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

# §649f. Failure of selection for promotion

- (a) **In General.—** Except as provided in this section, sections [627](/usc/10/627.md) through [632](/usc/10/632.md) of this title shall apply to promotions of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) in competitive categories of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) designated for purposes of this subchapter.
- (b) **Inapplicability of Failure of Selection for Promotion to Officers Above Promotion Zone.—** The reference in [section 627 of this title](/usc/10/627.md) to an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) above the [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) shall not apply in the promotion of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Special Selection Board Matters.—** The reference in [section 628(a)(1) of this title](/usc/10/628.md?p=a-1) to a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) above the [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) shall not apply in the promotion of [officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (d) **Effect of Failure of Selection.—** In the administration of this subchapter pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a)—
  - (1) an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [subsection (a)](#a) shall not be deemed to have failed twice of selection for promotion for purposes of [section 629(e)(2) of this title](/usc/10/629.md?p=e-2) until the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has failed selection of promotion to the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) the maximum number of times specified for opportunities for promotion to such [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) within the competitive category concerned pursuant to [section 649d of this title](/usc/10/649d.md); and
  - (2) any reference in section [631(a)](/usc/10/631.md?p=a) or [632(a)](/usc/10/632.md?p=a) of this title to an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who has failed of selection for promotion to the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) for the second time shall be deemed to refer instead to an [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) described in [subsection (a)](#a) who has failed of selection for promotion to the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) for the maximum number of times specified for opportunities for promotion to such [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) within the competitive category concerned pursuant to such section 649d.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 507(a)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1746.)