The Secretary of the military department concerned may give to any enlisted member of an armed force under his jurisdiction, or any person who has served on active duty in any armed force, such advanced standing in the program as may be justified by his education and training.

In determining a member’s eligibility for advanced training, the Secretary of the military department concerned may credit him with any military training that is substantially equivalent in kind to that prescribed for admission to advanced training and was received while he was taking a course of instruction in a program under the jurisdiction of another armed force or while he was on active duty in the armed forces.

The Secretary of the military department concerned may excuse from a portion of the prescribed course of military instruction, including field training and practice cruises, any person found qualified on the basis of his previous education, military experience, or both.

A person may become, remain, or be readmitted as, a member of the advanced training program after receiving a baccalaureate degree or completing pre-professional studies if he has not completed the course of military instruction or all field training or practice cruises prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned. If a member of the program has been accepted for resident graduate or professional study, the Secretary of the military department concerned may delay the commencement of that member’s obligated period of active duty, and any obligated period of active duty for training or other service in an active or inactive status in a reserve component, until the member has completed that study. If a cadet appointed under section 2107a of this title has been accepted for a course of study at an accredited civilian educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees, the Secretary of the Army may delay the beginning of that member’s obligated period of service in a reserve component until the member has completed such course of study.

The Secretary of the military department concerned may, when he determines that the interest of the service so requires, release any person from the program and discharge him from his armed force.

(Added Pub. L. 88–647, title II, § 201(1), Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1068; amended Pub. L. 96–357, § 1(d), Sept. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 1180.)