---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 14305"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "14305"
heading: "Establishment of promotion zones: mandatory consideration for promotion"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/14305"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Reserve Components"
  - "Part III — Promotion and Retention of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List"
  - "Chapter 1405 — Promotions"
---

# §14305. Establishment of promotion zones: mandatory consideration for promotion

- (a) **Establishment of Zone.—** Before convening a mandatory promotion board under [section 14101(a) of this title](/usc/10/14101.md?p=a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4) of the military [department](/usc/10/12521.md?p=5) concerned shall establish a promotion zone for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) serving in each [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and competitive category to be considered by the board.
- (b) **Number in the Zone.—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9) shall determine the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the promotion zone for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) serving in any [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and competitive category from among [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who are eligible for promotion in that [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and competitive category under the provisions of sections [14303](/usc/10/14303.md) and [14304](/usc/10/14304.md) of this title and who are otherwise eligible for promotion.
- (c) **Factors in Determining Number in the Zone.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/12521.md?p=4)’s determination under [subsection (b)](#b) shall be made on the basis of an estimate of the following:
  - (1) The number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) needed in that competitive category in the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) in each of the next five years.
  - (2) In the case of a promotion zone for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be promoted to a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) to which the maximum years of in [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) criteria established in [section 14304 of this title](/usc/10/14304.md) apply, the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in that competitive category who are required to be considered for selection for promotion to the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) under that section.
  - (3) The number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) that should be placed in the promotion zone in each of the next five years to provide to [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in those years relatively similar opportunities for promotion.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1611, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2935.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1996, see section 1691(b)(1) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 10001 of this title.