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

Summary

Enlisted members must be clearly told about a set of military justice rules when they first go on active duty, enter a reserve duty status, or start an active Space Force status, and this must happen within 14 days. They must be told again after six months of active duty (or after finishing basic or recruit training for reservists), after six months of sustained duty for Space Force members (or after their basic or recruit training if not on sustained duty), and again when they reenlist. The explanation covers these articles: 2, 3, 7–15, 25, 27, 31, 37, 38, 55, 77–134, and 137–139 (sections 802, 803, 807–815, 825, 827, 831, 837, 838, 855, 877–934, and 937–939). Officers must get the same explanations when they first go on active duty as an officer or when they are commissioned in a reserve component or the Space Force, and this can be done within six months. The Secretary in charge can add other articles to be explained. Officers who can start courts-martial or impose non-judicial punishment must get regular training on how the military justice system works. Officers in joint or combatant commands must get extra specialized training. Any member can ask to see the full text and must be allowed to read it, and the Secretary of Defense must keep the text and related rules available online and updated.

Title 10, §937

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The sections (articles) of this chapter specified in paragraph (3) shall be carefully explained to each enlisted member at the time of (or within fourteen days after)—

(A)the member’s initial entrance on active duty;

(B)the member’s initial entrance into a duty status with a reserve component; or

(C)the member’s initial entrance on active duty or into a space force active status.

(2)Such sections (articles) shall be explained again—

(A)after the member has completed six months of active duty or, in the case of a member of a reserve component, after the member has completed basic or recruit training;

(B)after a member of the Space Force has completed six months of sustained duty or in the case of a member not on sustained duty, after the member has completed basic or recruit training; and

(C)at the time when the member reenlists.

(3)This subsection applies with respect to section 802, 803, 807–815, 825, 827, 831, 837, 838, 855, 877–934, and 937–939 of this title (articles 2, 3, 7–15, 25, 27, 31, 37, 38, 55, 77–134, and 137–139).

(b)(1)The sections (articles) of this chapter specified in paragraph (2) shall be carefully explained to each officer at the time of (or within six months after)—

(A)the initial entrance of the officer on active duty as an officer; or

(B)the initial commissioning of the officer in a reserve component or the Space Force.

(2)This subsection applies with respect to the sections (articles) specified in subsection (a)(3) and such other sections (articles) as the Secretary concerned may prescribe by regulation.

(c)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, officers with the authority to convene courts-martial or to impose non-judicial punishment shall receive periodic training regarding the purposes and administration of this chapter. Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, officers assigned to duty in a joint command or a combatant command, who have such authority, shall receive additional specialized training regarding the purposes and administration of this chapter with respect to joint commands and the combatant commands.

(d)The text of this chapter and the text of the regulations prescribed by the President under this chapter shall be—

(1)made available to a member on active duty, to a member of a reserve component, or to a member of the Space Force, upon request by the member, for the member’s personal examination; and

(2)maintained by the Secretary of Defense in electronic formats that are updated periodically and made available on the Internet.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 93750:733.May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 137), 64 Stat. 144. The word “each” is substituted for the word “every”. The word “member” is substituted for the word “person”. The words “in [any of] the armed forces of the United States” are omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 1722(f) of Pub. L. 118–31 amended section 973 of this title.

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 118–159 inserted “the” before “Space Force”. 2023—Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 118–31, § 1722(f)(3)(A), added subpar. (C). Subsec. (a)(2)(B), (C). Pub. L. 118–31, § 1722(f)(3)(B), added subpar. (B) and redesignated former subpar. (B) as (C). Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 118–31, § 1722(f)(3)(C), inserted “or the Space Force” after “in a reserve component”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 118–31, § 1722(f)(3)(D), substituted “, to a member of a reserve component, or to a member of the Space Force,” for “or to a member of a reserve component,”. 2017—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–91, § 1081(c)(1)(R)(i), struck out “(the Uniform Code of Military Justice)” after “this chapter” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–91, § 1081(c)(1)(R)(ii), which directed amendment of subsec. (b) by striking out “(the Uniform Code of Military Justice)” after “this chapter” in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), was executed by making the amendment in introductory provisions of par. (1) of subsec. (b), to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–91, § 1081(c)(1)(R)(iii), struck out “(the Uniform Code of Military Justice)” after “this chapter” in introductory provisions. 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5503(1), inserted heading. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5503(1), substituted “The sections (articles) of this chapter (the Uniform Code of Military Justice)” for “The sections of this title (articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice)” in introductory provisions. Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5503(2), (3), added subsecs. (b) to (d) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: “The text of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and of the

Regulations

prescribed by the President under such Code shall be made available to a member on active duty or to a member of a reserve component, upon request by the member, for the member’s personal examination.” 1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted “within fourteen days” for “within six days”. 1986—Pub. L. 99–661 amended section generally, inserting provisions relating to reserve components.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2017 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–91 effective immediately after the

Amendments

made by div. E (§§ 5001–5542) of Pub. L. 114–328 take effect as provided for in section 5542 of that Act (10 U.S.C. 801 note), see section 1081(c)(4) of Pub. L. 115–91, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2016 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with implementing

Regulations

and provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–661 effective the earlier of (1) the last day of the 120-day period beginning on Nov. 14, 1986; or (2) the date specified in an Executive order for such amendment to take effect, see section 808 of Pub. L. 99–661, set out as a note under section 802 of this title.

§937 Art. 137. Articles to be explained

Summary

Title 10, §937

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Regulations

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Amendments

Effective Date

Regulations

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata