DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20350-1000
SECNAVINST 5710.31
DUSN
31 Dec 2018
SECNAV INSTRUCTION 5710.31
From: Secretary of the Navy
Subj: MILITARY PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM DEPLOYMENTS TO
CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS
Ref: (a) 10 U.S.C. §101(a)(13)
(b) 14 U.S.C. §712
(c) Secretary of Defense Memorandum of 1 August 2013
(NOTAL)
(d) SECNAV M-5214.1
Encl: (1) Sample Host Nation Letter
1. Purpose. To establish Department of the Navy (DON)
responsibilities and approval procedures for deployments to
contingency operations by the United States (U.S.) Navy (USN)
and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Military Personnel Exchange
Program (MPEP) participants.
2. Cancellation. SECNAVINST 5710.29.
3. Definitions. Per §101(a)(13) of reference (a), a
“contingency operation” is a military operation that the
Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) has designated as an operation in
which members of the U.S. Armed Forces are or may become
involved in military actions, operations, or hostilities against
an enemy of the U.S. or against an opposing military force; or a
military operation that results in the call or order to, or
retention on, active duty of members of the uniformed services
under reference (a) sections 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304,
12304a, 12305, or 12406; chapter 15; reference (b); or any other
provision of law during a war or during a national emergency
declared by the President or Congress. By definition,
“contingency operations” do not include events such as large
force exercises, local Host Nation (HN) operations, training
scenarios, or humanitarian operations in non-combat zones.
4. Applicability. This instruction applies to the Office of
the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Chief of Naval
Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and
