USC Subchapter III

USC Subchapter III
in effect

10 U.S.C. § 20231 Eligibility for consideration for promotion: general rules

(a) In General.—(1) Requirement to be on space force officer list.—An officer is eligible under this chapter for consideration for promotion by a selection board convened under section 14101(a) of this title only if the officer is on the Space Force officer list. (2) Authority to preclude from consideration certain officers based on time of entry on or departure from sustained duty.—The Secretary of the Air Force—(A) may, by regulation, prescribe a period of time, not to exceed one year, from the time an officer on the Space Force officer list transfers on or off of sustained duty during which the officer shall be ineligible for consideration for promotion; and (B) may, by regulation, provide for the exclusion from consideration for promotion by a selection board of an officer otherwise eligible to be considered by the board who has an established date for removal from the Space Force officer list that is not more than 90 days after the date on which the board is to be convened. (b) Certain Officers Not to Be Considered.—A selection board convened under section 20211 of this title may not consider for promotion to the next higher grade any of the following officers:(1) An officer whose name is on a promotion list for that grade as a result of recommendation for promotion to that grade by an earlier selection board convened under that section or section 20151 of this title, under section 14101 or 14502 of this title, or under chapter 36 of this title. (2) An officer who is recommended for promotion to that grade in the report of an earlier selection board convened under a provision referred to in paragraph (1), in the case of such a report that has not yet been approved by the President. (3) An officer who has been nominated by the President for promotion to that grade under any other provision of law, if that nomination is pending before the Senate. (4) An officer in the grade of first lieutenant who is on an approved all-fully-qualified-officers list under section 20239(c)(4) of this title. (5) An officer excluded under section 20232 of this title. (6) An officer who has failed of promotion to a higher grade the maximum number of times specified for opportunities for promotion for such grade within the competitive category concerned pursuant to section 20234 of this title. (c) Certain Colonels.—(1) Authority to preclude from consideration.—The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of the Air Force to preclude from consideration by selection boards for promotion to the grade of brigadier general, officers in the grade of colonel who—(A) have been considered and not selected for promotion to the grade of brigadier general or by at least two selection boards; and (B) are determined, in accordance with standards and procedures prescribed pursuant to paragraph (2), as not being exceptionally well qualified for promotion. (2) Regulations.—If the Secretary of Defense authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to have the authority described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall prescribe by regulation the standards and procedures for the exercise of such authority. Those regulations shall apply uniformly among the military departments and shall include the following provisions:(A) A requirement that the Secretary of the Air Force may exercise such authority in the case of a particular selection board only if the Secretary of Defense approves the exercise of that authority for that board. (B) A requirement that an officer may be precluded from consideration by a selection board under this paragraph only upon the recommendation of a preselection board of officers convened by the Secretary of the military department concerned and composed of at least three officers all of whom are serving in a grade higher than the grade of such officer. (C) A requirement that such a preselection board may not recommend that an officer be precluded from such consideration unless the Secretary of the Air Force has given the officer advance written notice of the convening of such board and of the military records that will be considered by the board and has given the officer a reasonable period before the convening of the board in which to submit comments to the board. (D) A requirement that the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide general guidance to the board in accordance with standards and procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense in those regulations. (E) A requirement that the preselection board may recommend that an officer be precluded from consideration by a selection board only on the basis of the general guidance provided by the Secretary of the Air Force, information in the officer’s official military personnel records that has been described in the notice provided the officer as required pursuant to subparagraph (C), and any communication to the board received from that officer before the board convenes. (d) Brigadier Generals.—(1) Officers not on space force officer list.—A brigadier general who is not eligible for consideration for promotion because the officer is not on the Space Force officer list (as required by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) for such eligibility) is nevertheless eligible for consideration for promotion to the grade of major general by a selection board convened under section 20211(a) of this title if—(A) as of the date of the convening of the promotion board, the officer has been in an inactive status for less than the minimum threshold established in paragraph (2) of subsection (a); and (B) immediately before the date of the officer’s most recent transfer to an inactive status, the officer had continuously served on the Space Force officer list for at least one year. (2) Officers not meeting minimum participation threshold.—A brigadier general who is on the Space Force officer list but who is not eligible for consideration for promotion because the officer’s service does not meet the minimum participation threshold established under subsection (a)(2) is nevertheless eligible for consideration for promotion to the grade of major general by a promotion board convened under section 20211(a) of this title if—(A) the officer was transferred from an inactive status to the reserve active-status list during the one-year period preceding the date of the convening of the promotion board; (B) immediately before the date of the officer’s most recent transfer to an active status, the officer had been in an inactive status for less than one year; and (C) immediately before the date of the officer’s most recent transfer to an inactive status, the officer had continuously served for at least one year on the reserve active-status list or the active-duty list (or a combination of the reserve active-status list and the active-duty list). (e) Officers on Educational Delay.—An officer on the Space Force officer list is ineligible for consideration for promotion, but shall remain on the Space Force officer list, while the officer—(1) is pursuing a program of graduate level education in an educational delay status approved by the Secretary concerned; and (2) is receiving from the Secretary financial assistance in connection with the pursuit of that program of education while in that status. (f) Certain Officers Not to Be Considered for Selection for Promotion.—The Secretary of the Air Force may provide that an officer who is in a space force active status, but is in a duty status in which the only points the officer accrues under section 12732(a)(2) of this title are pursuant to subparagraph (C)(i) of that section, shall not be considered for selection for promotion until completion of two years of service in such duty status. Any such officer may remain on the Space Force officer list.

10 U.S.C. § 20232 Authority to allow officers to opt out of selection board consideration

(a) Authority.—The Secretary of the Air Force may provide that an officer on the Space Force officer list may, upon the officer’s request and with the approval of the Secretary, be excluded from consideration by a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title to consider officers for promotion to the next higher grade. (b) Criteria.—The Secretary may only approve a request under subsection (a) as follows:(1) Completion of certain assignments.—If—(A) the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete a broadening assignment, an advanced education assignment, another assignment of significant value to the Department, or a career progression requirement delayed by such an assignment; (B) the Secretary determines the exclusion from consideration is in the best interest of the Space Force; and (C) the officer has not previously failed of selection for promotion to the grade for which the officer requests the exclusion from consideration. (2) Completion of certain education.—If—(A) the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete advanced education or professional military education; (B) the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the Space Force for the officer to continue to serve in current position and grade; and (C) the officer has not previously opted out of a promotion board under this section. (3) Service in critical skill position.—If—(A) the officer is serving in a critical skill position that cannot be filled by another Space Force officer serving in the same grade; (B) the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the Space Force for the officer to continue to serve in their current position and grade; and (C) the officer has not previously opted out of a promotion board under this section.

10 U.S.C. § 20233 Eligibility for consideration for promotion: designation as joint qualified officer required before promotion to brigadier general; exceptions

(a) General Rule.—An officer on the Space Force officer list may not be appointed to the grade of brigadier general unless the officer has been designated as a joint qualified officer in accordance with section 661 of this title. (b) Exceptions.—Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may waive subsection (a) in the following circumstances:(1) When necessary for the good of the service. (2) In the case of an officer whose proposed selection for promotion is based primarily upon scientific and technical qualifications for which joint requirements do not exist. (3) In the case of an officer selected by a promotion board for appointment to the grade of brigadier general while serving in a joint duty assignment if—(A) the officer’s total consecutive service in joint duty assignments is not less than two years; and (B) the officer has successfully completed a program of education described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 2155 of this title. (4) In the case of an officer who—(A) is selected by a promotion board for appointment to the grade of brigadier general; (B) is not exempted under subsection (g); and (C) has successfully completed the education requirements prescribed in subparagraph (A) of section 661(c)(1) of this title but has not been afforded the opportunity to complete the experience requirements described in subparagraph (B) of that section. (c) Waiver to Be Individual.—A waiver may be granted under subsection (b) only on a case-by-case basis in the case of an individual officer. (d) Special Rule for Good-of-the-service Waiver.—In the case of a waiver under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of Defense shall provide that the first duty assignment as a general officer of the officer for whom the waiver is granted shall be in a joint duty assignment. (e) Limitation on Delegation of Waiver Authority.—The authority of the Secretary of Defense to grant a waiver under subsection (b)(4) may only be delegated as provided in section 619a(e) of this title. (f) Regulations.—The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. The regulations shall specifically identify for purposes of subsection (b)(2) those categories of officers for which selection for promotion to brigadier general is based primarily upon scientific and technical qualifications for which joint requirements do not exist. (g) Exemption.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to an officer who transfers to the Space Force from a reserve component before the first day of the sixth fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this section, and who, as of the date of the transfer, is serving in the grade of major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel or, in the case of the Navy or Coast Guard, lieutenant commander, commander, or captain.

10 U.S.C. § 20234 Opportunities for consideration for promotion

(a) Specification of Number of Opportunities for Consideration for Promotion.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall specify the number of opportunities for consideration for promotion to be afforded to Space Force officers for promotion to each grade above the grade of captain. (b) Limited Authority of Secretary of the Air Force to Modify Number of Opportunities.—The Secretary of the Air Force may modify the number of opportunities for consideration for promotion to be afforded officers within a competitive category for promotion to a particular grade, as previously specified by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a), not more frequently than once every five years. (c) Authority of Secretary of Defense to Modify Number of Opportunities.—The Secretary of Defense may modify the number of opportunities for consideration for promotion to be afforded officers of the Space Force within a competitive category for promotion to a particular grade, as previously specified or modified pursuant to any provision of this section, at the discretion of the Secretary. (d) Limitation on Number of Opportunities Specified.—The number of opportunities for consideration for promotion to be afforded officers of the Space Force within a competitive category for promotion to a particular grade, as specified or modified pursuant to any provision of this section, may not exceed five opportunities. (e) Effect of Certain Reduction in Number of Opportunities Specified.—If, by reason of a reduction in the number of opportunities for consideration for promotion under this section, an officer would no longer have one or more opportunities for consideration for promotion that were available to the officer before the reduction, the officer shall be afforded one additional opportunity for consideration for promotion after the reduction.

10 U.S.C. § 20235 Space Force officer list

(a) Single List.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain a single list of all Space Force officers serving in a space force active status. The list shall be known as the “Space Force officer list”. (b) Order of Officers on List.—Officers shall be carried on the Space Force officer list in the order of seniority of the grade in which they are serving. Officers serving in the same grade shall be carried in the order of their rank in that grade. (c) Effect of Service in a Temporary Appointment.—An officer whose position on the Space Force officer list results from service under a temporary appointment or in a grade held by reason of assignment to a position has, when that appointment or assignment ends, the grade and position on the Space Force officer list that the officer would have held if the officer had not received that appointment or assignment.

10 U.S.C. § 20236 Competitive categories

(a) Requirement to Establish Competitive Categories for Promotion.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish at least one competitive category for promotion for officers on the Space Force officer list. Each officer whose name appears on the Space Force officer list shall be carried in a competitive category of officers. Officers in the same competitive category shall compete among themselves for promotion. (b) Single Competitive Category for Promotion to General Officer Grades.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a single competitive category for all officers on the Space Force officer list who will be considered by a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title for promotion to the grade of brigadier general or major general.

10 U.S.C. § 20237 Numbers to be recommended for promotion

(a) Promotion to Grades Below Brigadier General.—(1) Determination of maximum number.—Before convening a selection board under section 20211 of this title to consider officers for recommendation for promotion to a grade below brigadier general and in any competitive category, the Secretary of the Air Force shall determine the maximum number of officers in that competitive category that the board may recommend for promotion. (2) Determinations.—In order to make the determination under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall determine—(A) the number of positions needed to accomplish mission objectives which require officers of that competitive category in the grade to which the board will recommend officers for promotion; (B) the estimated number of officers needed to fill vacancies in those positions during the period in which it is anticipated that officers selected for promotion will be promoted; and (C) the number of officers in a space force active status authorized by the Secretary of the Air Force to serve both on sustained duty and not on sustained duty in the grade and competitive category under consideration. (b) Promotion to Brigadier General and Major General.—(1) Determination of maximum numbers.—Before convening a selection board under section 20211 of this title to consider officers for recommendation for promotion to the grade of brigadier general or major general, the Secretary of the Air Force shall determine the maximum number of officers serving in a space force active status on sustained duty, and the maximum number of officers serving in a space force active status not on sustained duty, that the board may recommend for promotion. (2) Determinations.—In order to make the determinations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall determine—(A) the number of positions needed to accomplish mission objectives which require officers serving in a space force active status on sustained duty, and in a space force active status not on sustained duty, in the grade to which the board will recommend officers for promotion; and (B) the estimated number of officers on sustained duty and not on sustained duty needed to fill vacancies in those positions over the 24-month period beginning on the date on which the selection board convenes.

10 U.S.C. § 20238 Establishment of promotion zones

(a) In General.—Before convening a selection board under section 20211 of this title to consider officers for promotion to any grade above first lieutenant or lieutenant (junior grade), the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a promotion zone for officers serving in each grade and competitive category to be considered by the board. (b) Determination of Number.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall determine the number of officers in the promotion zone for officers serving in any grade and competitive category from among officers who are eligible for promotion in that grade and competitive category. Such determination shall be made on the basis of an estimate of—(1) the number of officers needed in that competitive category in the next higher grade in each of the next five years; (2) the number of officers to be serving in that competitive category in the next higher grade in each of the next five years; (3) in the case of a promotion zone for officers to be promoted to a grade to which section 523 of this title is applicable, the number of officers authorized for such grade under such section to be on sustained duty on the last day of each of the next five fiscal years; and (4) the number of officers that should be placed in that promotion zone in each of the next five years to provide to officers in those years relatively similar opportunity for promotion.

10 U.S.C. § 20239 Promotions: how made

(a) Promotion Lists.—(1) Placement of names on promotion list.—When the report of a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title is approved by the President, the Secretary of the Air Force shall place the names of all officers approved for promotion within a competitive category on a single list for that competitive category, to be known as a promotion list, in the order of the seniority of such officers on the Space Force officer list or based on particular merit, as determined by the promotion board, or as modified by the Secretary of the Air Force under section 20217 of this title. (2) Time of establishment of promotion list.—A promotion list is considered to be established under this section as of the date of the approval of the report of the selection board under paragraph (1). (b) Promotions; How Made; Order.—(1) Appointment authority.—Officers on a promotion list shall be promoted by appointment in the manner specified in section 20201 of this title. (2) Timing.—Officers on a promotion list for a competitive category shall be promoted to the next higher grade in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. (3) Order.—Except as provided in subsections (e) and (f), promotions shall be made in the order in which the names of officers appear on the promotion list and after officers previously selected for promotion in that competitive category have been promoted. (4) Promotions to grade of first lieutenant.—Officers to be promoted to the grade of first lieutenant shall be promoted in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. (c) Promotion of First Lieutenants on an All-fully-qualified Officers List.—(1) Except as provided in subsection (f), officers on the Space Force officer list in the grade of first lieutenant who are on an approved all-fully-qualified-officers list shall be promoted to the grade of captain in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. (2) An all-fully-qualified-officers list shall be considered to be approved for purposes of paragraph (1) when the list is approved by the President. When so approved, such a list shall be treated in the same manner as a promotion list under this chapter. (3) The Secretary of the Air Force may make a recommendation to the President for approval of an all-fully-qualified-officers list only when the Secretary determines that all officers on the list are needed in the next higher grade to accomplish mission objectives. (4) For purposes of this paragraph, an all-fully-qualified-officers list is a list of all officers on the Space Force officer list in a grade who the Secretary of the Air Force determines—(A) are fully qualified for promotion to the next higher grade; and (B) would be eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade by a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title upon the convening of such a board. (5) If the Secretary of the Air Force determines that one or more officers or former officers were not placed on an all-fully-qualified-list under this subsection because of administrative error, the Secretary may prepare a supplemental all-fully-qualified-officers list containing the names of any such officers for approval in accordance with this subsection. (d) Date of Rank.—(1) General rule.—The date of rank of an officer appointed to a higher grade under this section is determined under section 741(d) of this title. (2) Adjustments.—The date of rank of an officer appointed to a higher grade under this section may be adjusted in the same manner as an adjustment may be made under section 741(d)(4) of this title in the date of rank of an officer appointed to a higher grade under section 624(a) of this title. In any use of the authority under the preceding sentence, section 741(d)(4)(C)(ii) of this title shall be applied by substituting “Space Force officer list” for “active-duty list”. (3) Additional pay and allowances precluded.—Except as provided in paragraph (2) or as otherwise specifically authorized by law, an officer is not entitled to additional pay or allowances if the effective date of the officer’s promotion is adjusted to reflect a date earlier than the actual date of the officer’s promotion. (e) Delay of Promotions to General Officer Grades to Comply With Strength Limitations.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the promotion of an officer on the Space Force officer list to the grade of brigadier general or major general shall be delayed if that promotion would cause any strength limitation of section 526 of this title to be exceeded. The delay shall expire when the Secretary of the Air Force determines that the delay is no longer required to ensure compliance with the strength limitation. (f) Authority to Delay Appointments for Specified Reasons.—The provisions of section 14311 of this title shall apply to the appointment of an officer under this section in the same manner as they apply to an appointment of an officer under that section, and any reference in that section to an reserve active-status list shall be treated for purposes of applicability to an officer of the Space Force as referring to the Space Force officer list.

10 U.S.C. § 20240 Acceptance of promotions; oath of office

(a) Acceptance.—An officer who is appointed to a higher grade under section 20239 of this title is considered to have accepted the appointment on the date on which the appointment is made unless the officer expressly declines the appointment. (b) Oath.—An officer who has served continuously since taking the oath of office prescribed in section 3331 of title 5 is not required to take a new oath upon appointment to a higher grade under section 20239 of this title.

10 U.S.C. § 20241 Removal of officers from a list of officers recommended for promotion

(a) Removal by President.—The President may remove the name of any officer from a promotion list at any time before the date on which the officer is promoted. (b) Removal for Withholding of Senate Advice and Consent.—If the Senate does not give its advice and consent to the appointment to the next higher grade of an officer whose name is on a list of officers approved by the President for promotion (except in the case of promotions to a grade to which appointments may be made by the President alone), the name of that officer shall be removed from the list. (c) Removal After 18 Months.—(1) If an officer whose name is on a list of officers approved for promotion under section 20238(a) of this title to a grade for which appointment is required by section 20201(a) of this title to be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate is not appointed to that grade under such section during the officer’s promotion eligibility period, the officer’s name shall be removed from the list unless as of the end of such period the Senate has given its advice and consent to the appointment. (2) Before the end of the promotion eligibility period with respect to an officer under paragraph (1), the President may extend that period for purposes of paragraph (1) by an additional 12 months. (3) In this subsection, the term “promotion eligibility period” means, with respect to an officer whose name is on a list of officers approved for promotion under section 20238(a) of this title to a grade for which appointment is required by section 20201(a) of this title to be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the period beginning on the date on which the list is so approved and ending on the first day of the eighteenth month following the month during which the list is so approved. (d) Administrative Removal.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force, if an officer on the Space Force officer list is discharged or dropped from the rolls or transferred to a retired status after having been recommended for promotion to a higher grade under this chapter, but before being promoted, the officer’s name shall be administratively removed from the list of officers recommended for promotion by a selection board. (e) Continued Eligibility for Promotion.—(1) An officer whose name is removed from a list under subsection (a), (b), or (c) continues to be eligible for consideration for promotion. If that officer is recommended for promotion by the next selection board convened for that officer’s grade and competitive category and the officer is promoted, the Secretary of the Air Force may, upon the promotion, grant the officer the same date of rank, the same effective date for the pay and allowances of the grade to which promoted, and the same position on the Space Force officer list, as the officer would have had if the officer’s name had not been removed from the list. (2) If such an officer who is in a grade below the grade of colonel is not recommended for promotion by the next selection board convened for the officer’s grade and competitive category, or if the officer’s name is again removed from the list of officers recommended for promotion, or if the Senate again does not give its advice and consent to his promotion, the officer shall be considered for all purposes to have failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade. (f) Applicability of Previous Executive Order.—Except as otherwise provided by the President by Executive order, any Executive order issued before the date of the enactment of this section relating to functions of the President under section 629 or 14310 of this title shall apply in the same manner to functions of the President under this section.

10 U.S.C. § 20242 Authority to vacate promotions to grade of brigadier general

(a) Authority.—The President may vacate the appointment of a Space Force officer to the grade of brigadier general if the period of time during which the officer has served in that grade after promotion to that grade is less than 18 months. (b) Effect of Promotion Being Vacated.—An officer whose promotion to the grade of brigadier general is vacated under this section holds the grade of colonel. Upon assuming the grade of colonel under this section, the officer shall have the same position on the Space Force officer list as the officer would have had if the officer had not served in the higher grade.

10 U.S.C. § 20243 General officers ceasing to occupy positions commensurate with grade

(a) General Officers.—Within 60 days after an officer of the Space Force on the Space Force officer list in a general officer grade ceases to occupy a position commensurate with that grade (or commensurate with a higher grade), the Secretary of the Air Force shall transfer or discharge the officer in accordance with whichever of the following the officer elects:(1) Transfer the officer in grade to the Space Force retired list, if the officer is qualified and applies for the transfer. (2) Transfer the officer in grade to a Space Force inactive status, if the officer is qualified. (3) Discharge the officer from the officer’s appointment and, if the officer is qualified and applies therefor, appoint the officer in the grade held by the officer before the officer’s appointment in a general officer grade. (4) Discharge the officer from the officer’s appointment. (b) Credit for Service in Grade.—An officer who is appointed under subsection (a)(3) shall be credited with an amount of service in the grade in which appointed that is equal to the amount of prior service in an active status in that grade and in any higher grade.

10 U.S.C. § 20244 Eligibility for consideration for promotion: duty assignments

(a) Regulations.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe regulations to ensure that an officer on the Space Force officer list is not considered for promotion to the grade of brigadier general unless the officer has completed—(1) a duty assignment with a command or other organization that has responsibility for acquisition matters; and (2) a duty assignment with a command or other organization that has responsibility for operations. (b) Implementation Date.—(1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe the regulations required under subsection (a) not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026; and (2) The regulations required under subsection (a) shall apply to officers considered for promotion to brigadier general on or after January 1, 2035.

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