10 USC § 986 - Policy regarding identification of gender or personal pronouns in official correspondence

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s986"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 986 - Policy regarding identification of gender or personal pronouns in official correspondence"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "986"
section_name: "Policy regarding identification of gender or personal pronouns in official correspondence"
chapter_number: 49
chapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS PROHIBITIONS AND PENALTIES"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title V, § 522(b), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 249.)"
---


# § 986. Policy regarding identification of gender or personal pronouns in official correspondence

The Secretary of Defense may not require or prohibit a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense to identify the gender or personal pronouns of such member or employee in any official correspondence of the Department.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title V, § 522(b), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 249.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 986, added , title X, § 1071(a)], , , 1654A–275; amended , , ; , , , prohibited the Department of Defense from granting or renewing security clearances for certain persons, prior to repeal by , (3), , , 330, effective .