55 STAT.] 77TH CONG. , 1 ST SESS.-CH. 384 -AUG. 21, 1941 the period prescribed by the Secretary of War. Such temporary appointees shall be entitled to the benefits of all existing laws and regulations governing retirement, pensions, and disability as are applicable to members of the Army of the United States when called or ordered into the active military service by the Federal Government under existing statutory authorizations. All persons temporarily appointed as chief warrant officers or as warrant officers (junior grade) in the Army of the United States under the authority of this section, shall, as long as they continue to hold such appoint- ments, be available for assignment to active duty with any unit of the Army of the United States. Persons temporarily appointed as chief warrant officers or as warrant officers (junior grade), in the Army of the United States under the authority of this section who, at the time of their respective temporary appointments have a mili- tary status in the Army of the United States or any component thereof may accept such temporary appointments without prejudice to the military status which they so held and upon termination of such temporary appointments such persons may revert to the grades which they held at the time of their temporary appointments. SEC. 4 . Warrant officers may be assigned to such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War: Provided, That when such duties necessarily include those normally performed by commissioned officers they shall be vested with the power to perform such duties under regulations to be prescribed by the President: Provided fur- ther, That when a warrant officer is serving as assistant adjutant of any command, he shall have power to administer oaths for all purposes of military administration. Warrant officers appointed under existing laws, other than masters and chief engineers of the Army Mine Planter Service, shall become warrant officers (junior grade), and masters and chief engineers of the Army Mine Planter Service shall become chief warrant officers, on the date this Act shall become effective. All warrant officers shall take rank next below second lieutenants and among themselves under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War. SEC. 5. Warrant officers shall be entitled to retirement under the same conditions as commissioned officers: Provided, That hereafter warrant officers may, in the discretion of the Secretary of War, be retired after fifteen years of active service: PrI t'iedd further, That a warrant officer retired after fifteen years of active service shall receive retired pay at the rate of 21/4 per centulm of his active pay multiplied by the number of complete years of active service in the Army, but not to exceed a total of 75 per centum of his active pay. SEC. 6. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Secretary of War is hereby authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary to govern and administer properly the personnel in the grades of chief warrant officer and warrant officer (junior grade), including warrant officers of the Army Mine Planter Service. This Act shall become effective on the date specified in regulations issued by the Secretary of War, but not later than October 1, 1941. SEC. 7 . The provisions of any laws heretofore enacted which are in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, except that appointments, temporary appointments, and promotions in the Army Mine Planter Service shall continue to be made as now pro- vided for: Provided, That no rights or benefits to which warrant officers now in active service are entitled under existing laws shall be affected in any manner by reason of the enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the provisions of this Act shall not be retro- active and no back pay or allowances shall accrue by reason of the enactment of this Act. Approved, August 21, 1941. 653 Benefits, temporary appointees. Availability for ao- tive duty. Status. Assignments. Provisos. Powers. Administration of oaths. Appointments un- der existing laws. Relative rank. Retirement provi- sions. Provisos. Service require- nlent. P'ay. Rules and regula- tions. Effective date. Conflicting provi- sions repealed; excep- tion. Proisos. Rights of present officers in active serv- ice. Provisions not ret- roactive.
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