# § 7176. Retention on active duty
The President may retain on active duty a disabled officer until—
**(1)** the physical condition of the officer is such that the officer will not be further benefited by retention in a military hospital or a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs; or
**(2)** the officer is processed for physical disability benefits provided by law.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 196, § 3446; Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(81)(C), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1480; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XVI, § 1621(a)(10), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1603; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 701(j)(6), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 116; renumbered § 7176, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 808(b)(4), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1838.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3446 | 10:499. | June 19, 1948, ch. 511, 62 Stat. 489. |
The word “shall” is substituted for the words “authorized and directed”. The words “on active duty” are substituted for the words “in service”. The words “warrant officers, and flight officers” are omitted, since the definition of “officer” in covers commissioned, warrant, and flight officers. The words “who has only a temporary appointment” are substituted for the words “of the Army * * * of the United States”. The words “his physical condition is such that he” are substituted for the words “their treatment for physical reconstruction has reached a point where they”. The words “in the Army” are substituted for the words “in the military service”.
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3446 | 10 App.:499. | June 15, 1956, ch. 388, 70 Stat. 282. |
The words “commissioned officers and warrant” are omitted as covered by the definition of the word “officer” in . The words “condition is such that” are substituted for the words “reconstruction has reached a point where”.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2018— renumbered as this section.
1991—Par. (2). struck out “as” before “provided by law”.
1989— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President may retain on active duty a disabled officer until his physical condition is such that he will not be further benefited by retention in a military or Veterans’ Administration hospital or until he is processed for physical disability benefits provided by law.”
1958— substituted “may retain on active duty a disabled officer” for “shall retain on active duty any disabled officer who has only a temporary appointment”, and “military or Veterans’ Administration hospital or until he is processed for physical disability benefits provided by law” for “military hospital or in the Army”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .