Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 35 — TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS IN OFFICER GRADES › § 605
Allows certain mid‑level officers with rare or needed skills to get a temporary promotion to the next higher rank so they can fill jobs that require those skills. The military department secretary must say there is a critical shortage and must pick the jobs that need the higher rank and that skill. The President makes the appointments with Senate approval, and a board of officers must recommend each temporary promotion. The temporary promotion does not change an officer’s permanent place on the active-duty list or their status, and it does not hurt their other promotion chances or rights. Unless the officer says no, the promotion is treated as accepted the day it is made and the officer gets the pay of the higher rank from that date. The temporary promotion ends when the officer gets the permanent rank or leaves the designated job, unless the officer is already on a list for promotion, in which case it ends when they are promoted. The number of jobs that can be designated is limited. Army: captain 120; major 350; lieutenant colonel 200; colonel 100. Air Force: captain 95; major 305; lieutenant colonel 165; colonel 75. Space Force: captain 5; major 20; lieutenant colonel 10; colonel 5. Marine Corps: captain 50; major 175; lieutenant colonel 100; colonel 50. Navy: lieutenant 100; lieutenant commander 425; commander 175; captain 80.
Full Legal Text
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 605
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110