
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 10USC1556]

 
                         TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES
 
                    Subtitle A--General Military Law
 
                           PART II--PERSONNEL
 
               CHAPTER 79--CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
 
Sec. 1556. Ex parte communications prohibited

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of each military department shall 
ensure that an applicant seeking corrective action by the Army Review 
Boards Agency, the Air Force Review Boards Agency, or the Board for 
Correction of Naval Records, as the case may be, is provided a copy of 
all correspondence and communications (including summaries of verbal 
communications) to or from the agency or board, or a member of the staff 
of the agency or board, with an entity or person outside the agency or 
board that pertain directly to the applicant's case or have a material 
effect on the applicant's case.
    (b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) does not apply to the following:
        (1) Classified information.
        (2) Information the release of which is otherwise prohibited by 
    law or regulation.
        (3) Any record previously provided to the applicant or known to 
    be possessed by the applicant.
        (4) Any correspondence that is purely administrative in nature.
        (5) Any military record that is (or may be) provided to the 
    applicant by the Secretary of the military department or other 
    source.

(Added Pub. L. 105-261, div. A, title V, Sec. 543(a)(1), Oct. 17, 1998, 
112 Stat. 2020.)


                             Effective Date

    Pub. L. 105-261, div. A, title V, Sec. 543(b), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 
Stat. 2021, provided that: ``Section 1556 of title 10, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to 
correspondence and communications made 60 days or more after the date of 
the enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 1998].''
