(a) The staff corps of the Navy are—

(1) the Medical Corps;

(2) the Dental Corps;

(3) the Judge Advocate General's Corps;

(4) the Chaplain Corps; and

(5) such other staff corps as may be established by the Secretary of the Navy under subsection (b).

(b)

(1) The Secretary of the Navy may establish staff corps of the Navy in addition to the Medical Corps, the Dental Corps, the Judge Advocate General's Corps, and the Chaplain Corps. The Secretary may designate commissioned officers in, and may assign members to, any such staff corps.

(2) The Secretary of the Navy may provide for the appointment of the chief of any staff corps established under this subsection.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5150 of this title as this section.

2016—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 114–328, §502(hh)(1), substituted "The Secretary" for "Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–328, §502(hh)(2), struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: "The Secretary of the Navy, whenever the needs of the service require, may convene a selection board under section 611(a) of this title to select an officer in the Nurse Corps or in the Medical Service Corps (if such corps has been established under subsection (a)) for promotion to the grade of rear admiral, in the case of an officer in the Nurse Corps, or rear admiral (lower half), in the case of an officer in the Medical Service Corps. An officer promoted pursuant to such a selection shall be appointed by the Secretary to the position of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps, respectively, for a term of four years, to serve at the pleasure of the Secretary."

2013—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–239 struck out at end "For the purpose of computing the total number of flag officers in the staff corps of the Navy under section 526 of this title, an officer so appointed shall be considered an additional number in grade."

2002—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–314 substituted "for promotion to the grade of rear admiral, in the case of an officer in the Nurse Corps, or rear admiral (lower half), in the case of an officer in the Medical Service Corps" for "for promotion to the grade of rear admiral (lower half)" in first sentence.

1991—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–190 substituted "section 526" for "section 5444".

1987—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–26 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 99–661, §1343(a)(23). See 1986 Amendment note below.

1986—Pub. L. 99–433 renumbered section 5155 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–661, as amended by Pub. L. 100–26, substituted "rear admiral (lower half)" for "commodore".

1981—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–86 substituted "commodore" for "commodore admiral".

Pub. L. 97–22 substituted "Nurse Corps or in the Medical Service Corps (if such corps has been established under subsection (a)) for promotion to the grade of commodore admiral" for "Nurse Corps or Medical Service Corps for promotion to the grade of commodore admiral or rear admiral, as appropriate", substituted "An officer promoted pursuant to such a selection shall be appointed by the Secretary to the position of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps, respectively, for a term of four years, to serve at the pleasure of the Secretary" for "An officer so selected shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of four years to serve in the position, respectively, of Director of the Nurse Corps or Director of the Medical Service Corps", and inserted provision that for the purpose of computing the total number of flag officers in the staff corps of the Navy under section 5444 of this title, an officer so appointed shall be considered an additional number in grade.

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by 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 1987 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–26 applicable as if included in Pub. L. 99–661 when enacted on Nov. 14, 1986, see section 12(a) of Pub. L. 100–26, set out as a note under section 776 of this title.

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.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on 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.

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For provisions to prevent extinction or premature termination of rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed or were begun prior to the effective date of Pub. L. 96–513 and otherwise to allow for an orderly transition to the system of officer personnel management put in place under Pub. L. 96–513, see section 601 et seq. of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.


Tried the LawStack mobile app?

Join thousands and try LawStack mobile for FREE today.

  • Carry the law offline, wherever you go.
  • Download CFR, USC, rules, and state law to your mobile device.