14 USC § 2311 - Retirement in cases where higher grade or rating has been held

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t14/s2311"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "14 USC § 2311 - Retirement in cases where higher grade or rating has been held"
title_number: 14
title_name: "COAST GUARD"
section_number: "2311"
section_name: "Retirement in cases where higher grade or rating has been held"
chapter_number: 23
chapter_name: "PERSONNEL; ENLISTED"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 522, § 362; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 21, 64 Stat. 407; Pub. L. 97–295, § 2(9), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1302; Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(A), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865; Pub. L. 99–348, title II, § 205(b)(8), July 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 700; renumbered § 2311 and amended Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §§ 113(b), 123(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4221, 4240.)"
---


# § 2311. Retirement in cases where higher grade or rating has been held

Any enlisted member who is retired under any provision of section 2304, 2305, 2306, or 2307 of this title shall be retired from active service with the highest grade or rating held by him while on active duty in which, as determined by the Secretary, his performance of duty was satisfactory, but not lower than his permanent grade or rating.

---

**Source Credit**: (Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 522, § 362; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 21, 64 Stat. 407; Pub. L. 97–295, § 2(9), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1302; Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(A), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865; Pub. L. 99–348, title II, § 205(b)(8), July 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 700; renumbered § 2311 and amended Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §§ 113(b), 123(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4221, 4240.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 3501(e) (, ; , ).

The requirement that the higher grade or rating be held prior to , has been eliminated; this seems to be in line with the intent of Congress as expressed in , . The act of , , was enacted primarily for application to Navy personnel but it is made applicable to Coast Guard personnel by its own terms (see title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 350j(b)). 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—, substituted “section 2304, 2305, 2306, or 2307” for “section 353, 354, 355, or 357”.

, renumbered  as this section.

1986— struck out “, with retired pay of the grade or rating with which retired” after “permanent grade or rating”.

1984— substituted reference to enlisted member for reference to enlisted man.

1982— substituted “of this title” for “of this chapter” after “357”.

1950—Act , struck out reference to section 356.