46 USC § 51310 - Deferment of service obligation under cadet commitment agreements

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s51310"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 51310 - Deferment of service obligation under cadet commitment agreements"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "51310"
section_name: "Deferment of service obligation under cadet commitment agreements"
chapter_number: 513
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "Merchant Marine Service"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1575.)"
---


# § 51310. Deferment of service obligation under cadet commitment agreements

section 51306(a)(5) of this title

The Secretary of Transportation may defer the service commitment of an individual under  (as specified in the cadet commitment agreement) for not more than 2 years if the individual is engaged in a graduate course of study approved by the Secretary. However, deferment of service as a commissioned officer under section 51306(a)(5) must be approved by the Secretary of the military department that has jurisdiction over the service or by the Secretary of Commerce for service with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1575.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 51310 | 46 App.:1295b(e)(5). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1303(e)(5), as added Pub. L. 96–453, § 2, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2001; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(144)(B), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 166; Pub. L. 108–136, title XXXV, § 3515(b)(6), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1793. |