1. (a) Programs Authorized.— Consistent with such regulations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe to carry out this section, the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command may conduct programs to provide family support services. In selecting and conducting any program under this subsection, the Commander shall coordinate with the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

2. (b) Selection of Programs.— In selecting the programs to be conducted under subsection (a), the Commander shall—

   1. (1) identify family support services that have a direct and concrete impact on the readiness of special operations forces, but that are not being provided by the Secretary of a military department to covered individuals; and
   2. (2) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of each family support service proposed to be included in a program.
3. (c) Additional Authority.— The Commander may expend up to $10,000,000 during each fiscal year, from funds available for Major Force Program 11, to carry out family support programs under this section.

4. (d) Annual Report.—

   1. (1) Report required.— Not later than March 1 each year, the Commander, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing the progress made in achieving the goals of the family support programs conducted under this section.

   2. (2) Elements of reports.— Each report under this subsection shall include the following:

      1. (A) A detailed description of the programs conducted under this section to address family support requirements for covered individuals.
      2. (B) An assessment of the impact of the programs on military readiness and on covered individuals.
      3. (C) A description of the special operations-peculiar aspects of the programs and a comparison and differentiation of these programs with other programs conducted by the Secretaries of the military departments to provide family support services to immediate family members of members of the armed forces.
      4. (D) Recommendations for incorporating lessons learned into other family support programs.
      5. (E) Any other matters the Commander considers appropriate regarding the programs.

5. (e) Definitions.— In this section:

   1. (1) The term “Commander” means the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
   2. (2) The term “immediate family members” has the meaning given that term in section 1789(c) of this title.
   3. (3) The term “special operations forces” means those forces of the armed forces identified as special operations forces under section 167(i) ¹ of this title.
   4. (4) The term “family support services” includes psychological support, spiritual support, and costs of transportation, food, lodging, child care, supplies, fees, and training materials for covered personnel while participating in programs under subsection (a).

   5. (5) The term “covered personnel” means—

      1. (A) members of the Armed Forces (including the reserve components) assigned to special operations forces;
      2. (B) service personnel assigned to support special operations forces; and
      3. (C) immediate family members of individuals described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).

(Added and amended Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 555(a)–(d), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1402, 1403; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 572, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1778; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, §§ 1702(c)(1), 1731(a)(28), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1796, 1813; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 583(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3653.)

Amendment of Section

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1702(c), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1796, provided that, effective on Dec. 30, 2021, this section is amended by striking out subsection (d). See 2019 Amendment note below.

References in Text

Section 167(i) of this title, referred to in subsec. (e)(3), was redesignated section 167(j) of this title by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, § 922(c)(2)(A), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2356.

Codification

Text of section, as added by Pub. L. 115–91, is based on text of subsecs. (a), (b), (d), and (e) of section 554 of Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title V, Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 765, which was formerly set out as a note under section 1788 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1081(e), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1601.

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(1), substituted “Support programs: special operations forces personnel; immediate family members” for “Family support programs: immediate family members of members of special operations forces” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(2), struck out “for the immediate family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces” after “family support services”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(3), substituted “covered individuals” for “the immediate family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces”.

Subsec. (d)(2)(A). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(4)(A), substituted “covered individuals” for “family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces”.

Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(4)(B), substituted “covered individuals” for “family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces”.

Subsec. (e)(4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(5)(A), (B), inserted “psychological support, spiritual support, and” before “costs” and substituted “covered personnel” for “immediate family members of members of the armed forces assigned to special operations forces”.

Subsec. (e)(5). Pub. L. 116–283, § 583(a)(5)(C), which directed amendment of subsec. (e)(4) “by adding at the end” par. (5), was executed by adding par. (5) after par. (4), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

2019—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–92, § 1702(c)(1), struck out subsec. (d) which required an annual report regarding the family support programs.

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 116–92, § 1731(a)(28), substituted “Not later than March 1 each year” for “Not later than March 1, 2019, and each March 1 thereafter”.

2018—Subsecs. (a), (b)(1). Pub. L. 115–232, § 572(1), substituted “services” for “activities”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–232, § 572(2), substituted “service” for “activity”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232, § 572(3), substituted “$10,000,000” for “$5,000,000”.

Subsec. (e)(4). Pub. L. 115–232, § 572(4), added par. (4).

2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(3), struck out “Pilot” before “Programs” in heading and substituted “programs to provide” for “up to three pilot programs to assess the feasibility and benefits of providing” in text.

Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(1), (2), substituted “armed forces” for “Armed Forces” and struck out “pilot” before “program”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(1), substituted “armed forces” for “Armed Forces”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(2), struck out “pilot” before “program”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(b)(1), (c), redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and substituted “, from funds available for Major Force Program 11, to carry out family support programs under this section.” for “specified in subsection (f) to carry out the pilot programs under subsection (a).”

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(b)(2), added subsec. (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(4)(A), substituted “this title” for “title 10, United States Code”.

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(4)(B), substituted “this title” for “such title”.

Pub. L. 115–91, § 555(d)(1), substituted “armed forces” for “Armed Forces”.

Effective Date of 2019 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1702(c)(2), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1796, provided that:

“The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect on

December 30, 2021.”

Termination of Reporting Requirements

For termination, effective Dec. 30, 2021, of provisions in subsec. (d) of this section requiring submittal of annual report to Congress, see section 1702(a), (b) of Pub. L. 116–92, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

¹ See References in Text note below.