§2113 Eligibility of officers for consideration for promotion

Summary

Officers on the active-duty promotion list become eligible for promotion at the start of the promotion year when they have served the required time from their date of rank: two years for lieutenant (junior grade), three years for lieutenant, four years for lieutenant commander, four years for commander, and three years for captain. Time in a grade counts whether it was temporary or permanent, and time in a higher grade also counts. A special temporary appointment counts only as the grade the officer would have held without that appointment. No one can become eligible before all senior officers in the same grade are eligible. An officer stays eligible until promoted as long as they stay on active duty and are not on a select list. If an officer’s involuntary retirement or separation is delayed, they are not eligible during that delay. The Secretary can waive the time rule so officers get at least two chances below the promotion zone. The Commandant may approve an officer’s request to skip consideration if it’s for education, a valuable assignment, delayed career needs, or similar personal/professional reasons, if it serves the Coast Guard’s interest, and if the officer has not failed selection for that grade before.