Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the term of enlistment of any enlisted member may, by voluntary written agreement, be extended and re-extended for a period not exceeding six full years from the date of expiration of the then-existing term of enlistment, and subsequent to such date an enlisted member who so extends his term of enlistment shall receive the same pay and allowances in all respects as though regularly discharged and reenlisted immediately upon expiration of his term of enlistment. However, the total of all such extensions of an enlistment may not exceed six years. No such extension shall operate to deprive the enlisted member concerned, upon discharge at the termination thereof, of any right, privilege, or benefit to which he would have been entitled if his term of enlistment had not been so extended.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 523; Pub. L. 86–474, §1(18), May 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 146; Pub. L. 98–557, §15(a)(3)(A), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865.)

Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §35 (May 26, 1906, ch. 2556, §1, 34 Stat. 200; Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 20, §1, 38 Stat. 800; July 30, 1937, ch. 545, §1, 50 Stat. 547; July 11, 1941, ch. 290, §8, 55 Stat. 586).

Said section has been divided. Subsection (b) is placed in this section. The provisions of the first sentence of subsection (a) are placed in section 351 of this title. The proviso of subsection (a) is covered in section 367(b) of this title. Subsections (c) and (d) are placed in section 367(a) of this title, except that part (3) of subsection (c) is covered in section 366 of this title.

Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

**1984**—Pub. L. 98–557 substituted reference to enlisted member for reference to enlisted man in three places.

**1960**—Pub. L. 86–474 increased maximum term for extension of a reenlistment period from four to six years.