---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 621"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "621"
heading: "Competitive categories for promotion"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/621"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 36 — Promotion, Separation, and Involuntary Retirement of Officers on the Active-Duty List"
  - "Subchapter II — Promotions"
---

# §621. Competitive categories for promotion


Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of each [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) shall establish competitive categories for promotion. Each [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) whose name appears on an [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) shall be carried in a competitive category of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1). [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the same competitive category shall compete among themselves for promotion.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, § 105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2856.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.