§20241 Removal of officers from a list of officers recommended for promotion

Summary

The President can take an officer’s name off a promotion list at any time before that officer is promoted. If the Senate does not approve an officer’s appointment to the next higher grade, the officer’s name must be removed from the approved list. For officers whose promotions need Senate approval, their name is removed automatically if they are not appointed during their “promotion eligibility period,” which starts when the list is approved and ends on the first day of the 18th month after the month the list was approved. The President can extend that period one time for 12 more months before it ends. Under rules set by the Secretary of the Air Force, a Space Force officer who is discharged, dropped, or put on retired status after being recommended but before promotion will have their name taken off the list. An officer whose name was removed can still be considered again. If the next selection board recommends the officer and the officer is promoted, the Secretary of the Air Force may give the officer the same date of rank, same pay start date, and same spot on the list as if the name had never been removed. If an officer below the grade of colonel is not recommended by the next board, is removed again, or the Senate again does not approve the promotion, the officer is treated as having failed selection. Earlier Executive orders about the President’s duties under sections 629 or 14310 apply here unless the President says otherwise.