§ 8139.
(a)
Original appointments as regular officers of the Navy in a grade below lieutenant commander in the line and in staff corps established by the Secretary of the Navy under
section 8090(b) of this title and designated by the Secretary for the purposes of this section may be made from—
(2)
chief petty officers; and
(3)
first-class petty officers;
in the Regular Navy, for the performance of duty in the technical fields indicated by their warrants or ratings.
(b)
Original appointments as regular officers of the Marine Corps in a grade below major may be made from—
(2)
master sergeants; and
in the Regular Marine Corps, for the performance of duty in the technical fields in which they are proficient.
(f)
Any officer designated for limited duty, upon his application and upon determination by the Secretary of the Navy that he is qualified, may—
(1)
if he is in the line of the Navy, be designated for engineering duty, aeronautical engineering duty, or special duty, or be assigned to unrestricted performance of duty;
(2)
if he is in a staff corps of the Navy, be assigned to unrestricted performance of duty in that corps; or
(3)
if he is in the Marine Corps, be assigned to unrestricted performance of duty.
When an officer is so designated or assigned, his status as an officer designated for limited duty terminates.
(g)
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the appointment, designation, and assignment of officers under this section.
([Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041], [70A Stat. 326], § 5589; [Pub. L. 87–123, § 5(10)], Aug. 3, 1961, [75 Stat. 265]; [Pub. L. 96–513, title III, § 325], Dec. 12, 1980, [94 Stat. 2893]; [Pub. L. 99–433, title V, § 514(c)(3)], Oct. 1, 1986, [100 Stat. 1055]; [Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 502], Oct. 5, 1994, [108 Stat. 2748]; renumbered § 8139 and amended [Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 512], title VIII, §§ 807(b)(4), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, [132 Stat. 1751], 1834, 1840.)