§ 302(a), (d), 305 (1st sentence), 62 Stat. 1087–1089; July 12, 1952, ch. 698, 66 Stat. 590.
1331(b)	10:1036a(d).
	34:440i(d).
1331(c)	10:1036a(a) (last proviso).
	34:440i(a) (last proviso).

1958 Act

The change makes clear that in the determination of eligibility for retired pay for non–regular service, the service of a Regular serving in a temporary grade (that is, without component) may not be counted. See opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Army, JAGA 1957/4463, May 13, 1957.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 712 of title 14, referred to in subsec. (f)(2)(B)(iv), was redesignated section 3713 of title 14 by Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 118(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4233, and references to section 712 of title 14 deemed to refer to such redesignated section, see section 123(b)(1) of Pub. L. 115–282, set out as a References to Sections of Title 14 as Redesignated by Pub. L. 115–282 note preceding section 101 of Title 14, Coast Guard.

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (f)(2)(B)(i). Pub. L. 116–92 substituted “under section 12301(d) or 12304b of this title, or under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B)” for “under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B) or under section 12301(d)”.

2014—Subsec. (f)(2)(A). Pub. L. 113–291 inserted “, subject to subparagraph (C),” after “shall be reduced” and substituted “serves on such active duty or performs such active service in any fiscal year after January 28, 2008, or in any two consecutive fiscal years after September 30, 2014” for “so performs in any fiscal year after such date, subject to subparagraph (C)”.

2013—Subsec. (f)(2)(B)(iv). Pub. L. 112–239 added cl. (iv).

Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 113–66 added par. (3).

2011—Subsec. (f)(2)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 111–383 added cl. (iii).

2009—Subsec. (f)(2)(A). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “January 28, 2008” for “the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008”.

2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–181, § 647(a)(1), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “is at least 60 years of age;”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–181, § 647(a)(2), added subsec. (f).

2006—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “before April 25, 2005” for “before the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005”.

2004—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 108–375 inserted after par. (3) designation “in the case of a person who completed the service requirements of paragraph (2) before the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005,”.

2002—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 107–314, § 631(a), substituted “six years” for “eight years” and inserted before semicolon “, except that in the case of a person who completed the service requirements of paragraph (2) before October 5, 1994, the number of years of such qualifying service under this paragraph shall be eight”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–314, § 631(b), struck out subsec. (f) which read as follows: “In the case of a person who completes the service requirements of subsection (a)(2) during the period beginning on October 5, 1994, and ending on December 31, 2001, the provisions of subsection (a)(3) shall be applied by substituting ‘the last six years’ for ‘the last eight years’.”

2000—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–398 substituted “December 31, 2001” for “September 30, 2001”.

1998—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 105–261 substituted “September 30, 2001” for “September 30, 1999”.

1996—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted “October 5, 1994,” for “the date of the enactment of this subsection”.

This document does not substitute reading the official United States Code published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies resulting from the conversion to this format.