# § 4904. Authorized levels of military strength and training
**(a)** **Active Duty Strength.—** The Coast Guard is authorized an end-of-year strength for active duty personnel of 50,000 for fiscal years 2026, and 55,000 for fiscal year 2027.
**(b)** **Military Training Student Loads.—** The Coast Guard is authorized average military training student loads as follows:
**(1)** For recruit and special training, 4,000 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
**(2)** For flight training, 250 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
**(3)** For professional training in military and civilian institutions, 700 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
**(4)** For officer acquisition, 1,600 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 114–120, title I, § 101(a), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 29, § 2704; renumbered § 4904 and amended Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 121(b), title II, § 203, Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4238, 4242; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXI [LXXXI], § 8102, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4634; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXI, § 11102, title CXIV, § 11413(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4004, 4120; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXI, § 7102(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1663.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a). , substituted “50,000 for fiscal years 2026, and 55,000 for fiscal year 2027” for “44,500 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023”.
Subsec. (b). , struck out “for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023” after “average military training student loads” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b)(1). , substituted “4,000 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027” for “2,500 student years”.
Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “250 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027” for “165 student years”.
Subsec. (b)(3). , substituted “700 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027” for “385 student years”.
Subsec. (b)(4). , substituted “1,600 student years for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027” for “1,200 student years”.
2022—Subsec. (a). , substituted “fiscal years 2022 and 2023” for “fiscal years 2020 and 2021”.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “fiscal years 2022 and 2023” for “fiscal years 2020 and 2021”.
Subsec. (b)(3). , substituted “385” for “350”.
2021—Subsec. (a). , substituted “44,500 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021” for “43,000 for fiscal year 2018 and 44,500 for fiscal year 2019”.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “fiscal years 2020 and 2021” for “fiscal years 2018 and 2019” in introductory provisions.
2018— renumbered as this section.
Subsec. (a). , substituted “for fiscal year 2018 and 44,500 for fiscal year 2019” for “for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017”.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “fiscal years 2018 and 2019” for “fiscal years 2016 and 2017” in introductory provisions.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Reporting Requirement
> “In any fiscal year in which the submission required under , United States Code, does not include a proportional increase in the Operations and Support funding under , United States Code, to support the end strengths authorized under the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section]—
>
> **“(1)** the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall provide to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the plan of the Coast Guard to achieve growth in the Coast Guard’s military strength to 60,000, which shall include—
>
> **“(A)** proposed missions and purposes for the growth of the Coast Guard in military strength;
>
> **“(B)** for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2032—
>
> **“(i)** the additional estimated cost of salaries and all benefits, including housing, education, and medical benefits;
>
> **“(ii)** estimated recruiting and training resources and costs; and
>
> **“(iii)** estimated resources and costs required to achieve sufficient training capacity for growth in enlisted and officer corps; and
>
> **“(C)** an explanation for why the estimated cost in subparagraph (B) was not included in the submission required under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code; and
>
> **“(2)** the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] may not delegate the briefing required in paragraph (1).”
, , , provided that: