Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§20232 Authority to allow officers to opt out of selection board consideration

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle F— - Alternative Military Personnel Systems › Part PART I— - SPACE FORCE › Chapter CHAPTER 2005— - OFFICERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - PROMOTIONS › § 20232

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Air Force can let a Space Force officer ask to be left off a promotion board. The officer must ask, and the Secretary must approve. Approval is allowed only in three cases. One, to finish certain training or important assignments (like advanced schooling, broadening jobs, or work that delayed a career step), if the Secretary thinks it helps the Space Force and the officer has never failed selection for that rank. Two, to finish advanced or professional military schooling, if the Secretary wants the officer to keep their current job and rank and the officer has not used this option before. Three, if the officer fills a critical job no same‑rank officer can do, if keeping them is in the Space Force’s interest and they have not used this option before.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §20232

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)The Secretary may only approve a request under subsection (a) as follows:

(1)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)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)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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 20232

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73