10 USC § 8902 - Appointment and enlistment in reserve components

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s8902"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 8902 - Appointment and enlistment in reserve components"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "8902"
section_name: "Appointment and enlistment in reserve components"
chapter_number: 887
chapter_name: "NAVAL MILITIA"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "GENERAL ADMINISTRATION"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 486, § 7852; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(W), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3233; renumbered § 8902, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(11), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1837.)"
---


# § 8902. Appointment and enlistment in reserve components

In the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy, any member of the Naval Militia may be appointed or enlisted in the Navy Reserve or the Marine Corps Reserve in the grade for which he is qualified.

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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 486, § 7852; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(W), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3233; renumbered § 8902, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(11), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1837.)

| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7852 | 50 U.S.C. 1072. | July 9, 1952, ch. 608, § 502, 66 Stat. 500. |

This section is written to indicate that the Secretary of the Navy has discretion in authorizing the appointment or enlistment in the Naval Reserve of members of the Naval Militia but does not make such appointments or enlistments. , based on , 943, provides the manner in which all reserve appointments are made, and , based on , 952, 956 provides the authority to enlist persons in the reserve components. As worded, this section removes the conflicting statement of appointing authority, and allows appointments and enlistments to be controlled by these other provisions. The words “rank” and “or rating” are omitted as covered by the word “grade”.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018— renumbered  as this section.

2006— substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”.

## 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 .