### §743. Rank: Chief of Staff of the Army; Chief of Naval Operations; Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Commandant of the Marine Corps; Chief of Space Operations

The Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Chief of Space Operations rank among themselves according to dates of appointment to those offices, and rank above all other officers on the active-duty list of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force, except the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 34; Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §501(11), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2908; Pub. L. 99–433, title II, §202(b), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1010; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XIII, §1314(a)(2), (b)(5)(A), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1175; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(1)(H), (20)(A), (B), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3820, 3823.)

| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 743 | 5:626c(b). | July 26, 1947, ch. 343, §208(b), 61 Stat. 503; Sept. 19, 1951, ch. 407, §402, 65 Stat. 333. |

5:626c(b) (1st sentence) is omitted as superseded by sections 8031(a)(1) and 8034(a) of this title. 5:626c(b) (2d sentence) is omitted as covered by section 8034(d) of this title. 5:626c(b) (3d and 4th sentences) is omitted as executed. 5:626c(b) (5th sentence) is omitted as covered by section 8034(b) of this title. 5:626c(b) (proviso of last sentence) is omitted as executed, since the incumbents to whom it is applied no longer hold the offices mentioned. The exception as to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is included because of section 142(c) of this title. The words "and the Marine Corps" are inserted, since under section 5081 of this title the Chief of Naval Operations takes precedence over all other officers of the naval service.

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, §924(b)(20)(B), amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, section catchline read as follows: "Rank: Chief of Staff of the Army; Chief of Naval Operations; Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Commandant of the Marine Corps".

Pub. L. 116–283, §924(b)(20)(A), substituted "the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Chief of Space Operations" for "and the Commandant of the Marine Corps".

Pub. L. 116–283, §924(b)(1)(H), substituted "Marine Corps, and Space Force" for "and Marine Corps".

1987—Pub. L. 100–180, §1314(b)(5)(A), inserted "; Commandant of the Marine Corps" after "Air Force" in section catchline.

Pub. L. 100–180, §1314(a)(2), made technical correction in directory language of Pub. L. 99–433. See 1986 Amendment note below.

1986—Pub. L. 99–433, as amended by Pub. L. 100–180, §1314(a)(2), inserted reference to the Commandant of the Marine Corp and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1980—Pub. L. 96–513 substituted "active-duty list" for "active list".

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XIII, §1314(e)(1), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1176, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section, sections 2431 to 2434 of this title, and provisions set out as notes under sections 111 and 3033 of this title] shall apply as if included in the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–433)."

#### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.