---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2012"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2012"
heading: "Support and services for eligible organizations and activities outside Department of Defense"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2012"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part III — Training and Education"
  - "Chapter 101 — Training Generally"
---

# §2012. Support and services for eligible organizations and activities outside Department of Defense

- (a) **Authority To Provide Services and Support.—** Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may in accordance with this section authorize units or individual members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) under that [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)’s jurisdiction to provide support and services, including [supplies](/usc/10/3011.md?p=8) incidental to such support and services, to non-[Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense organizations and activities specified in [subsection (e)](#e), but only if—
  - (1) such assistance is authorized by a provision of law (other than this section); or
  - (2) the provision of such assistance is incidental to [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9).
- (b) **Scope of Covered Activities Subject to Section.—** This section does not—
  - (1) apply to the provision by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5), under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, of customary community relations and public affairs activities conducted in accordance with [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense policy; or
  - (2) prohibit the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) from encouraging members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) under the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)’s jurisdiction to provide volunteer support for community relations activities under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense.
- (c) **Requirement for Specific Request.—** Assistance under [subsection (a)](#a) may only be provided if—
  - (1) the assistance is requested by a responsible official of the organization to which the assistance is to be provided; and
  - (2) the assistance is not reasonably available from a commercial entity or (if so available) the official submitting the request for assistance certifies that the commercial entity that would otherwise provide such services has agreed to the provision of such services by the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).
- (d) **Relationship to Military Training.—**
  - (1) Assistance under [subsection (a)](#a) may only be provided if the following requirements are met:
    - (A) The provision of such assistance—
      - (i) in the case of assistance by a unit, will accomplish valid unit [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) requirements; and
      - (ii) in the case of assistance by an individual member, will involve tasks directly related to the specific [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) occupational specialty of the member.
    - (B) The provision of such assistance will not adversely affect the quality of [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) or otherwise interfere with the ability of a member or unit of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to perform the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [functions](/usc/10/467.md?p=1) of the member or unit.
    - (C) The provision of such assistance will not result in a significant increase in the cost of the [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9).
  - (2) [Subparagraph (A)(i)](#d-1-A-i) of paragraph (1) does not apply in a case in which the assistance to be provided consists primarily of [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) manpower and the total amount of such assistance in the case of a particular project does not exceed 100 man-hours.
- (e) **Eligible Entities.—** The following organizations and activities are eligible for assistance under this section:
  - (1) Any Federal, regional, [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4), or local governmental entity.
  - (2) Youth and charitable organizations specified in [section 508 of title 32](/usc/32/508.md).
  - (3) Owners and operators of critical infrastructure (as such term is defined in section 1016(e) of Public Law 107–56 ([42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)](/usc/42/5195c.md?p=e))).
  - (4) Any other entity as may be approved by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense on a case-by-case basis.
- (f) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall prescribe regulations governing the provision of assistance under this section. The regulations shall include the following:
  - (1) Rules governing the types of assistance that may be provided.
  - (2) Procedures governing the delivery of assistance that ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that such assistance is provided in conjunction with, rather than separate from, civilian efforts.
  - (3) Procedures for appropriate coordination with civilian officials to ensure that the assistance—
    - (A) meets a valid need; and
    - (B) does not duplicate other available public services.
  - (4) Procedures to ensure that [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense resources are not applied exclusively to the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) receiving the assistance.
  - (5) Procedures to ensure that assistance provided to an entity specified in [subsection (e)(3)](#e-3) is provided in a manner that is consistent with similar assistance provided under authorities applicable to other Federal [departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) and [agencies](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3), including the authorities of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security [Agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Homeland Security pursuant to title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ([6 U.S.C. 651](/usc/6/651.md) et seq.).
- (g) **Treatment of Member’s Participation in Provision of Support or Services.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may not require or request a member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to submit for consideration by a selection board (including a promotion board, command selection board, or any other kind of selection board) evidence of the member’s participation in the provision of support and services to non-[Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense organizations and activities under this section or the member’s involvement in, or support of, other community relations and public affairs activities of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).
  - (2) [Paragraph (1)](#g-1) does not prevent a selection board from considering material submitted voluntarily by a member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) which provides evidence of the participation of that member or another member in activities described in that paragraph.
- (h) **Advisory Councils.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall encourage the establishment of advisory councils at regional, [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4), and local levels, as appropriate, in order to obtain recommendations and guidance concerning assistance under this section from [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who are knowledgeable about regional, [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4), and local conditions and needs.
  - (2) The advisory councils should include officials from relevant [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) organizations, representatives of appropriate local, [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4), and Federal [agencies](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3), representatives of civic and social service organizations, business representatives, and labor representatives.
  - (3) [Chapter 10](/usc/5/chptI/ch10.md) of title 5 shall not apply to such councils.
- (i) **Construction of Provision.—**
  - (1) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing—
    - (A) the use of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) for civilian law enforcement purposes or, except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#i-2), for [response](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) to natural or manmade disasters; or
    - (B) the use of [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense personnel or resources for any [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1), project, or activity that is prohibited by law.
  - (2) Funds available to the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) for operation and maintenance for the Innovative Readiness [Training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) (as established pursuant to this section) may be expended under this section, upon approval by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5), to assist in demolition, clearing of roads, infrastructure improvements, and [military construction](/usc/10/2801.md?p=a) to restore an area after a natural disaster.
- (j) **Oversight and Cost Accounting.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall establish a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to improve the oversight and cost accounting of [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) projects conducted in accordance with this section. The [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) shall include measures to accomplish the following:
  - (1) Ensure that each project that is proposed to be conducted in accordance with this section (regardless of whether additional funding from the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense is sought) is requested in writing, reviewed for full compliance with this section, and approved in advance of initiation by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned and, in the case of a project that seeks additional funding from the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense.
  - (2) Ensure that each project that is conducted in accordance with this section is required to provide, within a specified period following completion of the project, an after-action report to the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense.
  - (3) Require that each application for a project to be conducted in accordance with this section include an analysis and certification that the proposed project would not result in a significant increase in the cost of [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) (as determined in accordance with procedures prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense).
  - (4) Determine the total [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) cost for each project, including both those costs that are borne by the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8) from their own accounts and those costs that are borne by defense-wide accounts.
  - (5) Provide for oversight of project execution to ensure that a [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) project under this section is carried out in accordance with the proposal for that project as approved.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 572(a)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 353; amended Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title V, § 594, Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1764; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title V, § 525(a), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2014; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XV, § 1512, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2039; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(51), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4311; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title III, § 341, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 223; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title III, § 332, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 816.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Homeland Security Act of 2002, referred to in subsec. (f)(5), is Pub. L. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2135. Title XXII of the Act is classified principally to subchapter XVIII (§ 651 et seq.) of chapter 1 of Title 6. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 101 of Title 6 and Tables.

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 inserted “, including supplies incidental to such support and services,” after “and services” in introductory provisions.

2023—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 118–31 designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, of par. (1), inserted “, except as provided in paragraph (2),” before “for response” in subpar. (A), and added par. (2).

2022—Subsec. (h)(3). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)”.

2021—Subsec. (e)(3), (4). Pub. L. 117–81, § 1512(1), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).

Subsec. (f)(5). Pub. L. 117–81, § 1512(2), added par. (5).

1998—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 105–261 added subsec. (j).

1997—Subsecs. (g) to (i). Pub. L. 105–85 added subsec. (g) and redesignated former subsecs. (g) and (h) as (h) and (i), respectively.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Implementation

Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title V, § 525(b), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2014, as amended by Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1066(b)(4), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 772, provided that: “The Secretary of Defense may not initiate any project under section 2012 of title 10, United States Code, after October 1, 1998, until the program required by subsection (j) of that section (as added by subsection (a)) has been established.”

### Termination of Funding for Office of Civil-Military Programs in Office of the Secretary of Defense

Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 574, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 356, provided that: “No funds may be obligated or expended after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 10, 1996] (1) for the office that as of the date of the enactment of this Act is designated, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs [now Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs], as the Office of Civil-Military Programs, or (2) for any other entity within the Office of the Secretary of Defense that has an exclusive or principal mission of providing centralized direction for activities under section 2012 of title 10, United States Code, as added by section 572.”