§14108 Recommendations by Promotion Boards

Summary

A promotion board must pick the officers it thinks are best qualified for promotion in each group it reviews or to fill a vacancy. The board must consider the service’s need for officers with particular skills, as shown in the board’s guidance. A board may only recommend an officer if most board members agree the officer should be promoted, most find the officer fully qualified, and most — after looking at any negative information — find the officer among the best qualified and that the officer meets the law’s conduct standards. Officers on the reserve active-status list cannot be promoted unless a promotion board (or a special selection board) considers and recommends them. Board recommendations are kept confidential under rules set by the Secretary of Defense and cannot be shared outside the board until the report is signed by every member. The Secretary who calls the board and any officer in charge may not punish, pressure, or try to improperly influence the board or its members about their recommendations. If the Secretary allows it, a board can also recommend that certain officers of special merit be placed higher on the promotion list; such special placement must be approved by most members or follow an alternate rule given to the board, and the board must say the order for those officers.