10 U.S. Code § 1123 - Right to wear badges of military societies

(a) A member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force who is a member of a military society originally composed of men who served in an armed force of the United States during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, or the Chinese Relief Expedition of 1900 may wear, on occasions of ceremony, the distinctive badges adopted by that society.

(b) A member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force who is a member of the Army and Navy Union of the United States may wear, on public occasions of ceremony, the distinctive badges adopted by that society.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 88; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(3)(Q), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3821.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
1123(a)	10:1427 (1st sentence). 34:371 (1st sentence).	Sept. 25, 1890, J. Res. 50, 26 Stat. 681.
1123(b)	10:1427 (less 1st sentence).	May 11, 1894, J. Res. 26, 28 Stat. 583.
	34:371 (less 1st sentence).	Feb. 2, 1901, ch. 192, § 41, 31 Stat. 758.
		Jan. 12, 1903, J. Res. 2, 32 Stat. 1229.
		Mar. 2, 1907, J. Res. 18, 34 Stat. 1423.

In subsection (a), the words “an armed force” are substituted for the words “armies and navies”. The words “Revolutionary War”, “Civil War”, and “Philippine Insurrection” are substituted for the words “War of the Revolution”, “War of the Rebellion”, and “incident insurrection in the Philippines”, respectively, to reflect present terminology. The words “originally composed” are substituted for the words “in their own right”, to reflect an opinion of the Attorney General (see 23 Op. Atty. Gen. 454).

In subsections (a) and (b), the word “member” is substituted for the words “officers and enlisted men”. The words “Navy * * * or Marine Corps” are substituted for the word “Navy”, since the word “Navy” in the source statute has, by long-standing administrative interpretation, been construed to include the Marine Corps.

In subsection (b), the words “in their own right” are omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps” in subsecs. (a) and (b).