§526. Authorized strength: general and flag officers on active duty

(a) Limitations.—The number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the number of flag officers on active duty in the Navy, may not exceed the number specified for the armed force concerned as follows:

(1) For the Army, 231.

(2) For the Navy, 162.

(3) For the Air Force, 198.

(4) For the Marine Corps, 62.

(b) Limited Exclusion for Joint Duty Requirements.—(1) The Secretary of Defense may designate up to 310 general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments for purposes of chapter 38 of this title for exclusion from the limitations in subsection (a). The Secretary of Defense shall allocate those exclusions to the armed forces based on the number of general or flag officers required from each armed force for assignment to these designated positions.

(2) Unless the Secretary of Defense determines that a lower number is in the best interest of the Department, the minimum number of officers serving in positions designated under paragraph (1) for each armed force shall be as follows:

(A) For the Army, 85.

(B) For the Navy, 61.

(C) For the Air Force, 73.

(D) For the Marine Corps, 21.

(3) The number excluded under paragraph (1) and serving in positions designated under that paragraph—

(A) in the grade of general or admiral may not exceed 19;

(B) in a grade above the grade of major general or rear admiral may not exceed 68; and

(C) in the grade of major general or rear admiral may not exceed 144.

(4) Not later than 30 days after determining to raise or lower a number specified in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense shall notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of such determination.

(5)(A) The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may designate up to 15 general and flag officer positions in the unified and specified combatant commands, and up to three general and flag officer positions on the Joint Staff, as positions to be held only by reserve component officers who are in a general or flag officer grade below lieutenant general or vice admiral. Each position so designated shall be considered to be a joint duty assignment position for purposes of chapter 38 of this title.

(B) A reserve component officer serving in a position designated under subparagraph (A) while on active duty under a call or order to active duty that does not specify a period of 180 days or less shall not be counted for the purposes of the limitations under subsection (a) and under section 525 of this title if the officer was selected for service in that position in accordance with the procedures specified in subparagraph (C).

(C) Whenever a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated to occur, in a position designated under subparagraph (A)—

(i) the Secretary of Defense shall require the Secretary of the Army to submit the name of at least one Army reserve component officer, the Secretary of the Navy to submit the name of at least one Navy Reserve officer and the name of at least one Marine Corps Reserve officer, and the Secretary of the Air Force to submit the name of at least one Air Force reserve component officer for consideration by the Secretary for assignment to that position; and

(ii) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may submit to the Secretary of Defense the name of one or more officers (in addition to the officers whose names are submitted pursuant to clause (i)) for consideration by the Secretary for assignment to that position.

(D) Whenever the Secretaries of the military departments are required to submit the names of officers under subparagraph (C)(i), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Secretary of Defense the Chairman's evaluation of the performance of each officer whose name is submitted under that subparagraph (and of any officer whose name the Chairman submits to the Secretary under subparagraph (C)(ii) for consideration for the same vacancy).

(E) Subparagraph (B) does not apply in the case of an officer serving in a position designated under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary of Defense, when considering officers for assignment to fill the vacancy in that position which was filled by that officer, did not have a recommendation for that assignment from each Secretary of a military department who (pursuant to subparagraph (C)) was required to make such a recommendation.

(c) Exclusion of Certain Reserve Officers.—(1) The limitations of this section do not apply to a reserve component general or flag officer who is on active duty for training or who is on active duty under a call or order specifying a period of less than 180 days.

(2) The limitations of this section also do not apply to a number, as specified by the Secretary of the military department concerned, of reserve component general or flag officers authorized to serve on active duty for a period of not more than 365 days. The number so specified for an armed force may not exceed the number equal to 10 percent of the authorized number of general or flag officers, as the case may be, of that armed force under section 12004 of this title. In determining such number, any fraction shall be rounded down to the next whole number, except that such number shall be at least one.

(3) The limitations of this section do not apply to a reserve component general or flag officer who is on active duty for a period in excess of 365 days but not to exceed three years, except that the number of such officers from each reserve component who are covered by this paragraph and not serving in a position that is a joint duty assignment for purposes of chapter 38 of this title may not exceed 5 per component, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense.

(d) Exclusion of Certain Officers Pending Separation or Retirement or Between Senior Positions.—The limitations of this section do not apply to a general or flag officer who is covered by an exclusion under section 525(e) of this title.

(e) Exclusion of Attending Physician to the Congress.—The limitations of this section do not apply to the general or flag officer who is serving as Attending Physician to the Congress.

(f) Temporary Exclusion for Assignment to Certain Temporary Billets.—(1) The limitations in subsection (a) and in section 525(a) of this title do not apply to a general or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment designated by the Secretary of Defense.

(2) A general or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment as described in paragraph (1) may not be excluded under this subsection from the limitations in subsection (a) for a period of longer than one year.

(g) Exclusion of Officers Departing From Joint Duty Assignments.—The limitations in subsection (a) do not apply to an officer released from a joint duty assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the officer departs the joint duty assignment. The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, except that not more than three officers on active duty from each armed force may be covered by an extension under this sentence at the same time.

(h) Active-duty Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirement.—If the Secretary of a military department proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary who would be on active duty and would count against the statutory limit applicable to that armed force under subsection (a), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(2) Baseline defined.—For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "baseline" for an armed force means the lower of—

(A) the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a); or

(B) the actual number of general officers or flag officers of that armed force who, as of January 1, 2014, counted toward the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a).

(3) Limitation.—If, at any time, the actual number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force who count toward the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a) exceeds such statutory limit, then no increase described in paragraph (1) for that armed force may occur until the general officer or flag officer total for that armed force is reduced below such statutory limit.

(i) Joint Duty Assignment Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirement.—If the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers and flag officers of the armed forces in joint duty assignments who count against the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary or Chairman, as the case may be, provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(2) Baseline defined.—For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "baseline" means the lower of—

(A) the statutory limit on general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments under subsection (b)(1); or

(B) the actual number of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1, 2014, were in joint duty assignments counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

(3) Limitation.—If, at any time, the actual number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1) exceeds such statutory limit, then no increase described in paragraph (1) may occur until the number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments is reduced below such statutory limit.

(j) Annual Report on General Officer and Flag Officer Numbers.—Not later than March 1, 2015, and each March 1 thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report specifying—

(1) the numbers of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1 of the calendar year in which the report is submitted, counted toward the service-specific limits of subsection (a); and

(2) the number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments who, as of such January 1, counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

(k) Transfer of Authorizations Among the Military Services.—(1) The Secretary of Defense may increase the maximum number of brigadier generals or major generals in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force, or rear admirals (lower half) or rear admirals in the Navy, allowed under subsection (a) and section 525 of this title, and the President may appoint officers in the equivalent grades equal to the number increased by the Secretary of Defense, if each appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2).

(2) For each increase and appointment made under the authority of paragraph (1) in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force, the number of appointments that may be made in the equivalent grade in one of the other armed forces (other than the Coast Guard) shall be reduced by one. When such an increase and appointment is made, the Secretary of Defense shall specify the armed force in which the reduction required by this paragraph is to be made.

(3) The total number of general officers and flag officers increased under paragraph (1), combined with the total number of general officers and flag officers increased under section 526a(i)(1) ¹ of this title, may not exceed 15 at any one time.

(4) The Secretary may not increase the maximum number of general officers or flag officers under paragraph (1) until the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Secretary provides, to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, written notice of—

(A) such increase; and

(B) each offsetting reduction under paragraph (2), specifying the armed force and billet so reduced.

(l) Cessation of Applicability.—The provisions of this section shall not apply to the number of general officers and flag officers in the armed forces after December 31, 2022. For provisions applicable to the number of such officers after that date, see section 526a of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 100–370, §1(b)(1)(B), July 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 840; amended Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title IV, §403(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1545; Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title IV, §403, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2398; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IV, §404, title V, §512, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2744, 2752; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, §§1502(a)(1), 1503(a)(3), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 502, 510; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title IV, §405, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2506; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title IV, §405, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 1996; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, §553, title X, §1067(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 615, 774; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title IV, §405(c), title X, §1041(a)(3), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2526, 2645; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, §504(c), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1457; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §§503(b), 510, 515(b)(1)(C), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3226, 3231, 3233; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, §507(c), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2180; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title V, §502, title XVIII, §1824(c), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 95, 501; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, §§503(a)–(c), 525, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4433, 4448; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title V, §502(e)–(g), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2275, 2276; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, §502(b)(1), (c)(1), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1387; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, §501(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1714; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title V, §501(a), (b)(2), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 748, 749; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, §§501(h)(2), 503(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2102, 2107; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, §1731(a)(17), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1813; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, §501(c)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3563; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, §501(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1678.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Section is based on Pub. L. 95–79, title VIII, §811(a), July 30, 1977, 91 Stat. 335, as amended by Pub. L. 96–107, title VIII, §817, Nov. 9, 1979, 93 Stat. 818; Pub. L. 96–342, title X, §1003, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1120; Pub. L. 97–86, title VI, §602, Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1110.

Present law (section 811(a) of Public Law 95–79, as amended) provides that the authority to suspend the limitation on the number of general and flag officers who may be serving on active duty applies during war or national emergency. In codifying the limitation (in section 526 of title 10 as proposed to be added by section 1(b) of the bill), the committee determined that the same war and emergency waiver authority as applies to other limitations on the number of officers on active duty under the existing 10 U.S.C. 526 (redesignated as 10 U.S.C. 527 by the bill) should apply with respect to this limitation and accordingly amended the suspension authority in present law to include the codified general and flag officer limitation. This authority is slightly different from the waiver authority in the source law in that the suspension would expire 2 years after it takes effect or 1 year after the end of the war or national emergency, whichever occurs first, rather than upon termination of the war or emergency.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 526a(i)(1) of this title, referred to in subsec. (k)(3), probably means the subsec. (i)(1) of section 526a of this title as added by section 501(b) of Pub. L. 117–81 and which relates to allowed increases in the number of certain officers.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 526 was renumbered section 527 of this title.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "19" for "20".

Subsecs. (k), (l). Pub. L. 117–81 added subsec. (k) and redesignated former subsec. (k) as (l).

2019—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 116–92 inserted "the" before "number of general officers".

2016—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 114–328, §503(b), substituted "62" for "61".

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 114–328, §501(h)(2), added subsec. (k).

2013—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 112–239 substituted "162" for "160".

Subsecs. (c) to (g). Pub. L. 113–66, §501(a)(1), redesignated subsecs. (d) to (h) as (c) to (g), respectively.

Subsecs. (h), (i). Pub. L. 113–66, §501(a)(2), added subsecs. (h) and (i). Former subsec. (h) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 113–66, §501(b)(2), added subsec. (j).

2011—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(b)(1)(A)(i), substituted "231" for "230".

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 112—81, §502(b)(1)(A)(ii), which directed substitution of "161" for "160", could not be executed because of the intervening amendment by Pub. L. 112—239. See 2013 Amendment note above.

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(b)(1)(A)(iii), substituted "198" for "208".

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(b)(1)(A)(iv), substituted "61" for "60".

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(c)(1), substituted "310" for "324".

Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(b)(1)(B), substituted "73" for "76".

2009—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(e), substituted "230" for "307" in par. (1), "160" for "216" in par. (2), "208" for "279" in par. (3), and "60" for "81" in par. (4).

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(f)(1), substituted "Secretary of Defense" for "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff", "324" for "65", and "The Secretary of Defense shall allocate those exclusions to the armed forces based on the number of general or flag officers required from each armed force for assignment to these designated positions." for "Officers in positions so designated shall not be counted for the purposes of those limitations."

Subsec. (b)(2) to (5). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(f)(2), (3), added pars. (2) to (4) and redesignated former par. (2) as (5).

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(g)(1), added par. (3).

Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(g)(2), added subsecs. (g) and (h).

2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–417, §503(a), substituted "307" for "302".

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 110–417, §503(b), substituted "81" for "80".

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–417, §503(c), substituted "65" for "12".

Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 110–417, §525, substituted "up to three general and flag officer positions" for "a general and flag officer position".

Pub. L. 110–181, §1824(c), substituted "15 general and flag officer positions in" for "10 general and flag officer positions on the staffs of the commanders of".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–181, §502, designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

2006—Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 109–163, §510, inserted ", and a general and flag officer position on the Joint Staff," after "combatant commands".

Subsec. (b)(2)(C)(i). Pub. L. 109–163, §515(b)(1)(C), substituted "Navy Reserve" for "Naval Reserve".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–163, §503(b)(2), substituted "Certain Reserve Officers" for "Certain Officers" in heading.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163, §503(b)(1), added subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364 added subsec. (f).

2003—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out par. (3) which read as follows: "This subsection shall cease to be effective on December 31, 2004."

2002—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 107–314, §405(c), substituted "December 31, 2004" for "October 1, 2002".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–314, §1041(a)(3), struck out heading and text of subsec. (c). Text read as follows:

"(1) Not later than 60 days before an action specified in paragraph (2) may become effective, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report providing notice of the intended action and an analytically based justification for the intended action.

"(2) Paragraph (1) applies in the case of the following actions:

"(A) A change in the grade authorized as of July 1, 1994, for a general officer position in the National Guard Bureau, a general or flag officer position in the Office of a Chief of a reserve component, or a general or flag officer position in the headquarters of a reserve component command.

"(B) Assignment of a reserve component officer to a general officer position in the National Guard Bureau, to a general or flag officer position in the Office of a Chief of a reserve component, or to a general or flag officer position in the headquarters of a reserve component command in a grade other than the grade authorized for that position as of July 1, 1994.

"(C) Assignment of an officer other than a general or flag officer as the military executive to the Reserve Forces Policy Board."

1999—Subsec. (b)(2), (3). Pub. L. 106–65, §553, added par. (2) and redesignated former par. (2) as (3).

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 106–65, §1067(1), substituted "and the Committee on Armed Services" for "and the Committee on National Security".

1998—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105–261 substituted "October 1, 2002" for "October 1, 1998".

1996—Subsec. (a)(1) to (3). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(A), added pars. (1) to (3) and struck out former pars. (1) to (3) which read as follows:

"(1) For the Army, 386 before October 1, 1995, and 302 on and after that date.

"(2) For the Navy, 250 before October 1, 1995, and 216 on and after that date.

"(3) For the Air Force, 326 before October 1, 1995, and 279 on and after that date."

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted "80" for "68".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(B)–(D), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b), struck out "that are applicable on and after October 1, 1995" after "limitations in subsection (a)", and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: "Transfers Between Services.—During the period before October 1, 1995, the Secretary of Defense may increase the number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or the number of flag officers on active duty in the Navy, above the applicable number specified in subsection (a) by a total of not more than five. Whenever any such increase is made, the Secretary shall make a corresponding reduction in the number of such officers that may serve on active duty in general or flag officer grades in one of the other armed forces."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(C), (E), redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and, in par. (2)(B), struck out "the" after "general officer position in the" and inserted "to" after "reserve component, or" and "than" after "in a grade other". Former subsec. (c) redesignated (b).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(C), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 104–106, §1502(a)(1), substituted "Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives" for "Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(C), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d).

1994—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 103–337, §404, struck out "before October 1, 1995, and 61 on and after that date" after "Corps, 68".

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 103–337, §512, added subsecs. (d) and (e).

1992—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–484, §403(b), inserted heading.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–484, §403(a), added subsec. (c).

1990—Pub. L. 101–510 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The total number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps and flag officers on active duty in the Navy may not exceed 1,073."

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title V, §501(c), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 749, provided that: "The amendments made by this is [sic] section [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 2014."

Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Amendment by section 502(b)(1) of Pub. L. 112–81 effective Oct. 1, 2013, except amendment by section 502(b)(1)(A)(iv) effective Oct. 1, 2012, see section 502(b)(3) of Pub. L. 112–81, as amended, set out as a note under section 525 of this title.

Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, §502(c)(2), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1387, provided that: "The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 2012."

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title IV, §403(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1545, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective Sept. 30, 1991.

Termination of Reporting Requirements

For termination, effective Dec. 31, 2021, of provisions in subsec. (j) of this section requiring submittal of annual report to Congress, see section 1061 of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

Construction of Decrease as Applying to Generals

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, §501(c)(3), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3563, provided that: "The reduction in number of positions excluded from authorized strength limitations resulting from the amendment made by paragraph (2) [amending this section] shall apply to positions in the grade of general."

Acquisition and Contracting Billets

Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, §503(e), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4434, provided that:

"(1) Reservation of army increase.—The increase in the number of general officers on active duty in the Army, as authorized by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] is reserved for general officers in the Army who serve in an acquisition position.

"(2) Reservation of portion of increase in joint duty assignments excluded from limitation.—Of the increase in the number of general officer and flag officer joint duty assignments that may be designated for exclusion from the limitations on the number of general officers and flag officers on active duty, as authorized by the amendment made by subsection (c) [amending this section], five of the designated assignments are reserved for general officers or flag officers who serve in an acquisition position, including one assignment in the Defense Contract Management Agency."

¹ See References in Text note below.