---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1135"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1135"
heading: "Replacement of military decorations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1135"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 57 — Decorations and Awards"
---

# §1135. Replacement of military decorations

- (a) **Replacement.—** In addition to other authorities available to the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) to replace a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall replace, on a one-time basis and without charge, a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration upon the request of the recipient of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration or the immediate next of kin of a deceased recipient.
- (b) **Prompt Replacement Required.—** When a request for the replacement of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration is received under this section or section [7277](/usc/10/7277.md), [7281](/usc/10/7281.md), [8303](/usc/10/8303.md), [9277](/usc/10/9277.md), or [9281](/usc/10/9281.md) of this title, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall ensure that—
  - (1) all actions to be taken with respect to the request, including verification of the service [record](/usc/10/801.md?p=14) of the recipient of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration, are completed within one year; and
  - (2) the replacement [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration is mailed to the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) requesting the replacement [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) decoration within 90 days after verification of the service [record](/usc/10/801.md?p=14).
- (c) **Military Decoration Defined.—** In this section, the term “decoration” means any decoration or award (other than the medal of honor) that may be presented or awarded by the President or the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) to a member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 571(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4471; amended Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title V, § 564, Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 768; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “section 7277, 7281, 8303, 9277, or 9281” for “section 3747, 3751, 6253, 8747, or 8751” in introductory provisions.

2013—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 113–66 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.