The permanent commissioned teaching staff at the Academy shall consist of professors, associate professors, assistant professors and instructors, in such numbers as the needs of the Service require. They shall perform duties as prescribed by the Commandant, and exercise command only in the academic department of the Academy.

The President may appoint in the Coast Guard, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors who are to serve on the permanent commissioned teaching staff of the Academy. An original appointment to the permanent commissioned teaching staff, unless the appointee has served as a civilian member of the teaching staff, regular commissioned officer, temporary commissioned officer, or reserve commissioned officer in the Coast Guard, shall be a temporary appointment until the appointee has satisfactorily completed a probationary term of four years of service; thereafter he may be regularly appointed and his rank shall date from the date of his temporary appointment in the grade in which permanently appointed.

Professors shall be commissioned officers with grade not above captain, associate and assistant professors with grade not above commander, and instructors with grade not above lieutenant commander. All officers of the permanent commissioned teaching staff shall receive the pay and allowances of other commissioned officers of the same grade and length of service. When any such professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor is appointed or commissioned with grade less than the highest grade permitted, he shall be promoted under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

Professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors in the Coast Guard shall be subject to retirement or discharge from active service for any cause on the same basis as other commissioned officers of the Coast Guard, except that they shall not be required to retire from active service under the provisions of section 2149 of this title, nor shall they be subject to the provisions of section 2150 of this title, nor shall they be required to retire at age sixty-two but may be permitted to serve until age sixty-four at which time unless earlier retired or separated they shall be retired. The Secretary may retire any member of the permanent commissioned teaching staff who has completed thirty years’ active service. Service as a civilian member of the teaching staff at the Academy in addition to creditable service authorized by any other law in any of the military services rendered prior to an appointment as a professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor shall be credited in computing length of service for retirement purposes. The provisions of law relating to retirement for disability in line of duty shall not apply in the case of a professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor serving under a temporary appointment.

Service as a member of the civilian teaching staff at the Academy in addition to creditable services authorized by any other law in any of the military services rendered prior to an appointment as professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor shall be credited in computing length of service as a professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor for purposes of pay and allowances.

The Commandant may assign any member to appropriate instruction duty at the Academy.

The Commandant shall ensure that professional courses of study in marine safety are provided at the Coast Guard Academy, and during other officer accession programs, to give Coast Guard cadets and other officer candidates a background and understanding of the marine safety program. These courses may include such topics as program history, vessel design and construction, vessel inspection, casualty investigation, and administrative law and regulations.