61 STAT.] 80TH CONG. , 1ST SESS.-CH. 459-AUG. 4, 1947 735 Secretary of War. The authorized strength of the Medical Service Authorizedstrength. Corps, Regular Army, shall be such strength as may from time to time be prescribed by the Secretary of War. The Medical Service Corps, Regular Army, shall consist of officers in the grades of second lieu- tenant to colonel, inclusive: Provided,That the number of colonels colonel. on active duty in the Medical Service Corps, Regular Army, shall at no time exceed 2 per centum of the authorized Regular Army officer strength of such corps. SEC. 102 (a) From the officers commissioned in the Medical Service servi oef Meod Corps, Regular Army, in the permanent grade of major or above, the Secretary of War shall appoint the Chief of the Medical Service Corps, who shall serve as Chief during his pleasure, and who, if commissioned in permanent grade below colonel, shall, without vacation of his permanent grade, have the temporary rank, pay, and allowances of a colonel while so serving, and who, while so serving, shall be superior in rank to all other colonels in the corps. (b) From the officers commissioned in the Medical Service Corps, sistantChie f As- Regular Army, the Surgeon General shall designate Assistant Chiefs, who shall be Chiefs of Sections, and who shall be consultants to him in activities relative to that specific section. (c) Unless entitled to higher retired rank or pay under any pro- of hief. rank etc vision of law, each such commissioned officer who shall have served for four years as Chief of the Medical Service Corps, shall upon re- tirement be retired with the rank held while so serving, shall receive retired pay at the rate prescribed by law computed on the basis of the base and longevity pay which he would receive if serving on active duty with such rank, and if thereafter recalled to active service shall be recalled in such rank. SEC. 103. Except as provided in Public Law 281, Seventy-ninth menrts.gl nt Congress, approved December 28, 1945, as amended, and except as U59T's 6§505- hereinafter provided for transfer thereto, original appointments in 50d, 481 , 552c.552. the Medical Service Corps, Regular Army, shall be made only in the lnt. 95 . grade of second lieutenant from citizens of the United States between the ages of twenty-one and thirty years, who possess such physical and other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Secretary of WVar: Provided, That appointlments from sources other than the Regular ^.,',I'I,; i.T;r Army or its active Reserve shall be nladle from persons who are gradl- Army. uates from accredited schools of pharmllacy, ol)tomlCetry, or other schlools or colleges with degrees in sciences allied to mledicine or such other degrees as may be approved by the Surgeon General, and each person tori',; II;.gro,, appointed and commissioned an officer of the Medical Service Corps sciee l l. who at the time of appointment holds a degree of doctor of philosophy or comparable degree recognized by the Surgeon General in a science allied to medicine may, subject to regulations as prescribed by the Secretary of War, be credited at the time of appointment with an amount of service equal to three years. omotion to er- SEC. 104. Effective from date of enactment of this Act, commis- mnent grades. sioned officers of the Medical Service Corps, Regular Army, shall be promoted to the permanent grades of first lieutenant, captain, major, and lieutenant colonel as now or hereafter prescribed for promotion of promotion-list officers to such grades, respectively. Promotion to the permanent grade of colonel shall be by selection under regulations pre- scribed by the Secretary of War from officers in the grade of lieutenant colonel with at least one year's service in that grade. SEC. 105. Effective the date of enactment of this Act, Public Law 281, Seventy-ninth Congress, approved December 28, 1945, as amended, is hereby further amended as follows: (a) Section 5 of said Act is amended by striking out paragraphs (c) 59 Stat'6. 150 and (d) and inserting in lieu thereof a new paragraph (c) as follows: (c) (d).
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