18 USC § 702 - Uniform of armed forces and Public Health Service

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s702"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 702 - Uniform of armed forces and Public Health Service"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "702"
section_name: "Uniform of armed forces and Public Health Service"
chapter_number: 33
chapter_name: "EMBLEMS, INSIGNIA, AND NAMES"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 732; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 15(a), 63 Stat. 91; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(E), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)"
---


# § 702. Uniform of armed forces and Public Health Service

Whoever, in any place within the jurisdiction of the United States or in the Canal Zone, without authority, wears the uniform or a distinctive part thereof or anything similar to a distinctive part of the uniform of any of the armed forces of the United States, Public Health Service or any auxiliary of such, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 732; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 15(a), 63 Stat. 91; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(E), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

### 1948 Act

Based on , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Army and Air Force, and , U.S.C., 1940 ed., The Public Health and Welfare (,  (2d paragraph); , ).

“Auxiliary of such” was inserted to extend protection to the uniforms of any auxiliary corps that may be established.

Fine of “$250” was substituted for “$300” as being more consonant with the penalties provided for similar offenses in this chapter.

Minor changes of phraseology also were made.

### 1949 Act

This section [section 15] inserts “armed forces” in the catch line and text of , U.S.C., and thereby includes the Air Force which was formerly part of the Army. (See note to sec. 5 [of 1949 Act, set out in Legislative History note under ]). Also, it incorporates in such section the provisions of act of  (ch. 188, ), which relates to this section as well as to , U.S.C. (one of the sources of such sec. 701), as it existed at the time of the enactment of the revision of title 18 and which was not incorporated in title 18 when the revision was enacted. In this connection specific reference to the Canal Zone, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands, as contained in such act of , were omitted as covered by the phrase, “in any place within the jurisdiction of the United States,” as used in this amendment of such , U.S.C.

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in text, see , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $250”.

1949—Act , inserted “armed forces” in lieu of enumerating specific branches in section catchline and text, and inserted “in any place within the jurisdiction of the United States or in the Canal Zone”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare redesignated Secretary of Health and Human Services by , , , which is classified to , Education.

## Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. , 31 F.R. 8855, , set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.