**(a) In General.—** Before convening a selection board under [section 20211 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section20211&num=0&edition=prelim) to consider officers for promotion to any grade above first lieutenant or lieutenant (junior grade), the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a promotion zone for officers serving in each grade and competitive category to be considered by the board.
**(b) Determination of Number.—** The Secretary of the Air Force shall determine the number of officers in the promotion zone for officers serving in any grade and competitive category from among officers who are eligible for promotion in that grade and competitive category. Such determination shall be made on the basis of an estimate of—
(1) the number of officers needed in that competitive category in the next higher grade in each of the next five years;
(2) the number of officers to be serving in that competitive category in the next higher grade in each of the next five years;
(3) in the case of a promotion zone for officers to be promoted to a grade to which [section 523 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section523&num=0&edition=prelim) is applicable, the number of officers authorized for such grade under such section to be on sustained duty on the last day of each of the next five fiscal years; and
(4) the number of officers that should be placed in that promotion zone in each of the next five years to provide to officers in those years relatively similar opportunity for promotion.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)**
(1) Except as provided in subsection (c), of the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps at the end of any fiscal year (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)), the number of officers who may be serving on active duty in each of the grades of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel may not, as of the end of such fiscal year, exceed a number determined in accordance with the following table: Total number of commissioned officers (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) on active duty:Number of officers who may be serving on active duty in grade of: MajorLieutenant ColonelColonel 1 Table heading editorially supplied. Army: 20,0007,7685,2531,613 25,0008,6895,6421,796 30,0009,6116,0301,980 35,00010,5326,4192,163 40,00011,4546,8072,347 45,00012,3757,1962,530 50,00013,2977,5842,713 55,00014,2187,9732,897 60,00015,1408,3613,080 65,00016,0618,7503,264 70,00016,9839,1383,447 75,00017,9039,5273,631 80,00018,8259,9153,814 85,00019,74610,3043,997 90,00020,66810,6924,181 95,00021,58911,0814,364 100,00022,51111,4694,548 110,00024,35412,2464,915 120,00026,19713,0235,281 130,00028,04013,8005,648 170,00035,41216,9087,116 Air Force: 35,0009,2167,0902,125 40,00010,0257,4782,306 45,00010,8357,8662,487 50,00011,6458,2532,668 55,00012,4548,6412,849 60,00013,2649,0293,030 65,00014,0739,4173,211 70,00014,8839,8053,392 75,00015,69310,1933,573 80,00016,50210,5823,754 85,00017,31210,9713,935 90,00018,12111,3604,115 95,00018,93111,7494,296 100,00019,74112,1384,477 105,00020,55012,5274,658 110,00021,36012,9154,838 115,00022,16913,3045,019 120,00022,97913,6925,200 125,00023,78914,0815,381 Marine Corps: 10,0002,8021,615633 12,5003,2471,768658 15,0003,6911,922684 17,5004,1352,076710 20,0004
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 10 U.S.C. § 523
Stored review status: release_metadata_unconfirmed. Explicit cross-reference supplied in source Markdown; currentness and applicability require review.