§20239 Promotions: How Made

Summary

When the President approves a selection board under section 20211, the Secretary of the Air Force must put every officer the board approved for promotion in that competitive group onto one promotion list. The list is dated as of the President’s approval and is ordered by seniority on the Space Force officer list or by merit, unless the Secretary changes the order under section 20217. Officers on the list are promoted by appointment as described in section 20201 and are moved up in rank according to Air Force rules. Promotions normally happen in the order names appear on the list. Promotions to first lieutenant and, for first lieutenants, promotions to captain follow rules set by the Secretary. An “all-fully-qualified” list of first lieutenants can be approved by the President so all of them may be promoted to captain if the Secretary says they are all needed; the Secretary can make a supplemental list to fix administrative errors. An officer’s date of rank for a promotion is set under section 741(d) and can be adjusted the way section 741(d)(4) allows, with “Space Force officer list” used where that rule mentions “active-duty list.” Except for those allowed adjustments or other laws, moving an effective promotion date earlier does not give extra pay or allowances. If promoting someone to brigadier general or major general would break the limits in section 526, the promotion must be delayed under rules from the Secretary of Defense until the Secretary of the Air Force says the delay is no longer needed. Rules in section 14311 about delaying appointments also apply, with its references treated as referring to the Space Force officer list.