---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 997"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "997"
heading: "Establishment of women’s initiative teams"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/997"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 50 — Miscellaneous Command Responsibilities"
---

# §997. Establishment of women’s initiative teams

- (a) **Establishment.—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) shall establish a women’s initiative team in each of the [Army](/usc/10/7001.md), Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force to identify and address barriers, if any, to the service, recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in those [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).
- (b) **Duties.—** Each women’s initiative team established under [subsection (a)](#a) shall—
  - (1) identify and address issues, if any, that hinder service by women in the armed force in which such team is established;
  - (2) support the recruitment and retention of women in such armed force;
  - (3) recommend policy changes that support the needs of women [members](/usc/10/1408.md?p=a-5) of such armed force; and
  - (4) foster a sense of community.
- (c) **Composition.—** Each women’s initiative team established under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be composed of [members](/usc/10/1408.md?p=a-5) of the armed force in which such team is established of a variety of [ranks](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-8), backgrounds, and occupational specialities.
- (d) **Collaboration.—** A women’s initiative team established under [subsection (a)](#a) shall work collaboratively with the leadership of the armed force in which such team is established and other stakeholders to carry out the duties described in [subsection (b)](#b).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 522(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 864.)