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Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-102

§1011 Mess Operation: Reimbursement of Expenses

Title 37 › CHAPTER 19 — ADMINISTRATION › § 1011

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must set prices for meals in military mess halls for officers, civilian employees, and enlisted members. Prices should be high enough to repay the government for food and running costs, but people on travel who already get a per diem instead of meals must be charged at least $2.50 per day. The Secretary can cut the part of the price that covers operating costs if doing so is best for the United States. Payments may be made in cash or, for enlisted members and civilian employees, taken from pay. Organized nonprofit youth groups allowed to visit or live on a base under an agreement in effect on June 30, 1986, and allowed to eat in the main mess by the commander, must pay the commuted ration cost for meals. Spouses and dependent children of enlisted members in pay grades E–1 through E–4 may only be charged up to the food cost. When the Coast Guard is not operating as part of the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security must set meal prices for Coast Guard dining facilities to cover food and operating costs and may lower those prices if doing so is in the United States’ best interest.

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §1011

Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Defense shall, by regulation, establish rates for meals sold at messes to officers, civilians, and enlisted members. Such rates shall be established at a level sufficient to provide reimbursement of operating expenses and food costs to the appropriations concerned, but members of the uniformed services and civilians in a travel status receiving a per diem allowance in lieu of subsistence shall be charged at a rate of not less than $2.50 per day. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Secretary determines that it is in the best interest of the United States, the Secretary may reduce a rate for meals established under this subsection by the amount of that rate attributable to operating expenses.
(b)For the purposes of this section, payment for meals at the rates established under this section may be made in cash or, in the case of enlisted members or civilian employees, by deduction from pay. Members of organized nonprofit youth groups sponsored at either the national or local level, when extended the privilege of visiting a military installation or when residing at a military installation pursuant to an agreement in effect on June 30, 1986, and permitted to eat in the general mess by the commanding officer of the installation, shall pay the commuted ration cost of such meal or meals.
(c)Spouses and dependent children of enlisted members in pay grades E–1, E–2, E–3, and E–4 may not be charged for meals sold at messes in excess of a level sufficient to cover food costs.
(d)When the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish rates for meals sold at Coast Guard dining facilities, provide for reimbursement of operating expenses and food costs to the appropriations concerned, and reduce the rates for such meals when the Secretary determines that it is in the best interest of the United States to do so.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”. 1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–324 added subsec. (d). 1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–189 substituted “and enlisted members” for “or enlisted members entitled to a per diem transportation allowance determined under section 404(d)(2) of this title” and inserted at end “Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Secretary determines that it is in the best interest of the United States, the Secretary may reduce a rate for meals established under this subsection by the amount of that rate attributable to operating expenses.” 1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–661 inserted “or when residing at a military installation pursuant to an agreement in effect on June 30, 1986,” in second sentence. 1985—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–145 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

of 1985 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–145 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 813 of Pub. L. 99–145, formerly set out in a Military Family Policy and Programs note under section 113 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe

Regulations

under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 1011

Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102