---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1563a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1563a"
heading: "Honorary promotions on the initiative of the Department of Defense"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1563a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 80 — Miscellaneous Investigation Requirements and Other Duties"
---

# §1563a. Honorary promotions on the initiative of the Department of Defense

- (a) **In General.—**
  - (1) Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may make an honorary promotion, including a posthumous honorary promotion, of a former member or retired member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) to any [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) not exceeding the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of major general or rear admiral (upper half).
  - (2) The honorary [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) to which a member described in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) is promoted shall be commensurate with such member’s contributions to the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) or the national defense.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) is not authorized to make an honorary promotion under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) solely on the basis that a member described in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) was recommended for such promotion prior to separating from the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4).
  - (4)
    - (A) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) is only authorized to make an honorary promotion under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) upon receipt of a favorable recommendation by a board of at least three independent [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) convened specifically for the purpose of reviewing the proposed honorary promotion.
    - (B) For purposes of this paragraph, an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) is an independent [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) if—
      - (i) the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has no relationship with the former member or retired member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) whose proposed honorary promotion is the subject of review by the board on which such [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) will serve under this paragraph; and
      - (ii) the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has no personal interest in the proposed honorary promotion.
- (b) **Notice to Congress.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may not make an honorary promotion pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) until 60 days after the date on which the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a notice of the determination to make the promotion, including a detailed discussion of the rationale supporting the determination.
- (c) **Notice of Promotion.—** Upon making an honorary promotion pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned shall expeditiously notify the former member or retired member concerned, or the next of kin of such former member or retired member if such former member or retired member is deceased, of the promotion.
- (d) **Nature of Promotion.—** Any promotion pursuant to this section is honorary, and shall not affect the [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), retired [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), or other benefits from the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) to which the former member or retired member concerned is entitled or would have been entitled based on the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) service of such former member or retired member, nor affect any benefits to which any other [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is or may become entitled based on the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) service of such former member or retired member.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 523(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3597; amended Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1741(a)(6), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 680; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 523, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 864.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 119–60, § 523(1)(A), substituted “the Secretary of a military department may make an honorary promotion, including a posthumous honorary promotion, of a former” for “the Secretary may make an honorary promotion (whether or not posthumous) of a former” and struck out “if the Secretary determines that the promotion is merited” before period at end.

Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 119–60, § 523(1)(B), added pars. (2) to (4) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “The authority to make an honorary promotion under this subsection shall apply notwithstanding that the promotion is not otherwise authorized by law.”

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 119–60, § 523(2), substituted “The Secretary of a military department” for “The Secretary”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 119–60, § 523(3), substituted “the Secretary of the military department concerned” for “the Secretary”.

2023—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted “general or” for “general,” and struck out “, or an equivalent grade in the Space Force” after “rear admiral (upper half)”.