Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§1782 Surveys of military families

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 88— - MILITARY FAMILY PROGRAMS AND MILITARY CHILD CARE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - MILITARY FAMILY PROGRAMS › § 1782

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Defense may run surveys to find out how well federal programs for military families work and whether new programs are needed. Surveys can include service members who are on active duty, in active status, or retired, their family members, and survivors of deceased retired members or of those who died on active duty. Answering is voluntary. People who are not federal employees but take the survey will be treated as federal employees under section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44. The Secretary had to do a survey in fiscal year 2010, and may do more surveys at least once every three fiscal years.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §1782

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Defense, in order to determine the effectiveness of Federal programs relating to military families and the need for new programs, may conduct surveys of—
(1)members of the armed forces who are on active duty, in an active status, or retired;
(2)family members of such members; and
(3)survivors of deceased retired members and of members who died while on active duty.
(b)Responses to surveys conducted under this section shall be voluntary.
(c)With respect to a survey authorized under subsection (a) that includes a person referred to in that subsection who is not an employee of the United States or is not otherwise considered an employee of the United States for the purposes of section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44, the person shall be considered as being an employee of the United States for the purposes of that section.
(d)Notwithstanding subsection (a), during fiscal year 2010, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a survey otherwise authorized under such subsection. Thereafter, additional surveys may be conducted not less often than once every three fiscal years.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–181 added subsec. (d). 2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–107, § 572(a), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Text read as follows: “The Secretary of Defense may conduct surveys of members of the armed forces on active duty or in an active status, members of the families of such members, and retired members of the armed forces to determine the effectiveness of Federal programs relating to military families and the need for new programs.” Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–107, § 572(b), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Text read as follows: “With respect to such surveys, family members of members of the armed forces and reserve and retired members of the armed forces shall be considered to be employees of the United States for purposes of section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 1782

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73