PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 393-AUG. 4, 1949 authorized number of officers in the various grades as provided in this section the computation shall be based on the actual num- ber of officers on active duty, including permanent, temporary, and reserve officers on active duty, but not including extra num- bers in the Coast Guard at the date of making the computation. The Secretary shall, at least once each year, make such a computa- tion, and the resulting numbers in the various grades as so com- puted shall be held and considered for all purposes as the authorized number in such various grades. The nearest whole number shall be regarded as the authorized number in case fractions result in the computation. The Secretary may, however, as he may from time to time determine the needs of the Coast Guard require, reduce the percentages applicable to any grade above lieutenant commander, and in order to compensate for such reduction increase correspondingly the percentages applicable to any grade or grades below the grade or grades in which such percentages are so reduced. No officer shall be reduced in permanent grade or pay or removed from the active list of the Coast Guard as the result of any computation or determina- tion made by the Secretary to establish the number of officers in the various grades. § 43. Relative rank of commissioned officers with respect to Army and Navy The commissioned officers of the Coast Guard rank as follows: Vice admirals with vice admirals in the Navy and lieutenant generals in the Army and the Air Force; rear admirals of the upper half with rear admirals of the upper half in the Navy and major generals in the Army and the Air Force; rear admirals of the lower half with rear admirals of the lower half in the Navy and brigadier generals in the Army and the Air Force; captains with captains in the Navy and colonels in the Army and the Air Force; commanders with com- manders in the Navy and lieutenant colonels in the Army and the Air Force; lieutenant commanders with lieutenant commanders in the Navy and majors in the Army and the Air Force; lieutenants with lieutenants in the Navy and captains in the Army and the Air Force; lieutenants (junior grade) with lieutenants (junior grade) in the Navy and first lieutenants in the Army and the Air Force; and ensigns with ensigns in the Navy and second lieutenants in the Army and the Air Force. § 44. Commandant; appointment The President may appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, one Commandant for a period of four years, who may be reappointed for further periods of four years, who shall act as Chief of the Coast Guard. The Commandant shall be appointed from the active list of line officers who hold a permanent commission as commander or above, and who have completed at least ten years of service as a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. The Com- mandant, while so serving, shall have the grade, pay, and allowances of vice admiral. The position vacated by an officer appointed Com- mandant shall be filled by promotion according to law. § 45. Permanent grade of Commandant on expiration of term If the Commandant is not retired during or on the expiration of his term of service as Commandant, such officer, at the expiration of such term of service, shall have the permanent grade of rear admiral, with the pay and allowances of a rear admiral (upper half) and shall be carried as an additional number in that grade until the number of rear admirals (upper half) is reduced to the number authorized by law. 498 [63 STAT.
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