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Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§7074 Commands: territorial organization; engineer tactical units

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle B— - Army › Part PART I— - ORGANIZATION › Chapter CHAPTER 707— - THE ARMY › § 7074

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Army decides how the Army is organized into commands, forces, and other units, unless a law or the Secretary of Defense says otherwise. The Secretary can divide the United States, its territories, and other places the Army works into areas, assign officers to run those areas, and give those officers the duties and powers needed. The President can make parts of the Army Corps of Engineers into tactical units and decide how they are organized.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §7074

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise prescribed by law or by the Secretary of Defense, the Army shall be divided into such commands, forces, and organizations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army.
(b)For Army purposes, the United States, the Commonwealths and possessions, and other places in which the Army is stationed or is operating may be divided into such areas as may be directed by the Secretary. Officers of the Army may be assigned to command Army activities, installations, and personnel in those areas. In the discharge of the Army’s functions or other functions authorized by law, officers so assigned have the duties and powers prescribed by the Secretary.
(c)Such part of the Corps of Engineers as the President directs shall be formed into tactical units organized as he prescribes.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3074(a)3074(b)3074(c)10:1d.10:1e.10:181 (less 1st 39 words).
June 28, 1950, ch. 383, §§ 303, 304, 64 Stat. 268.
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 11 (less 1st 41 words); restated
June 4, 1920, ch. 227, subch. I, § 11 (less 1st 41 words), 41 Stat. 768. In subsection (b), the words “have the duties and powers” are substituted for the words “shall perform such duties and exercise such powers”. The words “of America”, “other provisions”, and “so assigned” are omitted as surplusage. The word “Commonwealths” is inserted to reflect the present status of Puerto Rico.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 3074 of this title as this section. 2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Commonwealths and possessions” for “Territories, Commonwealths, and possessions”. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–433 inserted reference to Secretary of Defense.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 7074

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73