Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 1304.25
October 31, 2013
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Fulfilling the Military Service Obligation (MSO)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1304.25 (Reference (a)) in accordance with the
authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5124.02 (Reference (b)) to establish policy, assign
responsibilities, and update the requirements, conditions, and restrictions for fulfilling the
statutory MSO.
b. Incorporates and cancels Assistant Secretary of Defense memorandum (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments (including the
Coast Guard at all times, including when it is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security
by agreement with that Department), the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department
of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities
within the DoD (referred to in this instruction as the “DoD Components”).
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that every person who enters military service by enlistment or
appointment incurs an MSO of 8 years from that entry date, in accordance with section 651 of
Title 10, United States Code (Reference (d)). Exceptions to this policy are:
a. In time of war or national emergency declared by Congress, enlistments in the National
Guard and Reserve are continued until 6 months after the end of such war or emergency, unless
sooner terminated by the Secretary concerned, in accordance with section 12103 of Reference
(d).
b. When a person is appointed as a commissioned officer in a critically short health
professional specialty specified by the Secretary concerned. In accordance with section 651 of
Reference (d), the minimum period of obligated service for an officer under this exception is the
greater of 2 years or, in the case of an officer who accepts an accession bonus or executes a
