---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 649a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "649a"
heading: "Officers in designated competitive categories"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/649a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 36 — Promotion, Separation, and Involuntary Retirement of Officers on the Active-Duty List"
  - "Subchapter VI — Alternative Promotion Authority for Officers in Designated Competitive Categories"
---

# §649a. Officers in designated competitive categories

- (a) **Authority To Designate Competitive Categories of Officers.—** Each [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 designate one or more competitive categories for promotion of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) under [section 621 of this title](/usc/10/621.md) that are under the jurisdiction of such [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) as a competitive category of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) whose promotion, retirement, and continuation on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter.
- (b) **Limitation on Exercise of Authority.—** 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 designate a competitive category of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) for purposes of this subchapter 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 report on the designation of the competitive category. The report on the designation of a competitive category shall set forth the following:
  - (1) A detailed description of [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) requirements for [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) within the competitive category.
  - (2) An explanation of the number of opportunities for consideration for promotion to each particular [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7), and an estimate of promotion timing, within the competitive category.
  - (3) An estimate of the size of the [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) for each [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) within the competitive category.
  - (4) A description of any other matters the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) considered in determining to designate the competitive category for purposes of this subchapter.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 507(a)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1744.)