10 U.S.C. § 7070: Army Medical Specialist Corps: organization; Chief

The Dietitian Section. The Physical Therapist Section. The Occupational Therapist Section. The Physician Assistant Section. The Chiropractic Section. The Secretary of the Army shall appoint the Chief from the officers of the Regular Army in that corps whose regular grade is above captain and who are recommended by the Surgeon General. The Chief serves during the pleasure of the Secretary, but not for more than four years, and may not be reappointed. Chiropractors who are qualified under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army may be appointed as commissioned officers in the Chiropractic Section of the Army Medical Specialist Corps. to revert to the highest warrant officer grade in which the officer served on active duty (other than for training) satisfactorily (as determined by the Secretary of the Army) for a period of more than 30 days; and to be retired under chapter 65 of title 10, United States Code.” For the purpose of determining the grade and rank within grade of a person who is appointed as a commissioned officer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps for service in the Physician Assistant Section, or who is assigned to the Army Medical Specialist Corps for service as a physician assistant, and who on the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 5, 1991 ] is a warrant officer and a physician assistant on active duty or in an active reserve status, the Secretary of the Army shall credit that person at the time of such appointment with any service on active duty, or in an active reserve status, as a physician assistant performed as a member of the Armed Forces before that appointment. The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this subsection.”