200 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

his former or any other organization, obtaining in the latter
case first the permission of his former commanding officer,
approved by the Commander-in-Chief, shall receive credit for
the time served before such discharge.

SEC. 55. An enlisted man who has not returned all the public
property for which he is responsible shall under no circum-
stances receive a full and honorable discharge. A discharge
or an honorable discharge, at the discretion of the officer dis-
charging him, shall be granted to the following: A non-com-
missioned staff officer or a non-commissioned officer who, had
he not been enlisted as such, would be reduced to the ranks;
an enlisted man at his own request, provided he assigns suffi-
cient and valid reason for such request; an enlisted man who
by reason of disability is no longer able to perform his military
duties properly; an enlisted man who, by the reduction of his
regiment, battalion or company has become surplus, or whose
signal corps, troop, battery or company shall be disbanded,
provided he is not entitled at the time to a full and honorable
discharge; an enlisted man who has served the time for which
he is enlisted or re-enlisted, and is not entitled to a full and
honorable discharge. A full and honorable discharge shall be
granted to the following: An enlisted man who shall have per-
formed in each year at least sixty per cent, of the duty his
signal corps, troop, battery, company, division, battalion or
regiment has been required by law and orders to perform
during his term of enlistment or re-enlistment, or during his
total service, in case the same has been extended beyond the
term for which he has enlisted; an enlisted man who fails to
perform sixty per cent, of his duty during any year of his
service may continue in the service, at the option of his com-
manding officer, and make up such deficiency; an enlisted man
who continues in service after the expiration of his term of
enlistment or re-enlistment shall, in case he desires a discharge,
give fifteen days' notice of application therefor to the officer
authorized to grant the same, and such officer may, in his dis-
cretion, grant such a discharge forthwith, or hold the same
until the expiration of said fifteen days. An enlisted man
shall be held for service until his discharge is granted and
issued. Discharges without honor shall be given to the fol-
lowing: An enlisted man whose immediate commander applies
to have him discharged for the good of the service, after giving
him ten days' notice of such application and an opportunity
to be heard in defense of his conduct; but if an enlisted man
has been absent without leave for three months, and his where-
abouts unknown so that notice cannot be served on him, he may
be discharged without honor upon request of his commanding