---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 649b"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "649b"
heading: "Selection for promotion"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/649b"
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"
---

# §649b. Selection for promotion

- (a) **In General.—** Except as provided in this section, the selection for promotion of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in any competitive category of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) designated for purposes of this subchapter shall be governed by the provisions of subchapter I of this chapter.
- (b) **No Recommendation for Promotion of Officers Below Promotion Zone.—** [Section 616(b) of this title](/usc/10/616.md?p=b) shall not apply to the selection for promotion of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Recommendation for Officers To Be Excluded From Future Consideration for Promotion.—** In making recommendations pursuant to [section 616 of this title](/usc/10/616.md) for purposes of the administration of this subchapter, a selection board convened under [section 611(a) of this title](/usc/10/611.md?p=a) may recommend that an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) considered by the board be excluded from future consideration for promotion under this chapter.

## Source credit

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