Pub. L. 82-476, pt. VII, sec. 703

Sec. 703. (a) To be federally recognized, a member of the National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia must be a member of a federally recognized unit or other federally recognized subdivision of the National Guard or Air National Guard, respectively, and possess the qualifications prescribed by the appropriate Secretary for the grade, branch, position, and type of unit or other subdivision involved, and, in the case of officers, except as provided in section 705 of this Act, successfully pass the examination prescribed by section 75, National Defense Act, as amended. (b) Upon being federal!v recognized, those officers who do not hold appointments as Reserve officers of the appropriate Aimed Force of the United States shall be appointed as Reserve officers of the appropriate Armed Force of the United States in the same grade in which they hold federally recognized appointments in the National Guard or Air National Guard of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, for service as a member of the National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States, as appropriate: Provided, That the acceptance of an appointment in the same grade and branch as a Reserve officer of the Armed Force of the United States concerned, by an officer of the National Guard or Air National Guard of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, shall not operate to vacate his State, Territory, or District of Columbia National Guard or Air National Guard office.