Section 3
SEC. 3. Paragraphs (c) and (g) of section twenty-two of the National Defense Act are amended so "as to read as follows: "SEC. 22. The appointment, promotion, and discharge of officers in the Army shall be as follows: "(c) Except as hereinafter authorized, all appointments of regular officers shall be in the grade of third lieutenant, from among applicants who at the time of appointment shall be not less than twenty-one nor more than twenty-six years of age. Priority in filling vacancies in the grade of third lieutenant will be given: first, to graduates of the Military Academy of the Philippines or of the Military or Naval Academies of the United States; second, to graduates of senior military training units in schools and colleges; third, to enlisted men who at the time of appointment shall have served more than one year in the Army of the Philippines ; and, fourth, to others: Provided, That original appointments in the Medical Corps shall be in the grade of first lieutenant from among applicants who at the time of appointment shall not be less than twenty-five nor more than thirty-five years of age: Provided, also, That during the five years following the approval of this Act, the President is authorized to fill vacancies in any commissioned grade in the Army of the Philippines by appointment of officers of the Philippine Constabulary who are citizens of the Philippines and of such officers of the Philippine Scouts and of the Officers' Reserve Corps, U. S. Army, and of graduates of the United States Naval Academy, citizens of the Philippines, as have, prior to their appointment in the Army of the Philippines, legally and honorably severed their connection with the active elements of the Army of the United States, and of such others as may qualify through professional and military examination prescribed for the purpose: Provided, further, That the President may appoint professors and assistant professors in the Department of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, the Department of Engineering and the Department of Languages and Social Arts of the Military Academy in such commissioned grades of the regular force as he may determine and thereafter promote them under such regulations as he may prescribe, such professors and assistant professors to be carried on in a separate roster apart from the general roster of the Army and in addition to the number of commissioned officers prescribed in subparagraph (d) of this section. No transfer of these professors to other branches of the Army will be permitted: And provided finally, That an officer below field rank designated as chief of an arm or service may be promoted temporarily to the rank of major without vacating his permanent commission, such temporary rank being in addition to the authorized strength of the Officer Corps prescribed in sub-paragraph (d) of this section." "SEC. 22. (g) Until superseded by laws formulated by the National Assembly for specific application to the Army of the Philippines, all regulations, courts-martial procedure and provisions of law now pertaining to the punishment, discharge, dismissal, resignation, administration, and retirement of officers and enlisted men of the Philippine Constabulary shall, as modified by provisions of this and other laws, apply to all officers and enlisted men on active duty in the Army: Provided, That an officer of the Regular force separated by the President from the service on recommendation of classification or efficiency boards for reasons other than his own misconduct, willful failure, the internperate use of drugs or alcoholic liquor, or vicious or immoral habits, shall be entitled to a gratuity equivalent to one month of his current pay, as received by him at the time of his separation multiplied by the number of complete years of service: Provided, further, That in computing the length of service of an officer for purposes of gratuity payment, service rendered by him in the Philippine Constabulary shall be given full credit: Provided, finally, That the gratuity provided herein shall be paid from the annual appropriations of the Philippine Army."