Federal · Title 10 — Armed Forces

10 U.S.C. § 901: Art. 101. Improper use of countersign

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

During wartime, disclosing authorized military passwords/countersigns to unauthorized persons, or providing false ones to authorized persons, is punishable by death or court-martial penalty.

Read the full statutory text

Any person subject to this chapter who in time of war discloses the parole or countersign to any person not entitled to receive it or who gives to another who is entitled to receive and use the parole or countersign a different parole or countersign from that which, to his knowledge, he was authorized and required to give, shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.