10 U.S.C. § 409 — Center for Complex Operations

(a) Center Authorized
The Secretary of Defense may set up a "Center for Complex Operations."

(b) Purposes
The Center exists to: (1) coordinate how Department of Defense and other U.S. government personnel prepare for complex operations; (2) build unity of effort during complex operations among U.S. agencies, foreign governments and militaries, international organizations (governmental and nongovernmental), and domestic nongovernmental organizations; (3) research, collect, analyze, and share lessons learned and best practices about complex operations; and (4) find gaps in training and education about complex operations for Defense and other relevant government personnel, and help close those gaps.

(c) Concurrence of the Secretary of State
When the Center's work involves foreign governments, militaries, or international organizations, the Secretary of Defense must seek the Secretary of State's agreement.

(d) Support From Other United States Government Departments or Agencies
Any other federal agency's head may provide the Center services — including staff support — and may transfer funds to the Secretary of Defense to support the Center.

(e) Acceptance of Gifts and Donations
(1)-(2) The Secretary of Defense may accept gifts or donations to cover the Center's costs or improve its work, from: state or local governments; foreign governments; foundations or charities (including foreign ones); or any private-sector source, U.S. or foreign.
(3) The Secretary may not accept a gift if doing so would compromise, or appear to compromise, the Department's or any employee's or service member's ability to do their job fairly and objectively, or the integrity of any Department program or the people running it.
(4) The Secretary must issue written guidance explaining how to decide whether a proposed gift crosses that line.

(f) Crediting of Funds Transferred or Accepted
Money transferred to, or accepted by, the Secretary of Defense for the Center gets credited to the Department's Center funding and used the same way, under the same rules, as other Department funds. It stays available until spent.

(g) Definitions
(1) "Complex operation" means a stability operation, a security operation, a transition-and-reconstruction operation, a counterinsurgency operation, or an operation involving irregular warfare.
(2) "Gift or donation" means a gift of money, materials (including research materials), real or personal property, or services (including lectures and faculty work).