10 USC § 12684 - Reserves: separation for absence without authority or sentence to imprisonment

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s12684"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 12684 - Reserves: separation for absence without authority or sentence to imprisonment"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "12684"
section_name: "Reserves: separation for absence without authority or sentence to imprisonment"
chapter_number: 1221
chapter_name: "SEPARATION"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL GENERALLY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(i)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2998; amended Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 563(b)(2), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 325.)"
---


# § 12684. Reserves: separation for absence without authority or sentence to imprisonment

The President or the Secretary concerned may drop from the rolls of the armed force concerned any Reserve—

**(1)** who has been absent without authority for at least three months;

**(2)** who may be separated under section 12687 of this title by reason of a sentence to confinement adjudged by a court-martial; or

**(3)** who is sentenced to confinement in a Federal or State penitentiary or correctional institution after having been found guilty of an offense by a court other than a court-martial or other military court, and whose sentence has become final.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(i)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2998; amended Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 563(b)(2), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 325.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in , prior to repeal by .

### Amendments

1996— struck out “or” at end of par. (1), added par. (2), and redesignated former par. (2) as (3).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under .