---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 773"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "773"
heading: "When distinctive insignia required"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/773"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 45 — The Uniform"
---

# §773. When distinctive insignia required

- (a) A [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) for whom one of the following uniforms is prescribed may wear it, if it [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4) distinctive insignia prescribed 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 to distinguish it from the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force, as the case may be:
  - (1) The uniform prescribed by the university, college, or school for an instructor or member of the organized [cadet](/usc/10/801.md?p=6) corps of—
    - (A) a [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) university or college, or a public high school, having a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) course of [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) instruction; or
    - (B) an educational institution having a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) course of [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) instruction, and having a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force as instructor in [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) science and tactics.
  - (2) The uniform prescribed by a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) society composed of [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) discharged honorably or under honorable conditions from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force to be worn by a member of that society when authorized by regulations prescribed by the President.
- (b) A uniform prescribed under [subsection (a)](#a) may not include insignia of [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) the same as, or similar to, those prescribed for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.
- (c) Under such regulations as 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 may prescribe, any [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who is permitted to attend a course of instruction prescribed for members of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’ [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) corps, and who is not a member of that corps, may, while attending that course of instruction, wear the uniform of that corps.

## Source credit

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 35; Pub. L. 85–355, Mar. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 66; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(3)(P), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3821.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 773(a)<br>773(b) | 10:1393 (words between 4th and 7th semicolons of 1st proviso, and 2d proviso, of 1st par.).<br>10:1393 (last proviso of 1st par.). | June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 125 (words between 4th and 7th semicolons of 1st proviso, and 2d and last provisos, of 1st par.), 39 Stat. 216; June 4, 1920, ch. 228, § 8, 41 Stat. 836; Sept. 15, 1951, ch. 402, 65 Stat. 323; July 6, 1953, ch. 180, § 1, 67 Stat. 140. |

In subsection (a), the word “mark” is omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (a)(2), the words “persons discharged honorably or under honorable conditions from” are substituted for the words “entirely of honorably discharged officers or enlisted men, or both, of”. The words “Regular or Volunteer” are omitted as surplusage. The words “when authorized by regulations prescribed by” are substituted for the words “upon occasions authorized by regulations of”.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps” in subsec. (a) wherever appearing and in subsec. (b).

1958—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85–355 added subsec. (c).