---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 141"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "141"
heading: "Inspector General"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/141"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 4 — Office of the Secretary of Defense"
---

# §141. Inspector General

- (a) There is an Inspector General of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense, who is appointed as provided in [section 403 of title 5](/usc/5/403.md).
- (b) The Inspector General performs the duties, has the responsibilities, and exercises the powers specified in chapter 4 of title 5.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 99–433, title I, § 108, Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 998, § 140; renumbered § 141, Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, § 901(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1726; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(b)(26), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4346.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 141 was renumbered section 138d of this title.

Another prior section 141 of this title was contained in chapter 5 of this title, prior to amendment by Pub. L. 99–433. See note preceding section 151 of this title.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(b)(26)(A), substituted “section 403 of title 5.” for “section 3 of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–452; 5 U.S.C. App. 3).”

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(b)(26)(B), substituted “chapter 4 of title 5.” for “the Inspector General Act of 1978.”

1993—Pub. L. 103–160 renumbered section 140 of this title as this section.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Inspector General Oversight of Diversity and Inclusion in Department of Defense; Supremacist, Extremist, or Criminal Gang Activity in the Armed Forces

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 554, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3633, as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 549K, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1731, which related to Inspector General oversight of diversity and inclusion in Department of Defense and the establishment of policies, processes, and mechanisms for supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang activity in certain Armed Forces, was repealed by Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title IX, § 901(d), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1007.