Title 20, EducationRelease 119-102

§932 Definitions

Title 20 › CHAPTER 25A — OVERSEAS DEFENSE DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATION › § 932

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter. Dependent — a minor who has not finished secondary school and who is the sponsor’s child, stepchild, adopted child, ward, or spouse, or who lives with the sponsor who acts like a parent and who gets one-half or more of their support from that sponsor. Sponsor — a person who is either an active‑duty member of the Armed Forces or a full‑time civilian Department of Defense officer or employee who is a U.S. citizen or national, and who is allowed to move dependents to or from overseas at Government expense and gets a housing allowance there. Overseas area — any place outside the United States. United States (geographical) — the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and U.S. possessions, excluding the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and Midway Island. Involuntarily separated — has the meaning given in section 1141 of title 10. Director — the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §932

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this chapter:
(1)The term “dependent” means a minor individual—
(A)who has not completed secondary schooling, and
(B)who is the child, stepchild, adopted child, ward, or spouse of a sponsor, or who is a resident in the household of a sponsor who stands in loco parentis to such individual and who receives one-half or more of his support from such sponsor.
(2)The term “sponsor” means a person—
(A)who is—
(i)a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or
(ii)a full-time civilian officer or employee of the Department of Defense and a citizen or national of the United States; and
(B)who is authorized to transport dependents to or from an overseas area at Government expense and is provided an allowance for living quarters in that area.
(3)The term “overseas area” means any area situated outside the United States.
(4)The term “United States”, when used in a geographical sense, means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the possessions of the United States (excluding the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and Midway Island).
(5)The term “involuntarily separated” has the meaning given that term in section 1141 of title 10.
(6)The term “Director” means the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1999—Par. (6). Pub. L. 106–65 added par. (6). 1990—Par. (5). Pub. L. 101–510 added par. (5). 1989—Par. (2). Pub. L. 101–189 amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “The term ‘sponsor’ means— “(A) a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or “(B) a civilian officer or employee of the Department of Defense paid from appropriated funds.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1989 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–189 applicable with respect to periods of enrollment in schools of the defense dependents’ education system beginning after Sept. 30, 1989, see section 325(c) of Pub. L. 101–189, set out as a note under section 923 of this title.

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 932

Title 20, Education

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102