§309. Office of the Coast Guard Reserve; Director

(a) Establishment of Office; Director.—There is in the executive part of the Coast Guard an Office of the Coast Guard Reserve. The head of the Office is the Director of the Coast Guard Reserve. The Director of the Coast Guard Reserve is the principal adviser to the Commandant on Coast Guard Reserve matters and may have such additional functions as the Commandant may direct.

(b) Appointment.—The President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint the Director of the Coast Guard Reserve, from officers of the Coast Guard who—

(1) have had at least 10 years of commissioned service;

(2) are in a grade above captain; and

(3) have been recommended by the Secretary of Homeland Security.


(c) Term.—(1) The Director of the Coast Guard Reserve holds office for a term determined by the President, normally two years, but not more than four years. An officer may be removed from the position of Director for cause at any time.

(2) The Director of the Coast Guard Reserve, while so serving, holds a grade above Captain, without vacating the officer's permanent grade.

(d) Budget.—The Director of the Coast Guard Reserve is the official within the executive part of the Coast Guard who, subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Commandant, is responsible for preparation, justification, and execution of the personnel, operation and maintenance, and construction budgets for the Coast Guard Reserve. As such, the Director of the Coast Guard Reserve is the director and functional manager of appropriations made for the Coast Guard Reserve in those areas.

(e) Annual Report.—The Director of the Coast Guard Reserve shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense an annual report on the state of the Coast Guard Reserve and the ability of the Coast Guard Reserve to meet its missions. The report shall be prepared in conjunction with the Commandant and may be submitted in classified and unclassified versions.

(Added Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, §557(a), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 619, §53; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, §1704(a), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; renumbered §309, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, §7201(b), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1675.)


Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 309, acts Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 519; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, §11, 64 Stat. 407, authorized retirement of warrant officers with grade of commissioned warrant officer in case of special commendation, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 86–155, §10(a)(1), (b), Aug. 11, 1959, 73 Stat. 338, effective Nov. 1, 1959, and by Pub. L. 88–130, §1(10)(A), Sept. 24, 1963, 77 Stat. 177.

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60 renumbered section 309 of this title as this section, resulting in no change.

2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 53 of this title as this section.

2002—Subsecs. (b)(3), (d), (e). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted "of Homeland Security" for "of Transportation".


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.