Unrestricted Line Officer - Unrestricted Line Versus Restricted Line

Unrestricted Line Versus Restricted Line

Differentiated from URL officers are those naval officers whose functions are considered combat support in nature and are designated as either Restricted Line (RL) officers or Staff Corps officers. Examples of RL officers include Engineering Duty Officer, Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Intelligence Officer, Information Warfare (formerly Cryptology) Officer, Meteorology/Oceanography Officer, Public Affairs Officer, Human Resources Officer, and Foreign Area Officer among others. Examples of Staff Corps officers include Supply Corps, Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Medical Service Corps, Nurse Corps, Civil Engineer Corps, Judge Advocate General's Corps and Chaplain Corps.

Some RL officers begin their careers as URL and transition to RL, the most common examples being Surface Warfare Officers and Submarine Warfare Officers who become Engineering Duty Officers and Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers who become Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officers. Still other URL officers will transition into Staff Corps communities, most often Medical Corps or the Judge Advocate General's Corps following completion of Navy-funded medical school or law school. The remaining officers are directly commissioned as RL or Staff Corps. RL and Staff Corps officers are authorized to command ashore within their particular speciality, but are not eligible for combatant command at sea, which remains strictly within the purview of URL officers.