WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 10, Armed Forces › Chapter 1

10 U.S.C. 101: Definitions

Created in 1958 by Public Law 85-861. Changed by 37 later laws. 1 bill in this Congress would change it.

This Congress

  • H.R. 8800 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 · passed house · would change (b)

How it got here

2023

  • Pub. L. 118–31, §1741(a)(3), substituted "Marine Corps, or Space Force" for "or Marine Corps". Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 118–31, §1716(b)(1), inserted before period at end "and, with respect to the appointment of a member of the armed forces in the Space Force, refers to that member's most recent appointment in the Space Force that is neither a promotion nor a demotion". Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 118–31, §1713(b)(1), inserted ", including sustained duty in the Space Force" after "United States". Law text · (d)
  • Pub. L. 118–31, §1713(b)(2), inserted ", or a member of the Space Force," after "Reserves" in subpars. (A) and (B). Law text · (d)
  • Pub. L. 118–31, §1713(a), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsecs. (e) to (g) as (f) to (h), respectively. Law text · (e), (f), (g), (h)

2021

  • Pub. L. 116–283, §1081(a)(5), substituted "section 3713" for "section 712". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 117–81 added pars. (19) and (20). Law text · (a), (20)
  • Pub. L. 116–283, §924(a), substituted "Marine Corps, or Space Force" for "or Marine Corps". Law text · (b)

2019

  • Pub. L. 116–92, §952(c), inserted "Space Force," after "Marine Corps,". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 116–92, §958(a)(1), inserted "and the Space Force" after "concerning the Air Force". Law text · (a)

2018

  • Pub. L. 115–232, §1204(a)(3), substituted "chapter 13" for "chapter 15". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 115–232, §312(f), struck out "task critical assets and other" before "mission essential operations". Law text · (e)
  • Pub. L. 115–232, §2805(e), added par. (8). Law text · (e)

2017

  • Pub. L. 115–91 added pars. (6) and (7). Law text · (e), (7)

2016

  • Pub. L. 114–328 substituted "(50 U.S.C. 3809(b)(2))" for "(50 U.S.C. App. 460(b)(2))". Law text · (d)

2013

  • Pub. L. 112–239 inserted "section 712 of title 14," after "chapter 15 of this title,". Law text · (a)

2011

  • Pub. L. 112–81 inserted "12304a," after "12304,". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 111–383 added par. (18). Law text · (a)

2006

  • Pub. L. 109–163, §1057(a)(1), struck out par. (2) which read as follows: "The term 'Territory' (except as provided in section 101(1) of title 32 for laws relating to the militia, the National Guard, the Army National Guard of the United States, and the Air National Guard of the Unit… Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 109–163, §1057(a)(2), struck out "Territory or" before "Commonwealth". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 109–364, §524(1), added par. (16). Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 109–364, §524(2), struck out "or full-time National Guard duty" after "means active duty" and substituted "pursuant to an order to full-time National Guard duty," for ", pursuant to an order to active duty or full-time National Guard duty". Law text · (d)
  • Pub. L. 109–163, §1056(c)(1), struck out comma after "bulk explosives". Law text · (e)

2004

  • Pub. L. 108–375 substituted "Secretary of a military department" for "Secretary of Defense" in introductory provisions. Law text · (e)

2003

  • Pub. L. 108–136, §1045(a)(2), substituted "Homeland Security" for "Transportation". Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 108–136, §1043(a), added pars. (16) and (17). Law text · (a), (17)
  • Pub. L. 108–136, §1042(a), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsecs. (e) and (f) as (f) and (g), respectively. Law text · (e), (f), (g)

1996

  • Pub. L. 104–201 substituted "a member of a reserve component" for "a reserve commissioned officer, other than a commissioned warrant officer,". Law text · (d)
  • Pub. L. 104–160 substituted "section 10301" for "section 175". Law text · (d)

1994

  • Pub. L. 103–337, §1671(c)(1), substituted "688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, or 12406" for "672(a), 673, 673b, 673c, 688, 3500, or 8500". · (a)
  • Pub. L. 103–337, §1621, added par. (7). · (c)
  • Pub. L. 103–337, §514, added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7). · (d), (7)

1992

  • Pub. L. 102–484 amended section generally, substituting subsecs. (a) to (f) for former pars. (1) to (47) which defined terms for purposes of this title.

1991

  • Pub. L. 102–190 added par. (47). · (47)

1990

  • Pub. L. 101–510 added par. (46). · (46)

1988

  • Pub. L. 100–456 struck out "the Canal Zone," after "the Virgin Islands," in par. (3) and after "Puerto Rico," in pars. (10) and (12). · (3), (10), (12)

1987

  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), inserted "The term" after par. designation. · (1)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(1)(k)(B), inserted "the term" after "Air National Guard of the United States,". · (2)
  • Pub. L. 100–180, §1233(a)(2), amended directory language of Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(C), by adding par. (2) to those pars. excepted from direction that initial letter of first word after open quotation marks in each par. be made lowercase rather than uppercase. · (2)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), (C), inserted "The term" after par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after open quotation marks and substituted lowercase letter. · (3), (4), (5), (6), (7)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), inserted "The term" after par. designation. · (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13)
  • Pub. L. 100–180, §1231(1), inserted "a" after "means". · (14)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), (C), inserted "The term" after par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after open quotation marks and substituted lowercase letter. · (14)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), (C), inserted "The term" after par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after open quotation marks and substituted lowercase letter. · (15), (16), (17), (18), (19)
  • Pub. L. 100–180, §1231(20), substituted "The term 'rate" for " 'Rate" in second sentence. · (20)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), (C), inserted "The term" after par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after open quotation marks and substituted lowercase letter. · (20)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(k)(1)(A), (C), inserted "The term" after par. designation and struck out uppercase letter of first word after open quotation marks and substituted lowercase letter. · (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26), (27), (28), (29), (30), (31), (32), (33), (34), (35), (36), (37), (38), (39), (40), (41), (42), (43)
  • Pub. L. 100–26, §7(i)(1), (k)(1)(A), inserted "The term" after par. designation and substituted "October 1, 1986" for "the date of the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986". · (44), (45)

1986

  • Pub. L. 99–348 added par. (43). · (43)
  • Pub. L. 99–433 added pars. (44) and (45). · (44), (45)

1985

  • Pub. L. 99–145 substituted "rear admiral (lower half)" for "commodore". · (41)

1984

  • Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(1)(A), inserted "It does not include full-time National Guard duty." · (22)
  • Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(1)(B), inserted "or full-time National Guard duty". · (24)
  • Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(1)(C), added par. (42). · (42)

1981

  • Pub. L. 97–86 substituted "commodore" for "commodore admiral". · (41)
  • Pub. L. 97–22 inserted "or Coast Guard" after "Navy". · (41)

1980

  • Pub. L. 96–513, §501(2), struck out "duty on the active list," after "It includes". · (22)
  • Pub. L. 96–513, §115(a), struck out par. (36) which provided that "dependent", with respect to a female member of an armed force, did not include her husband, unless he was in fact dependent on her for his chief support, or her child, unless his father was dead or he was in fact dependen… · (36)
  • Pub. L. 96–513, §101, added pars. (37) to (41). · (37), (38), (39), (40), (41)

1972

  • Pub. L. 92–492 inserted "Except as provided in section 101(1) of title 32 for laws relating to the militia, the National Guard, the Army National Guard of the United States," before "Territory". · (2)

1968

  • Pub. L. 90–623 substituted "Secretary of Transportation" for "Secretary of the Treasury". · (8)
  • Pub. L. 90–235 added par. (36).

1962

  • Pub. L. 87–649 substituted "section 206 of title 37" for "section 301 of title 37". · (31)

1960

  • Pub. L. 80–624 struck out reference to Hawaii. · (2)

1959

  • Pub. L. 80–70 struck out reference to Alaska. · (2)

1958

  • Pub. L. 85–861, §1(1), added par. (25). · (25)
  • Pub. L. 85–861, §33(a)(1), added par. (35). · (35)

Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.