(a) Except as provided under subsection (c), each regular officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving on the active list in the line of the Navy or on the active list of the Marine Corps under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, shall be reappointed in the line of the Navy or in the Marine Corps, as appropriate, in the grade and with the date of rank held by such officer immediately before such reappointment. Each such reappointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of such title as amended by this Act but notwithstanding any limitation otherwise applicable with regard to age, grade, or physical standards.
“(b) Each officer of the Navy who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving in a staff corps under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, shall be reappointed in that corps in the grade and with the date of rank held by such officer immediately before such reappointment. Each such reappointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of such title as amended by this Act but notwithstanding any limitation otherwise applicable with regard to age, grade, or physical standards.
“(c) Any officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving on the active list in the line of the Navy under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, and who meets the qualifications for appointment in a staff corps of the Navy may, request appointment in a staff corps and, with the approval of the Secretary of the Navy, be appointed in that staff corps. Any appointment under this subsection shall be in lieu of the reappointment of the officer under subsection (a).
“(d) Each officer reappointed in a staff corps pursuant to subsection (b) or appointed in a staff corps under subsection (c) shall be considered for all purposes as having been originally appointed in such staff corps in accordance with the provisions of title 10, United States Code, as amended by this Act.
“(e) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all provisions of law relating to appointment, promotion, separation, and retirement which are applicable to male officers of the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps, as appropriate, apply to officers reappointed pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) or appointed under subsection (c).
“(f)(1) As soon as practicable after completion of the appointments and reappointments provided for in subsections (a), (b), and (c), the name of each officer so appointed or reappointed shall be entered on the appropriate active-duty list of the Navy or the Marine Corps in a position among officers of her grade determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy. Such officers shall be placed on the appropriate active-duty list without change in their relative positions held on the lineal list or any list for promotion established for them while they were serving under an appointment under any provision of title 10, United States Code, repealed by this Act.
“(2) Any female officer—“(A) who, by virtue of her date of rank and other considerations, would be placed on a list of officers eligible for consideration for promotion in a position senior to an officer who has failed of selection for promotion one or more times; and
“(B) who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion once or is considered to have never failed of selection for promotion,
shall, for purposes of determining her eligibility for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade, be considered with those officers who are considered to have failed of selection for promotion once, or who are considered never to have failed of selection for promotion, as the case may be.
“(3) A female officer who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion one or more times and whose position on the active-duty list is junior to the position of any male officer who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion a fewer number of times or not at all may not derive any advantage in the selection process by virtue of such position on the active-duty list.
“(g) Except as provided in section 638 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, a regular officer of the Navy or Marine Corps appointed under section 5590 of such title who—“(1) before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] had not twice failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade; and
“(2) is not selected for promotion to a higher regular grade on or after such effective date,
may not be retired earlier than such officer would have been retired had this Act not been enacted.
“(h)(1) Any officer who—“(A) on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is a lieutenant in the Navy or a captain in the Marine Corps;
“(B) under section 6396(c) or 6401 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), would have been discharged on June 30 of the fiscal year in which that officer (i) was not on a promotion list, and (ii) had completed 13 years of active commissioned service; and
“(C) because of the enactment of this Act, is subject to discharge under section 632 of such title because such officer has twice failed of selection for promotion,
shall, if such officer has not completed 13 years of active commissioned service at the time otherwise prescribed for the discharge of such officer under such section and such officer so requests, not be discharged until June 30 of the fiscal year in which the officer completes 13 years of active commissioned service.
“(2) Any officer who—“(A) on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is a lieutenant (junior grade) in the Navy or a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps;
“(B) under section 6396(d) or 6402 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), would have been discharged on June 30 of the fiscal year in which that officer (i) was not on a promotion list, and (ii) had completed 7 years of active commissioned service; and
“(C) because of the enactment of this Act, is subject to discharge under section 631 of such title because such officer has twice failed of selection for promotion,
shall, if that officer has not completed 7 years of active commissioned service at the time otherwise prescribed for such discharge under such section and such officer so requests, not be discharged until June 30 of the fiscal year in which the officer completes 7 years of active commissioned service.