---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 409"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "409"
heading: "Center for Complex Operations"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/409"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 20 — Humanitarian and Other Assistance"
---

# §409. Center for Complex Operations

- (a) **Center Authorized.—** The Secretary of Defense may establish a center to be known as the “Center for [Complex Operations](#g-1)” (in this section referred to as the “Center”).
- (b) **Purposes.—** The purposes of the Center established under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be the following:
  - (1) To provide for effective coordination in the preparation of [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense personnel and other [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Government personnel for [complex operations](#g-1).
  - (2) To foster unity of effort during [complex operations](#g-1) among—
    - (A) the [departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) and [agencies](/usc/10/4701.md?p=g-1) of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Government;
    - (B) foreign governments and militaries;
    - (C) international organizations and international nongovernmental organizations; and
    - (D) domestic nongovernmental organizations.
  - (3) To conduct research; collect, analyze, and distribute lessons learned; and compile best practices in matters relating to [complex operations](#g-1).
  - (4) To identify gaps in the education and training of [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense personnel, and other relevant [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Government personnel, relating to [complex operations](#g-1), and to facilitate efforts to fill such gaps.
- (c) **Concurrence of the Secretary of State.—** The Secretary of Defense shall seek the concurrence of the Secretary of State to the extent the efforts and activities of the Center involve the entities referred to in subparagraphs [(B)](#b-2-B) and [(C)](#b-2-C) of subsection (b)(2).
- (d) **Support From Other United States Government Departments or Agencies.—** The head of any non-[Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) or [agency](/usc/10/4701.md?p=g-1) of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Government may—
  - (1) provide to the Secretary of Defense services, including personnel support, to support the operations of the Center; and
  - (2) transfer [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6) to the Secretary of Defense to support the operations of the Center.
- (e) **Acceptance of Gifts and Donations.—**
  - (1) Subject to [paragraph (3)](#e-3), the Secretary of Defense may accept from any source specified in [paragraph (2)](#e-2) any [gift or donation](#g-2) for purposes of defraying the costs or enhancing the operations of the Center.
  - (2) The sources specified in this paragraph are the following:
    - (A) The government of a [State](/usc/10/2815a.md?p=g-2) or a political subdivision of a [State](/usc/10/2815a.md?p=g-2).
    - (B) The government of a foreign country.
    - (C) A foundation or other charitable organization, including a foundation or charitable organization that is organized or operates under the laws of a foreign country.
    - (D) Any source in the private sector of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) or a foreign country.
  - (3) The Secretary may not accept a [gift or donation](#g-2) under this subsection if acceptance of the [gift or donation](#g-2) would compromise or appear to compromise—
    - (A) the ability of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense, any employee of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6), or any [member](/usc/10/1408.md?p=a-5) of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to carry out the responsibility or duty of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) in a fair and objective manner; or
    - (B) the integrity of any program of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) or of any person involved in such a program.
  - (4) The Secretary shall provide written guidance setting forth the criteria to be used in determining the applicability of [paragraph (3)](#e-3) to any proposed [gift or donation](#g-2) under this subsection.
- (f) **Crediting of Funds Transferred or Accepted.—** [Funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6) transferred to or accepted by the Secretary of Defense under this section shall be credited to appropriations available to the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense for the Center, and shall be available for the same purposes, and subject to the same conditions and limitations, as the appropriations with which merged. Any [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6) so transferred or accepted shall remain available until expended.
- (g) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “complex operation” means an operation as follows:
    - (A) A stability operation.
    - (B) A security operation.
    - (C) A transition and reconstruction operation.
    - (D) A counterinsurgency operation.
    - (E) An operation consisting of irregular warfare.
  - (2) The term “gift or donation” means any gift or donation of [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6), materials (including research materials), real or personal property, or services (including lecture services and faculty services).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title X, § 1031(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4589.)