US Code

Public Law 119-84 (04/18/2026)

10 U.S.C. § 1124

Cash awards for disclosures, suggestions, inventions, and scientific achievements

(a)
The Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, may authorize the payment of a cash award to, and incur necessary expense for the honorary recognition of, a member of the armed forces under his jurisdiction who by his disclosure, suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement contributes to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of operations or programs relating to the armed forces.
(b)
Whenever the President considers it desirable, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, are authorized to pay a cash award to, and incur necessary expense for the honorary recognition of, a member of the armed forces who by his disclosure, suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement contributes to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of operations of the Government of the United States. Such award is in addition to any other award made to that member under subsection (a).
(c)
An award under this section may be paid notwithstanding the member’s death, separation, or retirement from the armed force concerned. However, the disclosure, suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement forming the basis for the award must have been made while the member was on active duty or in an active reserve status and not otherwise eligible for an award under chapter 45 of title 5.
(d)
A cash award under this section is in addition to the pay and allowances of the recipient. The acceptance of such an award shall constitute—
(1)
an agreement by the member that the use by the United States of any idea, method, or device for which the award is made may not be the basis of a claim against the United States by the member, his heirs, or assigns, or by any person whose claim is alleged to be derived through the member; and
(2)
a warranty by the member that he has not at the time of acceptance transferred, assigned, or otherwise divested himself of legal or equitable title in any property right residing in the idea, method, or device for which the award is made.
(e)
Awards to, and expenses for the honorary recognition of, members of the armed forces under this section may be paid from (1) the funds or appropriations available to the activity primarily benefiting; or (2) the several funds or appropriations of the various activities benefiting, as may be determined by the President for awards under subsection (b), and by the Secretary concerned for awards under subsection (a).
(f)
The total amount of the award, or awards, made under this section for a disclosure, suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement may not exceed $25,000, regardless of the number of persons who may be entitled to share therein.
(g)
Awards under this section shall be made under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, or by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.
(h)
For the purposes of this section, a member of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or of the Public Health Service who is serving with an armed force shall be treated as if he were a member of that armed force.

Pub. L. 89–198, § 1(1)79 Stat. 830 Pub. L. 89–718, § 1080 Stat. 1117 Pub. L. 90–623, § 2(1)82 Stat. 1314 Pub. L. 96–470, title I, § 112(c)94 Stat. 2240 Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(40)94 Stat. 2923 Pub. L. 96–527, title VII, § 77294 Stat. 3093 Pub. L. 99–145, title XII, § 1225(a)(1)99 Stat. 730 Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1)116 Stat. 2314 (Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , (2)(A), , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Another section 1124 was renumbered 1126 of this title.

Amendments

Pub. L. 107–2962002—Subsecs. (a), (b), (g). substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security” for “Secretary of Transportation”.

Pub. L. 99–1451985— inserted “disclosures,” and substituted “and” for “or” in section catchline, and inserted “disclosure,” before “suggestion” in subsecs. (a), (b), (c), and (f).

Pub. L. 96–5271980—Subsec. (c). authorized payment of awards to retired members of the armed forces, required the basis for awards to have been made when in an active reserve status, and required the member to be ineligible for incentive award under chapter 45 of title 5.

Pub. L. 96–470Subsec. (g). struck out provision requiring the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation to annually report to the President, for transmittal to Congress, on progress of the awards program.

Pub. L. 96–513Subsec. (h). substituted “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” for “Environmental Science Services Administration”.

Pub. L. 90–6231968—Subsecs. (a), (b), (g). substituted “Secretary of Transportation” for “Secretary of the Treasury”.

Pub. L. 89–7181966—Subsec. (g). substituted “progress report” for “program report”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

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

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–145, title XII, § 1225(a)(3)99 Stat. 730

“The amendments made by this subsection [amending this section] shall take effect on .”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–513section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–623section 6 of Pub. L. 90–623section 5334 of Title 5Amendment by intended to restate without substantive change the law in effect on , see , set out as a note under , Government Organization and Employees.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

section 802 of this titleFor transfer of functions of Public Health Service, see note set out under .

Ex. Ord. No. 11438. Procedures Governing Interdepartmental Cash Awards

Ex. Ord. No. 11438, , 33 F.R. 18085, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, , 44 F.R. 1055; Ex. Ord. No. 13286, § 63, , 68 F.R. 10629, provided:

section 301 of title 3By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 1124(b) and (e) of title 10, United States Code, and , United States Code, and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

Section 1. Any suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement by a member of the armed forces that contributes to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of operations of the Government of the United States through its adoption or use by an executive department or agency other than the executive department having jurisdiction over the armed force of the member concerned may be the basis for honorary recognition or a cash award by the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case of a member of the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy or by the Secretary of Defense in the case of any other member of the armed forces.

Sec. 2. An executive department or agency that adopts or uses the suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement of a member of the armed forces who is not under its jurisdiction may recommend to the Department of Defense or to the Department of Homeland Security, as appropriate, a cash award or honorary recognition of the member and shall justify its recommendation with appropriate documentation and explanation of how the suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement contributes to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of the operations of the Government of the United States. Awards shall be made under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate. The regulations of the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security may include designations of officials to whom authority for receiving, evaluating, and making awards may be assigned.

Sec. 3. No cash awards hereunder for a single suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement may exceed $25,000 regardless of the number of agencies or departments which may adopt or use the suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement.

Sec. 4. Funds to cover the costs of cash awards to members of the armed forces shall be transferred from the account of any executive department or agency which recommends the award to the appropriate account of the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Defense, as the case may be. When several executive departments or agencies benefit from the adoption or use of the suggestion, invention, or scientific achievement, the amount transferred from each such benefiting department or agency to the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Defense to cover the proportionate share of the cost of the cash award shall be determined under procedures prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management in accordance with the same guidelines and standards applying to awards to civilian employees.