Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§774 Religious Apparel: Wearing While in Uniform
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 45 — THE UNIFORM › § 774
Summary
Members of the armed forces may wear religious clothing while in uniform. The Secretary in charge can ban it if it would interfere with a member’s duties or if the item is not neat and conservative. The Secretary must make rules about wearing religious clothing that follow those limits. "Religious apparel" means clothing worn as part of a member’s religious practice.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §774
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)General Rule.—
Except as provided under subsection (b), a member of the armed forces may wear an item of religious apparel while wearing the uniform of the member’s armed force.
(b)Exceptions.—
The Secretary concerned may prohibit the wearing of an item of religious apparel—
(1)in circumstances with respect to which the Secretary determines that the wearing of the item would interfere with the performance of the member’s military duties; or
(2)if the Secretary determines, under regulations under subsection (c), that the item of apparel is not neat and conservative.
(c)Regulations.—
The Secretary concerned shall prescribe regulations concerning the wearing of religious apparel by members of the armed forces under the Secretary’s jurisdiction while the members are wearing the uniform. Such regulations shall be consistent with subsections (a) and (b).
(d)Religious Apparel Defined.—
In this section, the term “religious apparel” means apparel the wearing of which is part of the observance of the religious faith practiced by the member.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 774 was renumbered section 776 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Regulations
Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, § 508(c), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1087, directed the Secretary concerned to prescribe the
Regulations
required by subsec. (c) of this section not later than the end of the 120-day period beginning on Dec. 4, 1987.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 774
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110