---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1562a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1562a"
heading: "Complaints of retaliation by victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment and related persons: tracking by Department of Defense"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1562a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 80 — Miscellaneous Investigation Requirements and Other Duties"
---

# §1562a. Complaints of retaliation by victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment and related persons: tracking by Department of Defense

- (a) **Designation of Responsible Component.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall designate a [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) of the Office of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense to be responsible for documenting and tracking all covered allegations of retaliation and shall ensure that the [Secretaries](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) concerned and the Inspector General of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense provide to such [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) the information required to be documented and tracked as described in [subsection (b)](#b).
  - (2) **Coast guard.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) in which the Coast Guard is operating shall designate the Commandant of the Coast Guard to be responsible for carrying out the requirements of this section with respect to members of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy.
- (b) **Tracking of Allegations.—** The head of the [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) and the Commandant of the Coast Guard under [subsection (a)](#a) shall document and track each covered allegation of retaliation, including—
  - (1) that such an allegation has been reported and by whom;
  - (2) the date of the report;
  - (3) the nature of the allegation and the name of the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) or [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) alleged to have engaged in such retaliation;
  - (4) the [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) or other entity responsible for the investigation of or inquiry into the allegation;
  - (5) the entry of findings;
  - (6) referral of such findings to a decisionmaker for review and action, as appropriate;
  - (7) the outcome of final action; and
  - (8) any other element of information pertaining to the allegation determined appropriate by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) or the head of the [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) designated by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) or with respect to the Coast Guard, the [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) designated by the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
- (c) **Covered Allegation of Retaliation Defined.—** In this section, the term “covered allegation of retaliation” means an allegation of retaliation—
  - (1) made by—
    - (A) an alleged victim of sexual assault or sexual harassment;
    - (B) an individual charged with providing services or support to an alleged victim of sexual assault or sexual harassment;
    - (C) a witness or bystander to an alleged sexual assault or sexual harassment; or
    - (D) any other [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) associated with an alleged victim of a sexual assault or sexual harassment; and
  - (2) without regard to whether the allegation is reported to or investigated or inquired into by—
    - (A) the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense Inspector General, the Inspector General of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Homeland Security, or any other inspector general;
    - (B) a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) criminal investigative organization;
    - (C) a commander or other [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) at the direction of the commander;
    - (D) another armed force or civilian law enforcement organization; or
    - (E) any other organization, [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), or employee of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense or [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) in which the Coast Guard is operating when not operating as a service in the Navy for members of the Coast Guard.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 544(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1710; amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXV, § 7521, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1813.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(2)(A), inserted “and the Commandant of the Coast Guard” after “Secretary” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(2)(C), struck out “Department of Defense” before “component”.

Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(2)(B), inserted “or with respect to the Coast Guard, the component designated by the Commandant of the Coast Guard” before period at end.

Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(3)(A), inserted “, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security,” before “or any other inspector general”.

Subsec. (c)(2)(D). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(3)(B), substituted “armed force” for “military”.

Subsec. (c)(2)(E). Pub. L. 119–60, § 7521(3)(C), inserted “or department in which the Coast Guard is operating when not operating as a service in the Navy for members of the Coast Guard” after “Department of Defense”.