---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 499b"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "499b"
heading: "Participation in United States Strategic Command strategic deterrence exercises"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/499b"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 24 — Nuclear Posture"
---

# §499b. Participation in United States Strategic Command strategic deterrence exercises

- (a) **Participation.—** In the case of annual strategic deterrence exercises held by the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Strategic Command during fiscal years 2022 through 2032—
  - (1) the Assistant to the President for [National Security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) Affairs is encouraged to participate in each such exercise that occurs during an even-numbered year;
  - (2) the Deputy Assistant to the President for [National Security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) Affairs is encouraged to participate in each such exercise that occurs during an odd-numbered year;
  - (3) the Under [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense for Policy shall participate, in whole or in part, in each such exercise;
  - (4) the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall participate, in whole or in part, in each such exercise;
  - (5) appropriate senior staff of the Executive Office of the President or appropriate organizations supporting the White House relating to continuity of government activities are encouraged to participate in each such exercise;
  - (6) appropriate general or [flag officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-5) of the [military departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-8), and appropriate employees of Federal [agencies](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) in Senior Executive Service positions (as defined in [section 3132 of title 5](/usc/5/3132.md)), shall participate, in whole or in part, in each such exercise, to provide relevant expertise to the Assistant to the President for [National Security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) Affairs and the Deputy Assistant to the President for [National Security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) Affairs; and
  - (7) in the case of such an exercise for which a unified combatant command has a geographic area of responsibility relevant to the scenario planned to be used for the exercise, not fewer than two of the following individuals from that command shall participate, in whole or in part, in the exercise:
    - (A) The Commander.
    - (B) The Deputy Commander.
    - (C) The Director of the Joint Staff for Operations.
    - (D) The Director of the Joint Staff for Strategic Plans and Policy.
- (b) **Briefing.—** Not fewer than once every four years (or more frequently if appropriate) during the period specified in [subsection (a)](#a), the President shall be provided a briefing on the annual strategic deterrence exercise held by the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Strategic Command during the year in which the briefing is provided, including the principal findings resulting from the exercise.
- (c) **Reports.—**
  - (1) Not later than 30 days after the completion of an annual strategic deterrence exercise described in [subsection (a)](#a), the Commander of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Strategic Command shall submit to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense a report on the exercise, which, at a minimum, shall include the following:
    - (A) A description of the purpose and scope of the exercise.
    - (B) An identification of the principal personnel participating in the exercise.
    - (C) A statement of the principal findings resulting from the exercise that specifically relate to the nuclear command, control, and communications or senior leader decision-making process and a description of any deficiencies in that process identified a result of the exercise.
    - (D) Whether the President was briefed on the exercise and the principal findings resulting from the exercise.
  - (2) Not later than 60 days after the completion of an annual strategic deterrence exercise described in [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall submit to the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16)—
    - (A) an unedited copy of the report of the Commander submitted under [paragraph (1)](#c-1); and
    - (B) any additional recommendations or other matters the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) considers appropriate.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVI, § 1631, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2089.)