§2261 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

§2261 Presentation of recognition items for recruitment and retention purposes

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART IV— - SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROPERTY › Chapter CHAPTER 134— - MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY › § 2261

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets the Secretary of Defense set rules so government money can be used to buy low-cost recognition items to help recruit or keep people in the armed forces. Those items can be given to service members and to family members or other people whose support substantially facilitates service. For the rules in section 520c, giving these items counts as a recruiting activity and the people who get them are treated as people being recruited. A "recognition item of nominal or modest value" means things like commemorative coins, medals, trophies, badges, flags, posters, paintings, or similar items worth less than $50 each that honor or remember military service.

Title 10, §2261

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, appropriated funds may be expended—

(1)to procure recognition items of nominal or modest value for recruitment or retention purposes; and

(2)to present such items—

(A)to members of the armed forces; and

(B)to members of the families of members of the armed forces, and other individuals, recognized as providing support that substantially facilitates service in the armed forces.

(b)For purposes of section 520c of this title and any regulation prescribed to implement that section, functions conducted for the purpose of presenting recognition items described in subsection (a) shall be treated as recruiting functions, and recipients of such items shall be treated as persons who are the objects of recruiting efforts.

(c)In this section, the term “recognition item of nominal or modest value” means a commemorative coin, medal, trophy, badge, flag, poster, painting, or other similar item that is valued at less than $50 per item and is designed to recognize or commemorate service in the armed forces.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–364 struck out heading and text of subsec. (d). Text read as follows: “The authority under this section shall expire December 31, 2007.”

§2261 Presentation of recognition items for recruitment and retention purposes

Summary

Title 10, §2261

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata