§532. Qualifications for original appointment as a commissioned officer

(a) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, an original appointment as a commissioned officer (other than as a commissioned warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps may be given only to a person who-

(1) is a citizen of the United States;

(2) is of good moral character;

(3) is physically qualified for active service; and

(4) has such other special qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned may prescribe by regulation.

(b)(1) Original appointments in the Regular Army in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps, and original appointments in the Regular Air Force with a view to designation of an officer as a medical or dental officer, may be made in the grades of first lieutenant through colonel. Original appointments in the Regular Navy in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps may be made in the grades of lieutenant (junior grade) through captain. Such appointments may be made only from persons who are qualified doctors of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry.

(2) To be eligible for an original appointment as a medical officer, a doctor of osteopathy must-

(A) be a graduate of a college of osteopathy whose graduates are eligible to be licensed to practice medicine or surgery in a majority of the States;

(B) be licensed to practice medicine, surgery, or osteopathy in a State or in the District of Columbia;

(C) under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, have completed a number of years of osteopathic and preosteopathic education equal to the number of years of medical and premedical education prescribed for persons entering recognized schools of medicine who become doctors of medicine and who would be qualified for an original appointment in the grade for which that person is being considered for appointment; and

(D) have such other qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned prescribes after considering the recommendations, if any, of the Surgeon General of the armed force concerned.

(c) Original appointments in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps of officers designated for limited duty shall be made under section 8139 or 8146 of this title.

[(d) Repealed. Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, §501(b), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1739 .]

[(e) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §501(a)(1), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1872 .]

(f) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) with respect to a person who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under section 2107(a) of this title or as a cadet under section 2107a of this title, when the Secretary determines that the national security so requires, but only for an original appointment in a grade below the grade of major or lieutenant commander.

(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §104(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2845 ; amended Pub. L. 97–22, §3(b), July 10, 1981, 95 Stat. 124 ; Pub. L. 97–295, §1(7), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1289 ; Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title V, §501, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1354 ; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title V, §510, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1648 ; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §501(a)(1)–(3)(A), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1872 ; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §534(c), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3248 ; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, §501(a), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4206 ; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, §501(a), (b), title VIII, §809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1739 , 1840; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(4)(B), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3822 ; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, §1716(b)(3), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 633 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted "or Regular Marine Corps" for "Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force" in introductory provisions.

2021-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force" for "or Regular Marine Corps" in introductory provisions.

2018-Subsec. (a)(2) to (5). Pub. L. 115–232, §501(a), redesignated pars. (3) to (5) as (2) to (4), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "is able to complete 20 years of active commissioned service before his sixty-second birthday;".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232, §809(a), substituted "section 8139 or 8146" for "section 5589 or 5596".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–232, §501(b), struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows:

"(1) A person receiving an original appointment as a medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a).

"(2) A commissioned officer appointed in a medical skill other than as a medical officer or dental officer (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense) is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a)."

2011-Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 111–383 struck out "reserve" before "commissioned officer".

2006-Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–163 inserted ", or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under section 2107(a) of this title or as a cadet under section 2107a of this title," after "for permanent residence".

2004-Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(a)(2), substituted "sixty-second birthday" for "fifty-fifth birthday".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(a)(1), struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: "After September 30, 1996, no person may receive an original appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps until that person has completed one year of service on active duty as a commissioned officer (other than a warrant officer) of a reserve component."

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(a)(3)(A), added subsec. (f).

1993-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–160 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

1991-Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–190 added subsec. (e).

1982-Pub. L. 97–295 inserted "a" after "original appointment as" in section catchline.

1981-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–22 substituted "medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps" for "medical officer or dental officer or as a chaplain".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, §501(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1739 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 2018], and shall apply with respect to original appointments of regular commissioned officers of the Armed Forces made on or after that date."

Amendment by section 809(a) of Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by section 501(a)(1) of Pub. L. 108–375 effective on May 1, 2005, and amendment by section 501(a)(2), (3)(A) of Pub. L. 108–375 effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Oct. 28, 2004, see section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375, set out as a note under section 531 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Appointment of Citizens of Northern Mariana Islands as Commissioned Officers

Pub. L. 98–94, title X, §1006, Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 661 , provided that a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands who indicates in writing to a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of the United States an intent to become a citizen, and not a national, of the United States, and who is otherwise qualified for military service under applicable laws and regulations, may be appointed as an officer in the Armed Forces of the United States, may be appointed or enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program of any of the Armed Forces under chapter 103 of title 10, United States Code, and may be selected to be a participant in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program under chapter 105 of such title, and that this section shall expire upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Commonwealth was established as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 4, 1986, see section 2(a), (b) of Proc. No. 5564, set out as a note under section 1801 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.