PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 393-AUG. 4, 1949
authorized number of officers in the various grades as provided
in this section the computation shall be based on the actual num-
ber of officers on active duty, including permanent, temporary,
and reserve officers on active duty, but not including extra num-
bers in the Coast Guard at the date of making the computation.
The Secretary shall, at least once each year, make such a computa-
tion, and the resulting numbers in the various grades as so com-
puted shall be held and considered for all purposes as the authorized
number in such various grades. The nearest whole number shall
be regarded as the authorized number in case fractions result in the
computation. The Secretary may, however, as he may from time
to time determine the needs of the Coast Guard require, reduce the
percentages applicable to any grade above lieutenant commander, and
in order to compensate for such reduction increase correspondingly
the percentages applicable to any grade or grades below the grade
or grades in which such percentages are so reduced. No officer shall
be reduced in permanent grade or pay or removed from the active
list of the Coast Guard as the result of any computation or determina-
tion made by the Secretary to establish the number of officers in the
various grades.
§ 43. Relative rank of commissioned officers with respect to
Army and Navy
The commissioned officers of the Coast Guard rank as follows:
Vice admirals with vice admirals in the Navy and lieutenant generals
in the Army and the Air Force; rear admirals of the upper half with
rear admirals of the upper half in the Navy and major generals in the
Army and the Air Force; rear admirals of the lower half with rear
admirals of the lower half in the Navy and brigadier generals in the
Army and the Air Force; captains with captains in the Navy and
colonels in the Army and the Air Force; commanders with com-
manders in the Navy and lieutenant colonels in the Army and the
Air Force; lieutenant commanders with lieutenant commanders in
the Navy and majors in the Army and the Air Force; lieutenants with
lieutenants in the Navy and captains in the Army and the Air Force;
lieutenants (junior grade) with lieutenants (junior grade) in the Navy
and first lieutenants in the Army and the Air Force; and ensigns with
ensigns in the Navy and second lieutenants in the Army and the Air
Force.
§ 44. Commandant; appointment
The President may appoint, by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, one Commandant for a period of four years, who
may be reappointed for further periods of four years, who shall act
as Chief of the Coast Guard. The Commandant shall be appointed
from the active list of line officers who hold a permanent commission
as commander or above, and who have completed at least ten years of
service as a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. The Com-
mandant, while so serving, shall have the grade, pay, and allowances of
vice admiral. The position vacated by an officer appointed Com-
mandant shall be filled by promotion according to law.
§ 45. Permanent grade of Commandant on expiration of term
If the Commandant is not retired during or on the expiration of
his term of service as Commandant, such officer, at the expiration
of such term of service, shall have the permanent grade of rear
admiral, with the pay and allowances of a rear admiral (upper
half) and shall be carried as an additional number in that grade
until the number of rear admirals (upper half) is reduced to the
number authorized by law.
498
[63 STAT.
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