- § 14901. Separation of chaplains for loss of professional qualifications
- § 14902. Separation for substandard performance and for certain other reasons
- § 14903. Boards of inquiry
- § 14904. Rights and procedures
- § 14905. Officer considered for removal: retirement or discharge
- § 14906. Officers eligible to serve on boards
- § 14907. Army National Guard of the United States and Air National Guard of the United States: discharge and withdrawal of Federal recognition of officers absent without leave
§ 14901. Separation of chaplains for loss of professional qualifications
(a)Separation.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, an officer on the reserve active-status list who is appointed or designated as a chaplain may, if the officer fails to maintain the qualifications needed to perform the professional function of a chaplain, be discharged. The authority under the preceding sentence applies without regard to the provisions of section 12645 of this title.
(b)Effect of Separation.—If an officer separated under this section is eligible for retirement, the officer may be retired. If the officer has completed the years of service required for eligibility for retired pay under chapter 1223 of this title, the officer may be transferred to the Retired Reserve.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2957.)
§ 14902. Separation for substandard performance and for certain other reasons
(a)Substandard Performance of Duty.—The Secretary of the military department concerned shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any reserve officer to determine whether that officer should be required, because that officer’s performance has fallen below standards prescribed by the Secretary concerned, to show cause for retention in an active status.
(b)Misconduct, Etc.—The Secretary of the military department concerned shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any reserve officer to determine whether that officer should be required, because of misconduct, because of moral or professional dereliction, or because the officer’s retention is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security, to show cause for retention in an active status.
(c)Regulations.—The authority of the Secretary of a military department under this section shall be carried out subject to such limitations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe by regulation.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2958.)
§ 14903. Boards of inquiry
(a)Convening of Boards.—The Secretary of the military department concerned shall convene a board of inquiry at such time and place as the Secretary may prescribe to receive evidence and review the case of any officer who has been required to show cause for retention in an active status under section 14902 of this title. Each board of inquiry shall be composed of not less than three officers who have the qualifications prescribed in section 14906 of this title.
(b)Right to Fair Hearing.—A board of inquiry shall give a fair and impartial hearing to each officer required under section 14902 of this title to show cause for retention in an active status.
(c)Recommendations to Secretary.—If a board of inquiry determines that the officer has failed to establish that the officer should be retained in an active status, the board shall recommend to the Secretary concerned that the officer not be retained in an active status.
(d)Action by Secretary.—After review of the recommendation of the board of inquiry, the Secretary may—
(1) remove the officer from an active status; or
(2) determine that the case be closed.
(e)Action in Cases Where Cause for Retention Is Established.—
(1) If a board of inquiry determines that an officer has established that the officer should be retained in an active status or if the Secretary determines that the case be closed, the officer’s case is closed.
(2) An officer who is required to show cause for retention under section 14902(a) of this title and whose case is closed under paragraph (1) may not again be required to show cause for retention under such subsection during the one-year period beginning on the date of that determination.
(3)
(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an officer who is required to show cause for retention under section 14902(b) of this title and whose case is closed under paragraph (1) may again be required to show cause for retention at any time.
(B) An officer who has been required to show cause for retention under section 14902(b) of this title and who is thereafter retained in an active status may not again be required to show cause for retention under such section solely because of conduct which was the subject of the previous proceeding, unless the recommendations of the board of inquiry that considered the officer’s case are determined to have been obtained by fraud or collusion.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2958; amended Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1501(b)(32), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 498.)
§ 14904. Rights and procedures
(a)Procedural Rights.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, an officer required under section 14902 of this title to show cause for retention in an active status—
(1) shall be notified in writing, at least 30 days before the hearing of the officer’s case by a board of inquiry, of the reasons for which the officer is being required to show cause for retention in an active status;
(2) shall be allowed a reasonable time, as determined by the board of inquiry, to prepare for showing of cause for retention in an active status;
(3) shall be allowed to appear in person and to be represented by counsel at proceedings before the board of inquiry; and
(4) shall be allowed full access to, and shall be furnished copies of, records relevant to the case, except that the board of inquiry shall withhold any record that the Secretary concerned determines should be withheld in the interest of national security.
(b)Summary of Records Withheld.—When a record is withheld under subsection (a)(4), the officer whose case is under consideration shall, to the extent that the interest of national security permits, be furnished a summary of the record so withheld.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2959.)
§ 14905. Officer considered for removal: retirement or discharge
(a)Voluntary Retirement or Discharge.—At any time during proceedings under this chapter with respect to the removal of an officer from an active status, the Secretary of the military department concerned may grant a request by the officer—
(1) for voluntary retirement, if the officer is qualified for retirement;
(2) for transfer to the Retired Reserve if the officer has completed the years of service required for eligibility for retired pay under chapter 1223 of this title and is otherwise eligible for transfer to the Retired Reserve; or
(3) for discharge in accordance with subsection (b)(3).
(b)Required Retirement or Discharge.—An officer removed from an active status under section 14903 of this title shall—
(1) if eligible for voluntary retirement under any provision of law on the date of such removal, be retired in the grade and with the retired pay for which he would be eligible if retired under that provision;
(2) if eligible for transfer to the Retired Reserve and has completed the years of service required for retired pay under chapter 1223 of this title, be transferred to the Retired Reserve; and
(3) if ineligible for retirement or transfer to the Retired Reserve under paragraph (1) or (2) on the date of such removal—
(A) be honorably discharged in the grade then held, in the case of an officer whose case was brought under subsection (a) of section 14902 of this title; or
(B) be discharged in the grade then held, in the case of an officer whose case was brought under subsection (b) of section 14902 of this title.
(c)Separation Pay.—An officer who is discharged under subsection (b)(3) is entitled, if eligible therefor, to separation pay under section 1174(c) of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2959.)
§ 14906. Officers eligible to serve on boards
(a)Composition of Boards.—Each board convened under this chapter shall consist of officers appointed as follows:
(1) Each member of the board shall be an officer of the same armed force as the officer being required to show cause for retention in an active status.
(2) Each member of the board shall hold a grade above major or lieutenant commander, except that at least one member of the board shall hold a grade above lieutenant colonel or commander.
(3) Each member of the board shall be senior in grade to any officer to be considered by the board.
(b)Limitation.—A person may not be a member of more than one board convened under this chapter to consider the same officer.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2960; amended Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, § 504(b), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 591.)
§ 14907. Army National Guard of the United States and Air National Guard of the United States: discharge and withdrawal of Federal recognition of officers absent without leave
(a)Authority To Withdraw Federal Recognition.—If an officer of the Army National Guard of the United States or the Air National Guard of the United States has been absent without leave for three months, the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force, as appropriate, may—
(1) terminate the reserve appointment of the officer; and
(2) withdraw the officer’s Federal recognition as an officer of the National Guard.
(b)Discharge From Reserve Appointment.—An officer of the Army National Guard of the United States or the Air National Guard of the United States whose Federal recognition as an officer of the National Guard is withdrawn under section 323(b) of title 32 shall be discharged from the officer’s appointment as a reserve officer of the Army or the Air Force, as the case may be.
(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2960.)