TITLE 10 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER I - MILITARY FAMILY PROGRAMS

10 USC 1781 - Office of Family Policy

(a) Establishment.— 
There is in the Office of the Secretary of Defense an Office of Family Policy (hereinafter in this section referred to as the Office). The Office shall be under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management and Personnel.
(b) Duties.— 
The Office
(1) shall coordinate programs and activities of the military departments to the extent that they relate to military families; and
(2) shall make recommendations to the Secretaries of the military departments with respect to programs and policies regarding military families.
(c) Staff.— 
The Office shall have not less than five professional staff members.

10 USC 1781a - Department of Defense Military Family Readiness Council

(a) In General.— 
There is in the Department of Defense the Department of Defense Military Family Readiness Council (in this section referred to as the Council).
(b) Members.— 

(1) The Council shall consist of the following members:
(A) The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, who shall serve as chair of the Council.
(B) One representative of each of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense.
(C) Three individuals appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among representatives of military family organizations, including military family organizations of families of members of the regular components and of families of members of the reserve components.
(D) In addition to the representatives appointed under subparagraph (B), the senior enlisted advisors of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, or the spouse of a senior enlisted member from each of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
(2) The term on the Council of the members appointed under paragraph (1)(C) shall be three years.
(c) Meetings.— 
The Council shall meet not less often than twice each year.
(d) Duties.— 
The duties of the Council shall include the following:
(1) To review and make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense regarding the policy and plans required under section 1781b of this title.
(2) To monitor requirements for the support of military family readiness by the Department of Defense.
(3) To evaluate and assess the effectiveness of the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense.
(e) Annual Reports.— 

(1) Not later than February 1 each year, the Council shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees a report on military family readiness.
(2) Each report under this subsection shall include the following:
(A) An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense during the preceding fiscal year in meeting the needs and requirements of military families.
(B) Recommendations on actions to be taken to improve the capability of the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense to meet the needs and requirements of military families, including actions relating to the allocation of funding and other resources to and among such programs and activities.

10 USC 1781b - Department of Defense policy and plans for military family readiness

(a) Policy and Plans Required.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall develop a policy and plans for the Department of Defense for the support of military family readiness.
(b) Purposes.— 
The purposes of the policy and plans required under subsection (a) are as follows:
(1) To ensure that the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense are comprehensive, effective, and properly supported.
(2) To ensure that support is continuously available to military families in peacetime and in war, as well as during periods of force structure change and relocation of military units.
(3) To ensure that the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense are available to all military families, including military families of members of the regular components and military families of members of the reserve components.
(4) To make military family readiness an explicit element of applicable Department of Defense plans, programs, and budgeting activities, and that achievement of military family readiness is expressed through Department-wide goals that are identifiable and measurable.
(5) To ensure that the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense undergo continuous evaluation in order to ensure that resources are allocated and expended for such programs and activities to achieve Department-wide family readiness goals.
(c) Elements of Policy.— 
The policy required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:
(1) A list of military family readiness programs and activities.
(2) Department of Defense-wide goals for military family support, including joint programs, both for military families of members of the regular components and military families of members of the reserve components.
(3) Policies on access to military family support programs and activities based on military family populations served and geographical location.
(4) Metrics to measure the performance and effectiveness of the military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense.
(5) A summary, by fiscal year, of the allocation of funds (including appropriated funds and nonappropriated funds) for major categories of military family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense, set forth for each of the military departments and for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
(d) Annual Report.— 
Not later than March 1, 2008, and each year thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the plans required under subsection (a) for the five-fiscal year period beginning with the fiscal year in which the report is submitted. Each report shall include the plans covered by the report and an assessment of the discharge by the Department of Defense of the previous plans submitted under this section.

10 USC 1782 - Surveys of military families

(a) Authority.— 
The Secretary of Defense, in order to determine the effectiveness of Federal programs relating to military families and the need for new programs, may conduct surveys of
(1) members of the armed forces who are on active duty, in an active status, or retired;
(2) family members of such members; and
(3) survivors of deceased retired members and of members who died while on active duty.
(b) Responses To Be Voluntary.— 
Responses to surveys conducted under this section shall be voluntary.
(c) Federal Recordkeeping Requirements.— 
With respect to a survey authorized under subsection (a) that includes a person referred to in that subsection who is not an employee of the United States or is not otherwise considered an employee of the United States for the purposes of section 3502 (3)(A)(i) of title 44, the person shall be considered as being an employee of the United States for the purposes of that section.
(d) Survey Required for Fiscal Year 2010.— 
Notwithstanding subsection (a), during fiscal year 2010, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a survey otherwise authorized under such subsection. Thereafter, additional surveys may be conducted not less often than once every three fiscal years.

10 USC 1783 - Family members serving on advisory committees

A committee within the Department of Defense which advises or assists the Department in the performance of any function which affects members of military families and which includes members of military families in its membership shall not be considered an advisory committee under section 3(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) solely because of such membership.

10 USC 1784 - Employment opportunities for military spouses

(a) Authority.— 
The President shall order such measures as the President considers necessary to increase employment opportunities for spouses of members of the armed forces. Such measures may include
(1) excepting, pursuant to section 3302 of title 5, from the competitive service positions in the Department of Defense located outside of the United States to provide employment opportunities for qualified spouses of members of the armed forces in the same geographical area as the permanent duty station of the members; and
(2) providing preference in hiring for positions in nonappropriated fund activities to qualified spouses of members of the armed forces stationed in the same geographical area as the nonappropriated fund activity for positions in wage grade UA8 and below and equivalent positions and for positions paid at hourly rates.
(b) Regulations.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations
(1) to implement such measures as the President orders under subsection (a);
(2) to provide preference to qualified spouses of members of the armed forces in hiring for any civilian position in the Department of Defense if the spouse is among persons determined to be best qualified for the position and if the position is located in the same geographical area as the permanent duty station of the member;
(3) to ensure that notice of any vacant position in the Department of Defense is provided in a manner reasonably designed to reach spouses of members of the armed forces whose permanent duty stations are in the same geographic area as the area in which the position is located; and
(4) to ensure that the spouse of a member of the armed forces who applies for a vacant position in the Department of Defense shall, to the extent practicable, be considered for any such position located in the same geographic area as the permanent duty station of the member.
(c) Status of Preference Eligibles.— 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to provide a spouse of a member of the armed forces with preference in hiring over an individual who is a preference eligible.
(d) Space-Available Use of Facilities for Spouse Training Purposes.— 
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department may make available to a non-Department of Defense entity space in non-excess facilities controlled by that Secretary for the purpose of the non-Department of Defense entity providing employment-related training for military spouses.
(e) Employment by Other Federal Agencies.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall work with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to expand and facilitate the use of existing Federal programs and resources in support of military spouse employment.
(f) Private-Sector Employment.— 
The Secretary of Defense
(1) shall seek to develop partnerships with firms in the private sector to enhance employment opportunities for spouses of members of the armed forces and to provide for improved job portability for such spouses, especially in the case of the spouse of a member of the armed forces accompanying the member to a new geographical area because of a change of permanent duty station of the member; and
(2) shall work with the United States Chamber of Commerce and other appropriate private-sector entities to facilitate the formation of such partnerships.
(g) Employment With DOD Contractors.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall examine and seek ways for incorporating hiring preferences for qualified spouses of members of the armed forces into contracts between the Department of Defense and private-sector entities.

10 USC 1784a - Education and training opportunities for military spouses to expand employment and portable career opportunities

(a) Programs and Tuition Assistance.— 

(1) The Secretary of Defense may establish programs to assist the spouse of a member of the armed forces described in subsection (b) in achieving
(A) the education and training required for a degree or credential at an accredited college, university, or technical school in the United States that expands employment and portable career opportunities for the spouse; or
(B) the education prerequisites and professional licensure or credential required, by a government or government sanctioned licensing body, for an occupation that expands employment and portable career opportunities for the spouse.
(2) As an alternative to, or in addition to, establishing a program under this subsection, the Secretary may provide tuition assistance to an eligible spouse who is pursuing education, training, or a license or credential to expand the spouses employment and portable career opportunities.
(b) Eligible Spouses.— 
Assistance under this section is limited to a spouse of a member of the armed forces who is serving on active duty.
(c) Exceptions.— 
Subsection (b) does not include
(1) a person who is married to, but legally separated from, a member of the armed forces under court order or statute of any State or territorial possession of the United States; and
(2) a spouse of a member of the armed forces who is also a member of the armed forces.
(d) Portable Career Opportunities Defined.— 
In this section, the term portable career includes an occupation identified by the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, as requiring education and training that results in a credential that is recognized nationwide by industry or specific businesses.
(e) Regulations.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to govern the availability and use of assistance under this section. The Secretary shall ensure that programs established under this section do not result in inequitable treatment for spouses of members of the armed forces who are also members, since they are excluded from participation in the programs under subsection (c)(2).

10 USC 1785 - Youth sponsorship program

(a) Requirement.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall require that there be at each military installation a youth sponsorship program to facilitate the integration of dependent children of members of the armed forces into new surroundings when moving to that military installation as a result of a parents permanent change of station.
(b) Description of Programs.— 
The program at each installation shall provide for involvement of dependent children of members presently stationed at the military installation and shall be directed primarily toward children in their preteen and teenage years.

10 USC 1786 - Dependent student travel within the United States

Funds available to the Department of Defense for the travel and transportation of dependent students of members of the armed forces stationed overseas may be obligated for transportation allowances for travel within or between the contiguous States.

10 USC 1787 - Reporting of child abuse

(a) In General.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall request each State to provide for the reporting to the Secretary of any report the State receives of known or suspected instances of child abuse and neglect in which the person having care of the child is a member of the armed forces (or the spouse of the member).
(b) Definition.— 
In this section, the term child abuse and neglect has the meaning provided in section 3(1) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5102).[1]
[1] See References in Text note below.

10 USC 1788 - Additional family assistance

(a) Authority.— 
The Secretary of Defense may provide for the families of members of the armed forces serving on active duty, in addition to any other assistance available for such families, any assistance that the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure that the children of such members obtain needed child care, education, and other youth services.
(b) Primary Purpose of Assistance.— 
The assistance authorized by this section should be directed primarily toward providing needed family support, including child care, education, and other youth services, for children of members of the Armed Forces who are deployed, assigned to duty, or ordered to active duty in connection with a contingency operation.

10 USC 1789 - Chaplain-led programs: authorized support

(a) Authority.— 
The Secretary of a military department may provide support services described in subsection (b) to support chaplain-led programs to assist members of the armed forces on active duty and their immediate family members, and members of reserve components in an active status and their immediate family members, in building and maintaining a strong family structure.
(b) Authorized Support Services.— 
The support services referred to in subsection (a) are costs of transportation, food, lodging, child care, supplies, fees, and training materials for members of the armed forces and their family members while participating in programs referred to in that subsection, including participation at retreats and conferences.
(c) Immediate Family Members.— 
In this section, the term immediate family members, with respect to a member of the armed forces, means
(1) the members spouse; and
(2) any child (as defined in section 1072 (6) of this title) of the member who is described in subparagraph (D) of section 1072 (2) of this title.