Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60

§20501 Authority to Establish Procedures to Consider the Separation of Officers for Substandard Performance of Duty and for Certain Other Reasons

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle F— Alternative Military Personnel Systems › Part I— SPACE FORCE › Chapter 2011— SEPARATION OF OFFICERS FOR SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE OF DUTY OR FOR CERTAIN OTHER REASONS › § 20501

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Air Force must make rules so officials can review the records of any active‑duty Space Force commissioned officer (not retired) at any time. The review decides if the officer must explain why they should stay on active duty. Reasons include poor job performance or failing to meet the qualifications set under section 20403, and misconduct, moral or professional failings, or if keeping the officer is clearly not in the national security interest. The rules must follow any limits the Secretary of Defense sets.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §20501

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any commissioned officer (other than a retired officer) of the Space Force in a space force active status to determine whether the officer shall be required, because of a reason stated in paragraph (2), to show cause for the officer’s retention in a space force active status.

(2)The reasons referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:

(A)The officer’s performance of duty has fallen below standards prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

(B)The officer has failed to satisfy the standards and qualifications established under section 20403 of this title by the Secretary of the Air Force.

(b)(1)The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe, by regulation, procedures for the review at any time of the record of any commissioned officer (other than a retired officer) of the Space Force in a space force active status to determine whether the officer should be required, because of a reason stated in paragraph (2), to show cause for the officer’s retention in a space force active status.

(2)The reasons referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:

(A)Misconduct.

(B)Moral or professional dereliction.

(C)The officer’s retention is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security.

(c)Regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force under this section are subject to such limitations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 20501

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60