§ 3803. Persons liable for training and service

§ 3803. Persons liable for training and service

(a) Age limits; training in National Security Training Corps; physical and mental fitness; adequate training facilities; assignment to stations and units; training period; medical specialist categories Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every person required to register pursuant to section 3802 of this chapter who is between the ages of eighteen years and six months and twenty-six years, at the time fixed for his registration, or who attains the age of eighteen years and six months after having been required to register pursuant to section 3802 of this title, or who is otherwise liable as provided in section 3806(h) of this title, shall be liable for training and service in the Armed Forces of the United States: Provided, That each registrant shall be immediately liable for classification and examination, and shall, as soon as practicable following his registration, be so classified and examined, both physically and mentally, in order to determine his availability for induction for training and service in the Armed Forces: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, any registrant who has failed or refused to report for induction shall continue to remain liable for induction and when available shall be immediately inducted. The President is authorized, from time to time, whether or not a state of war exists, to select and induct into the Armed Forces of the United States for training and service in the manner provided in this chapter (including but not limited to selection and induction by age group or age groups) such number of persons as may be required to provide and maintain the strength of the Armed Forces. At such time as the period of active service in the Armed Forces required under this chapter of persons who have not attained the nineteenth anniversary of the day of their birth has been reduced or eliminated pursuant to the provisions of subsection (k), and except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every person who is required to register under this chapter and who has not attained the nineteenth anniversary of the day of his birth on the date such period of active service is reduced or eliminated or who is otherwise liable as provided in section 3806(h) of this title, shall be liable for training in the National Security Training Corps: Provided, That persons deferred under the provisions of section 3806 of this title shall not be relieved from liability for induction into the National Security Training Corps solely by reason of having exceeded the age of nineteen years during the period of such deferment. The President is authorized, from time to time, whether or not a state of war exists, to select and induct for training in the National Security Training Corps as hereinafter provided such number of persons as may be required to further the purposes of this chapter. No person shall be inducted into the Armed Forces for training and service or shall be inducted for training in the National Security Training Corps under this chapter until his acceptability in all respects, including his physical and mental fitness, has been satisfactorily determined under standards prescribed by the Secretary of Defense: Provided, That the minimum standards for physical acceptability established pursuant to this subsection shall not be higher than those applied to persons inducted between the ages of 18 and 26 in January 1945: Provided further, That the passing requirement for the Armed Forces Qualification Test shall be fixed at a percentile score of 10 points: And provided further, That except in time of war or national emergency declared by the Congress the standards and requirements fixed by the preceding two provisos may be modified by the President under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe. No persons shall be inducted for such training and service until adequate provision shall have been made for such shelter, sanitary facilities, water supplies, heating and lighting arrangements, medical care, and hospital accommodations for such persons as may be determined by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security to be essential to the public and personal health. The persons inducted into the Armed Forces for training and service under this chapter shall be assigned to stations or units of such forces. Persons inducted into the land forces of the United States pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to be members of the Army of the United States; persons inducted into the naval forces of the United States pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to be members of the United States Navy or the United States Marine Corps or the United States Coast Guard, as appropriate; and persons inducted into the air forces of the United States pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to be members of the Air Force of the United States. Every person inducted into the Armed Forces pursuant to the authority of this subsection after June 19, 1951, shall, following his induction, be given full and adequate military training for service in the armed force into which he is inducted for a period of not less than twelve weeks, and no such person shall, during this twelve weeks period, be assigned for duty at any installation located on land outside the United States, its Territories and possessions (including the Canal Zone): Provided, That no funds appropriated by the Congress shall be used for the purpose of transporting or maintaining in violation of the provisions of this paragraph any person inducted into, or enlisted, appointed, or ordered to active duty in, the Armed Forces under the provisions of this chapter. No person, without his consent, shall be inducted for training and service in the Armed Forces or for training in the National Security Training Corps under this chapter, except as otherwise provided herein, after he has attained the twenty-sixth anniversary of the day of his birth.

(b) Length of service; release of individuals accepted into Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and other Reserve components Each person inducted into the Armed Forces under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall serve on active training and service for a period of twenty-four consecutive months, unless sooner released, transferred, or discharged in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense (or the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the United States Coast Guard) or as otherwise prescribed by subsection (d). The Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the United States Coast Guard), may provide, by regulations which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable, for the release from training and service in the armed forces prior to serving the periods required by this subsection of individuals who volunteered for and are accepted into organized units of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard and other reserve components.

(c) Opportunity to enlist in Regular Army; voluntary induction; volunteers under 18 years old

(1) Under the provisions of applicable laws and regulations any person between the ages of eighteen years and six months and twenty-six years shall be offered an opportunity to enlist in the regular army for a period of service equal to that prescribed in subsection (b) of this section: Provided, That, notwithstanding the provisions of this or any other Act, any person so enlisting shall not have his enlistment extended without his consent until after a declaration of war or national emergency by the Congress after June 19, 1951.

(2) Any enlisted member of any reserve component of the Armed Forces may, during the effective period of this Act, apply for a period of service equal to that prescribed in subsection (b) of this section and his application shall be accepted: Provided, That his services can be effectively utilized and that his physical and mental fitness for such service meet the standards prescribed by the head of the department concerned: Provided further, That active service performed pursuant to this section shall not prejudice his status as such member of such reserve component: And provided further, That any person who was a member of a reserve component on June 25, 1950, and who thereafter continued to serve satisfactorily in such reserve component, shall, if his application for active duty made pursuant to this paragraph is denied, be deferred from induction under this chapter until such time as he is ordered to active duty or ceases to serve satisfactorily in such reserve component.

(3) Within the limits of the quota determined under section 3805(b) of this title for the subdivision in which he resides, any person, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, shall be afforded an opportunity to volunteer for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States for the training and service prescribed in subsection (b), but no person who so volunteers shall be inducted for such training and service so long as he is deferred after classification.

(4) Within the limits of the quota determined under section 3805(b) of this title for the subdivision in which he resides, any person after attaining the age of seventeen shall with the written consent of his parents or guardian be afforded an opportunity to volunteer for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States for the training and service prescribed in subsection (b).

(5) Within the limits of the quota determined under section 3805(b) of this title for the subdivision in which he resides, at such time as induction into the National Security Training Corps is authorized pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, any person after attaining the age of seventeen shall with the written consent of his parents or guardian be afforded an opportunity to volunteer for induction into the National Security Training Corps for the training prescribed in subsection (k).

(d) Transfer to Reserve component; period of service

(1) Each person who hereafter and prior to June 19, 1951, is inducted, enlisted, or appointed and serves for a period of less than three years in one of the armed forces and meets the qualifications for enlistment or appointment in a reserve component of the armed force in which he serves, shall be transferred to a reserve component of such armed force, and until the expiration of a period of five years after such transfer, or until he is discharged from such reserve component, whichever occurs first, shall be deemed to be a member of such reserve component and shall be subject to such additional training and service as may now or hereafter be prescribed by law for such reserve component: Provided, That any such person who completes at least twenty-one months of service in the armed forces and who thereafter serves satisfactorily (1) on active duty in the armed forces under a voluntary extension for a period of at least one year, which extension is authorized, or (2) in an organized unit of any reserve component of any of the armed forces for a period of at least thirty-six consecutive months, shall, except in time of war or national emergency declared by the Congress, be relieved from any further liability under this subsection to serve in any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, but nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent any such person, while in a reserve component of such forces, from being ordered or called to active duty in such forces.

(2) Each person who hereafter and prior to June 19, 1951, is enlisted under the provisions of subsection (g) 11 See References in Text note below. of this section and who meets the qualifications for enlistment or appointment in a reserve component of the armed forces shall, upon discharge from such enlistment under honorable conditions, be transferred to a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and shall serve therein for a period of six years or until sooner discharged. Each such person shall, so long as he is a member of such reserve component, be liable to be ordered to active duty, but except in time of war or national emergency declared by the Congress no such person shall be ordered to active duty, without his consent and except as hereinafter provided, for more than one month in any year. In case the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, or the Secretary of the Air Force determines that enlistment, enrollment, or appointment in, or assignment to, an organized unit of a reserve component or an officers’ training program of the armed force in which he served is available to, and can without undue hardship be filled by, any such person, it shall be the duty of such person to enlist, enroll, or accept appointment in, or accept assignment to, such organized unit or officers’ training program and to serve satisfactorily therein for a period of four years. Any such person who fails or refuses to perform such duty may be ordered to active duty, without his consent, for an additional period of not more than twelve consecutive months. Any such person who enlists or accepts appointment in any such organized unit and serves satisfactorily therein for a period of four years shall, except in time of war or national emergency declared by the Congress, be relieved from any further liability under this subsection to serve in any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, but nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent any such person, while in a reserve component of such forces, from being ordered or called to active duty in such forces. The Secretary of Defense is authorized to prescribe regulations governing the transfer of such persons within and between reserve components of the armed forces and determining, for the purpose of the requirements of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the credit to be allowed any person so transferring for his previous service in one or more reserve components.

(3) Each person who, subsequent to June 19, 1951, and on or before August 9, 1955, is inducted, enlisted, or appointed, under any provision of law, in the Armed Forces, including the reserve components thereof, or in the National Security Training Corps prior to attaining the twenty-sixth anniversary of his birth, shall be required to serve on active training and service in the Armed Forces or in training in the National Security Training Corps, and in a reserve component, for a total period of eight years, unless sooner discharged on grounds of personal hardship, in accordance with regulations and standards prescribed by the Secretary of Defense (or the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the United States Coast Guard). Each such person, on release from active training and service in the Armed Forces or from training in the National Security Training Corps, shall, if physically and mentally qualified, be transferred to a reserve component of the Armed Forces, and shall serve therein for the remainder of the period which he is required to serve under this paragraph and shall be deemed to be a member of the reserve component during that period. If the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, or the Secretary of the Air Force, or the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the United States Coast Guard, determines that enlistment, enrollment, or appointment in, or assignment to, an organized unit of a reserve component or an officers’ training program of the armed force in which he served is available to, and can, without undue personal hardship, be filled by such a person, that person shall enlist, enroll, or accept appointment in, or accept assignment to, the organized unit or officers’ training program, and serve satisfactorily therein.

(e) Pay and allowances With respect to the persons inducted for training and service under this chapter there shall be paid, allowed, and extended the same pay, allowances, pensions, disability and death compensation, and other benefits as are provided by law in the case of other enlisted men of like grades and length of service of that component of the armed forces to which they are assigned. Section 3 of the Act of July 25, 1947 (Public Law 239, Eightieth Congress), is amended by deleting therefrom the following: “Act of March 7, 1942 (56 Stat. 143 to 148, ch. 166), as amended”. The Act of March 7, 1942 (56 Stat. 143 to 148), as amended, is made applicable to persons inducted into the armed forces pursuant to this chapter.

(f) Additional compensation from civilian sources Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who is inducted into the armed forces under this Act and who, before being inducted, was receiving compensation from any person may, while serving under that induction, receive compensation from that person.

(g) Occupational deferment recommendations by National Security Council The National Security Council shall periodically advise the Director of the Selective Service System and coordinate with him the work of such State and local volunteer advisory committees which the Director of Selective Service may establish, with respect to the identification, selection, and deferment of needed professional and scientific personnel and those engaged in, and preparing for, critical skills and other essential occupations. In the performance of its duties under this subsection the National Security Council shall consider the needs of both the Armed Forces and the civilian segment of the population.

(h) Repealed. June 19, 1951, ch. 144, title I, § 1(h), 65 Stat. 80

(i) , (j) Omitted

(k) Reduction of periods of service; establishment of National Security Training Corps; composition; service; pay

(1) Upon a finding by him that such action is justified by the strength of the Armed Forces in the light of international conditions, the President, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Defense, is authorized, by Executive order, which shall be uniform in its application to all persons inducted under this chapter but which may vary as to age groups, to provide for (A) decreasing periods of service under this chapter but in no case to a lesser period of time than can be economically utilized, or (B) eliminating periods of service required under this chapter.

(2) Whenever the Congress shall by concurrent resolution declare—