--- kind: "section" citation: "10 U.S.C. § 20212" title: "10" title_heading: "Armed Forces" number: "20212" heading: "Composition of selection boards" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/20212" units: - "Subtitle F — Alternative Military Personnel Systems" - "Part I — Space Force" - "Chapter 2005 — Officers" - "Subchapter II — Selection Boards" --- # §20212. Composition of selection boards - (a) **Appointment and Composition of Boards.—** - (1) **In general.—** Members of a selection board shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force in accordance with this section. A selection board shall consist of five or more [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Space Force. Each member of a selection board must be serving in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of the [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under consideration by the board, except that no member of a board may be serving in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) below major. The members of a selection board shall include at least one member serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4) and at least one member in a [space force active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-1) who is not serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4). The ratio of the members of a selection board serving on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4) to members serving in a [space force active status](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-1) not on [sustained duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=e-4) shall, to the extent practicable, reflect the ratio of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) serving in each of those statuses who are being considered for promotion by the board. The members of a selection board shall represent the diverse population of the Space Force to the extent practicable. - (2) **Representation from competitive categories.—** - (A) Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#a-2-B), a selection board shall include at least one [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) from each competitive category of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be considered by the board. - (B) A selection board need not include an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) from a competitive category when there are no [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of that competitive category on the Space Force [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) list in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of the [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be considered by the board and eligible to serve on the board. - (3) **Retired officers.—** If qualified [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) on the Space Force [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) list are not available in sufficient number to comprise a selection board, the Secretary of the Air Force shall complete the membership of the board by appointing as members of the board— - (A) Space Force [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who hold a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of the [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under consideration by the board and who are retired [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1); and - (B) if sufficient Space Force [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) are not available pursuant to [subparagraph (A)](#a-3-A), Air Force [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who hold a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) higher than the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of the [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under consideration by the board and who are retired [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1), but only if the Air Force [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be appointed to the board has served in the Space Force or in a space-related career field of the Air Force for sufficient time such that the Secretary of the Air Force determines that the retired Air Force [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has adequate knowledge concerning the standards of performance and conduct required of an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the Space Force. - (4) **Exclusion of retired general officers on active duty to serve on a board from numeric general officer active-duty limitations.—** A retired [general officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-4) who is on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) for the purpose of serving on a selection board shall not, while so serving, be counted against any limitation on the number of general and [flag officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-5) who may be on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1). - (b) **Limitation on Membership on Consecutive Boards.—** - (1) **General rule.—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), no [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) may be a member of two successive selection boards convened under [section 20211 of this title](/usc/10/20211.md) for the consideration of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of the same competitive category and [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7). - (2) **Exception for general officer boards.—** [Paragraph (1)](#b-1) does not apply with respect to selection boards convened under [section 20211 of this title](/usc/10/20211.md) for the consideration of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of colonel or brigadier general. - (c) **Joint Qualified Officers.—** - (1) Each selection board convened under [section 20211 of this title](/usc/10/20211.md) that will consider an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) shall include at least one [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) designated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is a joint qualified [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1). - (2) [Paragraph (1)](#c-1) applies with respect to an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who— - (A) is serving on, or has served on, the Joint Staff; or - (B) is a joint qualified [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1). - (3) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) for any selection board of the Space Force. ## Source credit (Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1716(c), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 634; amended Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 521(o), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1882.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 2024—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted “Secretary of the Air Force” for “Secretary of Air Force”.