---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1124a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1124a"
heading: "Cyber operations-peculiar awards"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1124a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 57 — Decorations and Awards"
---

# §1124a. Cyber operations-peculiar awards

- (a) **Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense and the [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) may authorize the payment of a cash award to, and incur necessary expense for the honorary recognition of, a member of the covered [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) whose novel actions, invention, or technical achievement enables or ensures operational outcomes in or through cyberspace against threats to [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16).
- (b) **Actions During Service.—** An award under this section may be paid notwithstanding the member’s death, separation, or retirement from the covered [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4). However, the novel action, invention, or technical achievement forming the basis for the award must have been made while the member was on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) or in an active [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) status and not otherwise eligible for an award under chapter 45 of title 5.
- (c) **Payment.—** Awards to, and expenses for the honorary recognition of, members of the covered [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) under this section may be paid from—
  - (1) the funds or appropriations available to the activity primarily benefiting from the novel action, invention, or technical achievement; or
  - (2) the several funds or appropriations of the various activities benefiting from the novel action, invention, or technical achievement.
- (d) **Amounts.—** The total amount of the award, or awards, made under this section for a novel action, invention, or technical achievement may not exceed $2,500, regardless of the number of [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who may be entitled to share therein.
- (e) **Regulations.—** Awards under this section shall be made under regulations to be prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense or by the [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8).
- (f) **Covered Armed Forces Defined.—** In this section, the term “covered [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4)” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title XV, § 1531, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2900.)