Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60

§20232 Authority to Allow Officers to Opt Out of Selection Board Consideration

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle F— Alternative Military Personnel Systems › Part I— SPACE FORCE › Chapter 2005— OFFICERS › Subchapter III— PROMOTIONS › § 20232

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Air Force can allow a Space Force officer to ask to be left off a promotion board, but only if the Secretary agrees. Approval is allowed only in one of three situations. First, the officer needs to finish a broadening assignment, advanced education, another important assignment, or a career step delayed by such work; the Secretary decides it is best for the Space Force; and the officer has not previously failed selection for promotion to that grade. Second, the officer is completing advanced or professional military education, the Secretary decides it is best for the officer to stay in their current job and grade, and the officer has not before opted out of a promotion board. Third, the officer is in a critical job that no same-grade Space Force officer can fill, the Secretary decides it is best for the officer to stay in that job and grade, and the officer has not before opted out of a promotion board.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §20232

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Air Force may provide that an officer on the Space Force officer list may, upon the officer’s request and with the approval of the Secretary, be excluded from consideration by a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title to consider officers for promotion to the next higher grade.

(b)The Secretary may only approve a request under subsection (a) as follows:

(1)If—

(A)the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete a broadening assignment, an advanced education assignment, another assignment of significant value to the Department, or a career progression requirement delayed by such an assignment;

(B)the Secretary determines the exclusion from consideration is in the best interest of the Space Force; and

(C)the officer has not previously failed of selection for promotion to the grade for which the officer requests the exclusion from consideration.

(2)If—

(A)the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete advanced education or professional military education;

(B)the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the Space Force for the officer to continue to serve in current position and grade; and

(C)the officer has not previously opted out of a promotion board under this section.

(3)If—

(A)the officer is serving in a critical skill position that cannot be filled by another Space Force officer serving in the same grade;

(B)the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the Space Force for the officer to continue to serve in their current position and grade; and

(C)the officer has not previously opted out of a promotion board under this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 20232

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60