10 USC § 621 - Competitive categories for promotion

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s621"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 621 - Competitive categories for promotion"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "621"
section_name: "Competitive categories for promotion"
chapter_number: 36
chapter_name: "PROMOTION, SEPARATION, AND INVOLUNTARY RETIREMENT OF OFFICERS ON THE ACTIVE-DUTY LIST"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "PROMOTIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, § 105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2856.)"
---


# § 621. Competitive categories for promotion

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of each military department shall establish competitive categories for promotion. Each officer whose name appears on an active-duty list shall be carried in a competitive category of officers. Officers 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.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective , but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under .