§20215 Recommendations for Promotion by Selection Boards

Summary

A selection board must pick officers it thinks are best qualified for promotion in each competitive group, taking into account Space Force needs and any guidance given under section 615(b). The Secretary of the Air Force sets how many officers the board may recommend. A board cannot recommend an officer unless a majority of members vote for it, a majority finds the officer fully qualified, and a majority, after reviewing any adverse information provided under section 615, finds the officer among the best qualified and meeting the exemplary conduct rule in section 9233. Normally an officer can only be promoted after a board considers and recommends them, except for officers coming in from other armed forces under chapter 36 or chapter 1403. Board recommendations stay secret until the written report required by section 617 is signed and can only be released under rules from the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of the Air Force and other supervisors cannot punish or try to force a board or its members about their recommendations. When allowed, a board may also name officers of special merit to be placed higher on the promotion list under section 624(a)(1); those placements require at least a majority vote unless the Secretary sets a different rule, and the board will state the order for those officers.