Title 10 of the United States Code


Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of United States Armed Forces.
It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense. Each of the five subtitles deals with a separate aspect or component of the armed services.
The current Title 10 was the result of an overhaul and renumbering of the former Title 10 and Title 34 into one title by an act of Congress on August 10, 1956. The provisions of United States Code within Title 10 that are outlined in this article are up to date as of March 13, 2024.
Title 32 outlines the related but different legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of the United States National Guard in the United States Code. Laws regarding the National Guard in federal service are in Title 10, Chapter 1211.

Subtitle A — General Military Law

Part I — Organization and General Military Powers

  • — Definitions, rules of construction, cross-references, and related matters
  • — Department of Defense
  • — General powers and functions
  • — Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • — Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • — Combatant commands
  • — Boards, councils, and committees
  • — Defense agencies and Department of Defense field activities
  • — Defense budget matters
  • — Audit
  • — Reserve components
  • — The militia
  • — Insurrection
  • — Arming of American vessels
  • — Military support for civilian law enforcement agencies
  • — Security cooperation
  • — Cyber and information operations matters
  • — Humanitarian and other assistance
  • — Department of Defense intelligence matters
  • — National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • — Miscellaneous studies and reports
  • — Nuclear posture
  • — Electromagnetic Warfare

Part II — Personnel

  • — Enlistments
  • — Officer strength and distribution in grade
  • — Original appointments of regular officers in grades above warrant officer grades
  • — Appointment, promotion, and involuntary separation and retirement for members on the warrant officer active-duty list
  • — Appointments as reserve officers
  • — Temporary appointments in officer grades
  • — Promotion, separation, and involuntary retirement of officers on the active-duty list
  • — General service requirements
  • — Joint officer management
  • — Active duty
  • — Leave
  • — Special appointments, assignments, details, and duties
  • — Rank and command
  • — The uniform
  • — Uniform Code of Military Justice
  • — Military commissions
  • — Military correctional facilities
  • — Miscellaneous prohibitions and penalties
  • — Miscellaneous command responsibilities
  • — Reserve components: Standards and procedures for retention and promotion
  • — Miscellaneous rights and benefits
  • — Commissary and exchange benefits
  • — Medical and dental care
  • — Department of Defense Medicare-eligible retiree health care fund
  • — Decorations and awards
  • — Benefits and services for members being separated or recently separated
  • — Separation
  • — Separation of regular officers for substandard performance of duty or for certain other reasons
  • — Retirement or separation for physical disability
  • — Retirement for age
  • — Retirement of warrant officers for length of service
  • — Retired pay for non-regular service
  • — Retired grade
  • — Computation of retired pay
  • — Annuities based on retired or retainer pay
  • — Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund
  • — Deceased personnel
  • — Missing persons
  • — Posthumous commissions and warrants
  • — Correction of military records
  • — Miscellaneous investigation requirements and other duties
  • — Civilian employees
  • — Civilian Defense Intelligence Employees
  • — Defense Acquisition Workforce
  • — Military family programs and military child care

Part III — Training and Education

Part IV — Service, Supply, and Property

  • — Planning and Coordination
  • — Facilities for Reserve Components
  • — Miscellaneous Administrative Provisions
  • — Space Programs
  • — Provisions Relating to Specific Programs
  • — Cooperative Agreements with NATO Allies and Other Countries
  • — Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Property
  • — Production by Military Agencies
  • — Cataloging and Standardization
  • — Contracting for Performance of Civilian Commercial or Industrial Type Functions
  • — Commissaries and Exchanges and Other Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Activities
  • — Issue of Supplies, Services, and Facilities
  • — Exchange of Material and Disposal of Obsolete, Surplus, or Unclaimed Property
  • — Acceptance of Gifts and Services
  • — Transportation
  • — Real Property; Related Personal Property; and Lease of Non-Excess Property
  • — Environmental Restoration
  • — Property Records and Report of Theft or Loss of Certain Property
  • — Military Claims
  • — Accountability and Responsibility
  • — Military Construction and Military Family Housing
  • — Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program
  • — Energy Security

Part V — Acquisition

  • — General
  • * — Definitions
  • * — General matters
  • * — Defense acquisition system
  • * — Budgeting and appropriations
  • * — Operational contract support
  • — Acquisition Planning
  • * — Planning and solicitation generally
  • * — Independent cost estimation and cost analysis
  • * — Other provisions relating to planning and solicitation generally
  • — Contracting Methods and Contract Types
  • * — Awarding of contracts
  • * — Specific types of contracts
  • * — Other matters relating to awarding of contracts
  • * — Undefinitized contractual actions
  • * — Task and delivery order contracts
  • * — Procurement of commercial products and commercial services
  • * — Multiyear contracts
  • * — Simplified acquisition procedures
  • * — Rapid acquisition procedures
  • * — Contracting with or through other agencies
  • * — Contracts for long-term lease or charter of vessels, aircraft, and combat vehicles
  • * — Other types of contracts used for procurements for particular purposes
  • — General Contracting Provisions
  • * — Truthful cost or pricing data
  • * — Allowable costs
  • * — Proprietary contractor data and rights in technical data
  • * — Contract financing
  • * — Contractor audits and accounting
  • * — Claims and disputes
  • * — Other contracting programs
  • — Research and Engineering
  • * — Research and engineering generally
  • * — Research and engineering activities
  • * — Universities
  • * — Test and evaluation
  • — Major Systems, Major Defense Acquisition Programs, and Weapon Systems Development
  • * — General matters
  • * — Major systems and major defense acquisition programs generally
  • * — Life-cycle and sustainment
  • * — Selected acquisition reports
  • * — Cost growth—unit cost reports
  • * — Weapon systems development and related matters
  • — Other Special Categories Of Contracting
  • * — Acquisition of services generally
  • * — Acquisition of information technology
  • — Contract Management
  • * — Contract administration
  • * — Prohibition and penalties
  • * — Contractor workforce
  • * — Other administrative matters
  • — Defense Industrial Base
  • * — Defense industrial base generally
  • * — Policies and planning
  • * — Development, application, and support of dual-use technologies
  • * — Manufacturing technology
  • * — Other technology base policies and programs
  • * — Small business programs
  • * — Procurement technical assistance cooperative agreement program
  • * — Loan guarantee programs

Subtitle B — Army

Part I — Organization

Part II — Personnel

  • — Strength
  • — Enlistments
  • — Appointments in the Regular Army
  • — Temporary appointments
  • — Active duty
  • — Special appointments, assignments, details, and duties
  • — Rank and command
  • — Miscellaneous prohibitions and penalties
  • — Miscellaneous rights and benefits
  • — Hospitalization
  • — Decorations and awards
  • — Retirement for length of service
  • — Retired grade
  • — Computation of retired pay
  • — Civilian employees
  • — Miscellaneous investigation requirements and other duties

Part III — Training

Part IV — Service, Supply, and Procurement

  • — Procurement
  • — Armaments industrial base
  • — Issue of serviceable material to armed forces
  • — Utilities and services
  • — Sale of serviceable material
  • — Issue of serviceable material other than to armed forces
  • — Disposal of obsolete or surplus material
  • — Disposition of effects of deceased persons; captured flags
  • — Army national military cemeteries
  • — Transportation
  • — Real property
  • — Military claims
  • — Accountability and responsibility

Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps

Part I — Organization

Part II — Personnel

  • — Distribution in grade
  • — Grade and rank of officers
  • — Enlistments
  • — Original appointments
  • — Officers in command
  • — Special assignments and details
  • — Administration
  • — Rations
  • — Miscellaneous prohibitions and penalties
  • — Miscellaneous rights and benefits
  • — Hospitalization and medical care
  • — Bands
  • — Decorations and awards
  • — Discharge of enlisted members
  • — Voluntary retirement
  • — Involuntary retirement, separation, and furlough
  • — Recall to active duty
  • — Death benefits; care of the dead

Part III — Education and Training

  • — Officer procurement programs
  • — Training generally
  • — United States Naval Academy
  • — United States Naval Postgraduate School
  • — Retirement of civilian members of the teaching staffs of the United States Naval Academy and United States Naval Postgraduate School
  • — Professional military education schools

Part IV — General Administration

  • — Secretary of the Navy: Miscellaneous powers and duties
  • — Naval vessels
  • — Salvage facilities
  • — United States Naval Observatory
  • — Naval petroleum reserves
  • — Civilian employees
  • — Procurement of supplies and services
  • — Disposal of obsolete or surplus material
  • — Quarters, utilities, and services
  • — Ships' stores and commissary stores
  • — Claims
  • — Prize
  • — Stay of judicial proceedings
  • — Naval militia
  • — Accountability and responsibility
  • — Names and insignia
  • — National Oceanographic Partnership Program
  • — Issue of serviceable material other than to armed forces
  • — Maritime safety of forces

Subtitle D — Air Force and Space Force

Part I — Organization

Part II — Personnel

  • — Strength
  • — Enlistments
  • — Appointments in the Regular Air Force and the Regular Space Force
  • — Temporary Appointments
  • — Active Duty
  • — Special Appointments, Assignments, Details, and Duties
  • — Rank and Command
  • — Miscellaneous Prohibitions and Penalties
  • — Miscellaneous Rights and Benefits
  • — Hospitalization
  • — Decorations and Awards
  • — Separation for Various Reasons
  • — Retirement for Length of Service
  • — Retired Grade
  • — Computation of Retired Pay
  • — Civilian Employees
  • — Miscellaneous Investigation Requirements and Other Duties

Part III — Training

Part IV — Service, Supply, and Procurement

  • — Civil Reserve Air Fleet
  • — Procurement
  • — Issue of Serviceable Material to Armed Forces
  • — Utilities and Services
  • — Sale of Serviceable Material
  • — Issue of Serviceable Material Other Than to Armed Forces
  • — Disposal of Obsolete or Surplus Material
  • — Disposition of Effects of Deceased Persons
  • — Transportation
  • — Real Property
  • — Military Claims
  • — Accountability and Responsibility

Subtitle E — Reserve Components

Part I — Organization and Administration

  • — Definitions
  • — Reserve Components Generally
  • — Elements of Reserve Components
  • — Reserve Component Commands
  • — Administration of Reserve Components
  • — Reserve Forces Policy Boards and Committees
  • — National Guard Bureau
  • — Budget Information and Annual Reports to Congress

Part II — Personnel Generally

  • — Authorized Strengths and Distribution in Grade
  • — Enlisted Members
  • — Appointment of Reserve Officers
  • — Warrant Officers
  • — Active Duty
  • — National Guard Members in Federal Service
  • — Special Appointments, Assignments, Details, and Duties
  • — Ready Reserve Mobilization Income Insurance
  • — Miscellaneous Prohibitions and Penalties
  • — Miscellaneous Rights and Benefits
  • — Standards and Procedures for Retention and Promotion
  • — Separation
  • — Retired Pay for Non-Regular Service
  • — Retired Grade

Part III — Promotion and Retention of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List

  • — Applicability and Reserve Active-Status Lists
  • — Selection Boards
  • — Promotions
  • — Failure of Selection for Promotion and Involuntary Separation
  • — Continuation of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List and Selective Early Removal
  • — Additional Provisions Relating to Involuntary Separation

Part IV — Training for Reserve Components and Educational Assistance Programs

  • — Training Generally
  • — Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve
  • — Educational Assistance for Reserve Component Members Supporting Contingency Operations and Certain Other Operations
  • — Health Professions Stipend Program
  • — Education Loan Repayment Programs
  • — Other Educational Assistance Programs

Part V — Service, Supply, and Procurement

  • — Issue of Serviceable Material to Reserve Components
  • — Facilities for Reserve Components
  • — Miscellaneous Provisions