1. (a) Authority.— A member of the program who has completed successfully the first year of a four-year Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps course and who is not eligible for advanced training under section 2104 of this title and is not a cadet or midshipman appointed under section 2107 of this title may—

   1. (1) contract with the Secretary of the military department concerned, or the Secretary’s designated representative, to serve for the period required by the program; and
   2. (2) agree in writing to accept an appointment, if offered, as a commissioned officer in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as the case may be, and to serve in the armed forces for the period prescribed by the Secretary.

2. (b) Eligibility Requirements.— A member of the program may enter into a contract and agreement under this section (and receive a subsistence allowance under section 209(c) of title 37) only if the person—

   1. (1) is a citizen of the United States;
   2. (2) enlists in an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the military department concerned for the period prescribed by the Secretary; and
   3. (3) executes a certificate of loyalty in such form as the Secretary of Defense prescribes or take a loyalty oath as prescribed by the Secretary.
3. (c) Parental Consent for Minors.— A member of the program who is a minor may enter into a contract under subsection (a)(1) only with the consent of the member’s parent or guardian.

(Added Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 523(b)(1), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1464; amended Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 525, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1889; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, § 1071(a)(10), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2398.)

Amendments 2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “Eligibility” for “Eligibilty” in heading.

2004—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–375 struck out heading and text of subsec. (d). Text read as follows: “No contract may be entered into under subsection (a)(1) after December 31, 2006.”

Effective Date Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 523(c), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1464, provided that:

“The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [enacting this section and amending

section 209 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services] shall take effect on

January 1, 2004.”