---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 623"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "623"
heading: "Establishment of promotion zones"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/623"
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"
---

# §623. Establishment of promotion zones

- (a) Before convening a selection board under [section 611(a) of this title](/usc/10/611.md?p=a) to consider [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) for promotion to any [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) above first lieutenant or lieutenant (junior [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7)), 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 establish a [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) 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) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall determine the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in the [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) 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. Such determination shall be made on the basis of an estimate of—
  - (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) the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be serving in that competitive category in the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) in each of the next five years;
  - (3) in the case of a [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) to be promoted to a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) to which [section 523 of this title](/usc/10/523.md) is applicable, the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) authorized for such [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) under such section to be on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) on the last day of each of the next five fiscal years; and
  - (4) the number of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) that should be placed in that [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) in each of the next five years to provide to [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in those years relatively similar opportunity 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.