(a) In time of national emergency declared by the President after January 1, 1953, or when otherwise authorized by law, an authority designated by the Secretary concerned may, without the consent of the persons concerned, order any unit, and any member not assigned to a unit organized to serve as a unit, in the Ready Reserve under the jurisdiction of that Secretary to active duty for not more than 24 consecutive months.
(b) To achieve fair treatment as between members in the Ready Reserve who are being considered for recall to duty without their consent, consideration shall be given to—(1) the length and nature of previous service, to assure such sharing of exposure to hazards as the national security and military requirements will reasonably allow;
(2) family responsibilities; and
(3) employment necessary to maintain the national health, safety, or interest.
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe such policies and procedures as he considers necessary to carry out this subsection.
(c) Not more than 1,000,000 members of the Ready Reserve may be on active duty, without their consent, under this section at any one time.
Structure US Code
Subtitle E— Reserve Components
§ 12301. Reserve components generally
§ 12303. Ready Reserve: members not assigned to, or participating satisfactorily in, units
§ 12308. Retention after becoming qualified for retired pay
§ 12309. Reserve officers: use of in expansion of armed forces
§ 12310. Reserves: for organizing, administering, etc., reserve components
§ 12311. Active duty agreements
§ 12312. Active duty agreements: release from duty
§ 12313. Reserves: release from active duty
§ 12314. Reserves: kinds of duty
§ 12315. Reserves: duty with or without pay
§ 12316. Payment of certain Reserves while on duty
§ 12317. Reserves: theological students; limitations
§ 12318. Reserves on active duty: duties; funding
§ 12319. Ready Reserve: muster duty
§ 12320. Reserve officers: grade in which ordered to active duty
§ 12321. Reserve Officer Training Corps units: limitation on number of Reserves assigned
§ 12322. Active duty for health care
§ 12323. Active duty pending line of duty determination required for response to sexual assault