- § 9341. General rule
- § 9342. Higher grade for service in special positions
- § 9343. Highest grade held satisfactorily: Reserve enlisted members reduced in grade not as a result of the member’s misconduct
- § 9344. Higher grade after 30 years of service: warrant officers and enlisted members
- § 9345. Restoration to former grade: retired warrant officers and enlisted members
- § 9346. Retired lists
§ 9341. General rule
(a)
(1) The retired grade of a regular commissioned officer of the Air Force who retires other than for physical disability is determined under section 1370 of this title.
(2) The retired grade of a reserve commissioned officer of the Air Force who retires other than for physical disability is determined under section 1370a of this title.
(b) Unless entitled to a higher retired grade under some other provision of law, a Regular or Reserve of the Air Force not covered by subsection (a) who retires other than for physical disability retires in the regular or reserve grade that the member holds on the date of the member’s retirement.
(c)Space Force.—
(1) The retired grade of a commissioned officer of the Space Force who retires other than for physical disability is determined under section 1370 or 1370a of this title, as applicable to the officer.
(2) Unless entitled to a higher retired grade under some other provision of law, a member of the Space Force not covered by paragraph (1) who retires other than for physical disability retires in the grade that the member holds on the date of the member’s retirement.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 554, § 8961; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 504(19), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2917; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1674(c)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3016; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title V, § 506(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–102; renumbered § 9341, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(b)(14), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 508(b)(4), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3585; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1719A(b)(2), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 664.)
§ 9342. Higher grade for service in special positions
Upon retirement, any permanent professor of the United States Air Force Academy whose grade is below brigadier general, and whose service as such a professor has been long and distinguished, may, in the discretion of the President, be retired in the grade of brigadier general.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 554, § 8962; Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(197), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1541; Pub. L. 89–288, § 6, Oct. 22, 1965, 79 Stat. 1050; Pub. L. 96–343, § 13(b)(1), (2), Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1131; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 504(20), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2917; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 502(c), (d)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 293; renumbered § 9342, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(b)(14), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833.)
§ 9343. Highest grade held satisfactorily: Reserve enlisted members reduced in grade not as a result of the member’s misconduct
(a) A Reserve enlisted member of the Air Force described in subsection (b) who is retired under section 9314 of this title shall be retired in the highest enlisted grade in which the member served on active duty satisfactorily (or, in the case of a member of the National Guard, in which the member served on full-time National Guard duty satisfactorily), as determined by the Secretary of the Air Force.
(b) This section applies to a Reserve enlisted member who—
(1) at the time of retirement is serving on active duty (or, in the case of a member of the National Guard, on full-time National Guard duty) in a grade lower than the highest enlisted grade held by the member while on active duty (or full-time National Guard duty); and
(2) was previously administratively reduced in grade not as a result of the member’s own misconduct, as determined by the Secretary of the Air Force.
(c) This section applies with respect to Reserve enlisted members who are retired under section 9314 of this title after September 30, 1996.
(Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 532(c)(1), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2519, § 8963; renumbered § 9343 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §§ 806(b)(14), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833, 1840.)
§ 9344. Higher grade after 30 years of service: warrant officers and enlisted members
(a) Each retired member of the Air Force or the Space Force covered by subsection (b) who is retired with less than 30 years of active service is entitled, when his active service plus his service on the retired list totals 30 years, to be advanced on the retired list to the highest grade in which he served on active duty satisfactorily (or, in the case of a member of the National Guard, in which he served on full-time duty satisfactorily), as determined by the Secretary of the Air Force.
(b) This section applies to—
(1) warrant officers of the Air Force or the Space Force;
(2) enlisted members of the Regular Air Force or the Space Force; and
(3) reserve enlisted members of the Air Force or the Space Force who, at the time of retirement, are serving on active duty (or, in the case of members of the National Guard, on full-time duty).
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 555, § 8964; Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(198A), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1541; Pub. L. 98–525, title V, § 533(c), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2528; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, § 512(c), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1090; renumbered § 9344, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(b)(14), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(c)(21)(A), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3812; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1719A(b)(3), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 664.)
§ 9345. Restoration to former grade: retired warrant officers and enlisted members
Each retired warrant officer or enlisted member of the Air Force or the Space Force who has been advanced on the retired list to a higher commissioned grade under section 9344 of this title, and who applies to the Secretary of the Air Force within three months after his advancement, shall, if the Secretary approves, be restored on the retired list to his former warrant-officer or enlisted status, as the case may be.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 555, § 8965; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, § 512(d)(3), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1090; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1233(i)(2)(A), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2058; renumbered § 9345 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §§ 806(b)(14), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833, 1840; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(c)(21)(B), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3812.)
§ 9346. Retired lists
(a) The Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain a retired list containing the name of each retired commissioned officer of the Regular Air Force and a separate retired list containing the name of each retired commissioned officer of the Space Force (other than an officer whose name is on the list maintained under subsection (b)(2)).
(b)
(1) The Secretary shall maintain a retired list containing the name of—
(A) each person entitled to retired pay under any law providing retired pay for commissioned officers of the Air Force, other than of the Regular Air Force; and
(B) each retired warrant officer or enlisted member of the Air Force who is advanced to a commissioned grade.
(2) The Secretary shall maintain a retired list containing the name of—
(A) each person entitled to retired pay who as a member of the Space Force qualified for retirement under section 20601 of this title; and
(B) each retired warrant officer or enlisted member of the Space Force who is advanced to a commissioned grade.
(c) The Secretary shall maintain a retired list containing the name of each retired warrant officer of the Air Force and a separate retired list containing the name of each retired warrant officer of the Space Force.
(d) The Secretary shall maintain a retired list containing the name of each retired enlisted member of the Regular Air Force and a separate retired list containing the name of each retired enlisted member of the Space Force.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 556, § 8966; Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(199), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1541; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, § 512(d)(3), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1090; renumbered § 9346, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(b)(14), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(c)(21)(C), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3812; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1719A(b)(4), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 664.)