§ 8456.
(a)
If the annual quota of midshipmen from—
(1)
enlisted members of the Regular Navy and the Regular Marine Corps;
(2)
enlisted members of the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve; or
(3)
at large by the President;
is not filled, the Secretary may fill the vacancies by nominating for appointment other candidates from any of these sources who were found best qualified on examination for admission and not otherwise nominated.
([Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041], [70A Stat. 430], § 6956; [Pub. L. 88–276, § 3], Mar. 3, 1964, [78 Stat. 151]; [Pub. L. 90–374], July 5, 1968, [82 Stat. 283]; [Pub. L. 93–171, § 2(4)], Nov. 29, 1973, [87 Stat. 690]; [Pub. L. 94–106, title VIII, § 803(b)(2)], Oct. 7, 1975, [89 Stat. 538]; [Pub. L. 97–60, title II, § 206], Oct. 14, 1981, [95 Stat. 1007]; [Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title V, § 532(b)(2)], title XIII, § 1322(a)(14), Nov. 5, 1990, [104 Stat. 1563], 1671; [Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 515(b)(1)(R)], Jan. 6, 2006, [119 Stat. 3233]; [Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(f)(41)], Jan. 2, 2013, [126 Stat. 1954]; renumbered § 8456 and amended [Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII], §§ 807(c)(1), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, [132 Stat. 1836], 1840.)