--- kind: "section" citation: "10 U.S.C. § 573" title: "10" title_heading: "Armed Forces" number: "573" heading: "Convening of selection boards" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/573" units: - "Subtitle A — General Military Law" - "Part II — Personnel" - "Chapter 33A — Appointment, Promotion, and Involuntary Separation and Retirement for Members on the Warrant Officer Active-Duty List" --- # §573. Convening of selection boards - (a) - (1) Whenever the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) determines that the needs of the service so require, he shall convene a selection board to recommend for promotion to the next higher [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) who are in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–2, chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–3, or chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–4. - (2) [Warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) serving on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–1, shall be promoted to the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–2, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5). Such regulations shall require that an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) have served not less than 18 months on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–1, before promotion to the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) of [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), W–2. - (b) A selection board shall consist of five or more [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who are on the [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) of the same armed force as the [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) under consideration by the board. At least five members of a selection board must be serving in a permanent [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) above major or lieutenant commander. The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may appoint [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3), senior in [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) to those under consideration, as additional members of the selection board. If [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) are appointed members of the selection board and if competitive categories have been established by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) under [section 574(b) of this title](/usc/10/574.md?p=b), at least one must be appointed from each [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) competitive category under consideration by the board, unless there is an insufficient number of [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) in the competitive category concerned who are senior in [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) to those under consideration and qualified, as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5), to be appointed as additional members of the board. The members of a selection board shall represent the diverse population of the armed force concerned to the extent practicable. - (c) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may convene selection boards to recommend [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) for continuation on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) under [section 580 of this title](/usc/10/580.md) and for retirement under [section 581 of this title](/usc/10/581.md). - (d) When [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) of one of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) are to be considered by a selection board convened under [subsection (a)](#a), the membership of the board shall, if practicable, include at least one [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) of that armed force, with the exact number of [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5). - (e) No [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) may serve on two consecutive boards under this section, if the second board considers any [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) who was considered by the first board. - (f) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall prescribe all other matters relating to the [functions](/usc/10/467.md?p=1) and duties of the boards, including the number of members constituting a quorum, and instructions concerning notice of convening of boards and communications with boards. ## Source credit (Added Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, § 1112(a), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1493; amended Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 541(b)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2764; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1503(a)(5), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 511; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 503(a)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3564.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Prior Provisions Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 558 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, § 1112(a). ### Amendments 2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted at end “The members of a selection board shall represent the diverse population of the armed force concerned to the extent practicable.” 1996—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted “active-duty list” for “active duty list”. 1994—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, § 541(b)(1)(A), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary of a military department”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 103–337, § 541(b)(1)(B), struck out “of the military department” after “Secretary”. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title. ### Effective Date Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title. ### Other Selection Boards Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 503(c), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3565, provided that: In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the members of each selection board described in paragraph (2) represent the diverse population of the Armed Force concerned to the extent practicable. Selection board described.—A selection board described in this paragraph (1) is any selection board used with respect to the promotion, education, or command assignments of members of the Armed Forces that is not covered by the amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 612 and 14102 of this title].”