Us Code § 12686 - Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 12686 — Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 12686. Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty

(a) Limitation.—Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, which shall be as uniform as practicable, a member of a reserve component who is on active duty (other than for training) and is within two years of becoming eligible for retired pay or retainer pay under a purely military retirement system (other than the retirement system under chapter 1223 of this title), may not be involuntarily released from that duty before he becomes eligible for that pay, unless the release is approved by the Secretary.

(b) Waiver.—With respect to a member of a reserve component who is to be ordered to active duty (other than for training) under section 12301 of this title pursuant to an order to active duty that specifies a period of less than 180 days and who (but for this subsection) would be covered by subsection (a), the Secretary concerned may require, as a condition of such order to active duty, that the member waive the applicability of subsection (a) to the member for the period of active duty covered by that order. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary concerned may require that a waiver under the preceding sentence be executed before the period of active duty begins.

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §1662(i)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2998; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, §533, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2520; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §522, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1888.)


Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 1163(d) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, §1662(i)(2).

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375 inserted "(other than the retirement system under chapter 1223 of this title)" after "retirement system".

1996—Pub. L. 104–201 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.

About This Section

10 U.S.C. § 12686 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 12686

What does United States Code § 12686 cover?

Section 12686 ("Reserves on active duty within two years of retirement eligibility: limitation on release from active duty") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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