Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§20238 Establishment of promotion zones

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle F— - Alternative Military Personnel Systems › Part PART I— - SPACE FORCE › Chapter CHAPTER 2005— - OFFICERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - PROMOTIONS › § 20238

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Before a promotion board looks at officers for ranks above first lieutenant or lieutenant (junior grade), the Secretary of the Air Force must create a promotion zone for each grade and competitive group. The Secretary then picks how many eligible officers go into each zone using five-year estimates of: how many will be needed in the next higher grade, how many will be serving in that higher grade, if section 523 applies the number authorized to be on sustained duty at the end of each of the next five fiscal years, and how many should be placed in the zone each year so promotion chances stay roughly the same.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §20238

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 20238

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73