Subject to subsection (b), an officer of an armed force is entitled to an initial allowance of not more than $400 as reimbursement for the purchase of required uniforms and equipment—

(1) upon first reporting for active duty (other than for training) for a period of more than 90 days;

(2) upon completing at least 14 days of active duty as a member of a reserve component;

(3) upon completing 14 periods, each of which was of at least two hours’ duration, of inactive-duty training as a member of the Ready Reserve; or

(4) upon reporting for the first period of active duty required by section 2121(c) of title 10 as a member of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program.

An officer who has received an initial uniform reimbursement or allowance under any other law is not entitled to an initial allowance under subsection (a).

An allowance of $250 for uniforms and equipment may be paid to each commissioned officer of the Public Health Service who is—

(1) on active duty or on inactive duty training status; and

(2) required by directive of the Surgeon General to wear a uniform.

(Pub. L. 87–649, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 477; Pub. L. 88–647, title II, § 202(3), Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1070; Pub. L. 89–444, § 2(1), June 9, 1966, 80 Stat. 198; Pub. L. 89–718, § 63, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1123; Pub. L. 90–83, § 5(1), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 221; Pub. L. 91–278, § 3(3), June 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 306; Pub. L. 96–76, title III, § 313(c), Sept. 29, 1979, 93 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 96–513, title IV, § 412, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2905; Pub. L. 97–22, § 10(c), July 10, 1981, 95 Stat. 137; Pub. L. 97–60, title I, § 131(a), Oct. 14, 1981, 95 Stat. 1005; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(1), (c), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title VI, § 610(a)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–150.)