The Surgeon General, with the approval of the Secretary, is authorized to create special temporary positions in the grade of Assistant Surgeons General when necessary for the proper staffing of the Service. The Surgeon General may assign officers of either the Regular Corps or the Ready Reserve Corps to any such temporary position, and while so serving they shall each have the title of Assistant Surgeon General.

Except as provided in this paragraph, the number of special temporary positions created by the Surgeon General under paragraph (1) shall not on any day exceed 1 per centum of the highest number, during the ninety days preceding such day, of officers of the Regular Corps on active duty and officers of the Ready Reserve Corps on active duty for more than thirty days. If on any day the number of such special temporary positions exceeds such 1 per centum limitation, for a period of not more than one year after such day, the number of such special temporary positions shall be reduced for purposes of complying with such 1 per centum limitation only by the resignation, retirement, death, or transfer to a position of a lower grade, of any officer holding any such temporary position.