10 U.S.C. § 661 — Management policies for joint qualified of-

Page 643 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 661 Sec. 666. Reserve officers not on the active-duty list. [667. Repealed.] 668. Definitions. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2014—Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title V, § 505(b), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3356, struck out item 667 ‘‘Annual report to Congress’’. 2008—Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 522(a)(3), (c)(3), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4445, added items 661 and 665 and struck out former items 661 ‘‘Management policies for officers who are joint qualified’’ and 665 ‘‘Procedures for monitoring careers of joint officers’’. 2006—Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 516(e)(2), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2189, substituted ‘‘officers who are joint qualified’’ for ‘‘joint specialty officers’’ in item 661. 2004—Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 532(c)(2)(B), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1900, substituted ‘‘Joint duty assign- ments after completion of joint professional military education’’ for ‘‘Education’’ in item 663. § 661. Management policies for joint qualified of- ficers (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish policies, procedures, and prac- tices for the effective management of officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps on the active-duty list, and officers of the Space Force on the Space Force officer list, who are particularly trained in, and oriented toward, joint matters (as defined in section 668 of this title). Such officers shall be identified or des- ignated (in addition to their principal military occupational specialty) as a joint qualified offi- cer or in such other manner as the Secretary of Defense directs. (b) LEVELS, DESIGNATION, AND NUMBERS.— (1)(A) The Secretary of Defense shall establish different levels of joint qualification, as well as the criteria for qualification at each level. Such levels of joint qualification shall be established by the Secretary with the advice of the Chair- man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Each level shall, as a minimum, have both joint education criteria and joint experience criteria. The pur- pose of establishing such qualification levels is to ensure a systematic, progressive, career-long development of officers in joint matters and to ensure that officers serving as general and flag officers have the requisite experience and edu- cation to be highly proficient in joint matters. (B) The number of officers who are joint quali- fied shall be determined by the Secretary of De- fense, with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Such number shall be large enough to meet the requirements of subsection (d). (2) Certain officers shall be designated as joint qualified by the Secretary of Defense with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (3) An officer may be designated as joint quali- fied under paragraph (2) only if the officer— (A) meets the education and experience cri- teria of subsection (c); (B) meets such additional criteria as pre- scribed by the Secretary of Defense; and (C) holds the grade of captain or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant or a higher grade. (4) The authority of the Secretary of Defense under paragraph (2) to designate officers as joint qualified may be delegated only to the Deputy Secretary of Defense or an Under Secretary of Defense. (c) EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRE- MENTS.—(1) An officer may not be designated as joint qualified until the officer— (A) successfully completes an appropriate program of joint professional military edu- cation, as described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 2155 of this title, at a joint profes- sional military education school; and (B) successfully completes— (i) a full tour of duty in a joint assign- ment, as described in section 664(d) of this title; or (ii) such other assignments and experi- ences in a manner that demonstrate the offi- cer’s mastery of knowledge, skills, and abili- ties in joint matters, as determined under such regulations and policy as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe. (2) Subject to paragraphs (3) through (6), the Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) that an officer has suc- cessfully completed a program of education, as described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 2155 of this title. (3) In the case of an officer in a grade below brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half), a waiver under paragraph (2) may be granted only if— (A) the officer has completed two full tours of duty in a joint duty assignment, as de- scribed in section 664(d) of this title, in such a manner as to demonstrate the officer’s mas- tery of knowledge, skills, and abilities on joint matters; and (B) the Secretary of Defense determines that the types of joint duty experiences completed by the officer have been of sufficient breadth to prepare the officer adequately for service as a general or flag officer in a joint duty assign- ment position. (4) In the case of a general or flag officer, a waiver under paragraph (2) may be granted only— (A) under unusual circumstances justifying the variation from the education requirement under paragraph (1)(A); and (B) under circumstances in which the waiver is necessary to meet a critical need of the armed forces, as determined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (5) In the case of officers in grades below brig- adier general or rear admiral (lower half), the total number of waivers granted under para- graph (2) for officers in the same pay grade dur- ing a fiscal year may not exceed 10 percent of the total number of officers in that pay grade designated as joint qualified during that fiscal year. (6) There may not be more than 32 general and flag officers on active duty at the same time who, while holding a general or flag officer posi- tion, were designated joint qualified (or were se- lected for the joint specialty before October 1, 2007) and for whom a waiver was granted under paragraph (2). (d) NUMBER OF JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that ap- Page 644 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 661 proximately one-half of the joint duty assign- ment positions in grades above major or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant commander are filled at any time by officers who have the ap- propriate level of joint qualification. (2) The Secretary of Defense, with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall designate an appropriate number of joint duty assignment positions as critical joint duty assignment positions. A position may be des- ignated as a critical joint duty assignment posi- tion only if the duties and responsibilities of the position make it important that the occupant be particularly trained in, and oriented toward, joint matters. (3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a position designated under paragraph (2) may be held only by an officer who— (i) was designated as joint qualified in ac- cordance with this chapter; or (ii) was selected for the joint specialty be- fore October 1, 2007. (B) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement in subparagraph (A) with respect to the assignment of an officer to a position des- ignated under paragraph (2). Any such waiver shall be granted on a case-by-case basis. The au- thority of the Secretary to grant such a waiver may be delegated only to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or a designee of the Chair- man who is an officer of the armed forces in grade O–9 or higher. (4) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, of those joint duty assignment positions that are filled by general or flag officers, a substan- tial portion are among those positions that are designated under paragraph (2) as critical joint duty assignment positions. (e) CAREER GUIDELINES.—The Secretary, with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall establish career guidelines for offi- cers to achieve joint qualification and for offi- cers who have been designated as joint qualified. Such guidelines shall include guidelines for— (1) selection; (2) military education; (3) training; (4) types of duty assignments; and (5) such other matters as the Secretary con- siders appropriate. (f) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN SERVICE.—Any serv- ice by an officer in the grade of captain or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant in a joint duty assignment shall be considered to be service in a joint duty assignment for purposes of all laws (including section 619a of this title) establishing a requirement or condition with respect to an officer’s service in a joint duty assignment. (Added Pub. L. 99–433, title IV, § 401(a), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1025; amended Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XIII, § 1301–1302(b), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1168, 1169; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title V, §§ 511, 512(a), 517(a), 518, Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1968, 1971; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XI, §§ 1113, 1122, Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1554, 1556; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 501(a), (d), title XV, § 1503(a)(6), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 290, 292, 511; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 521(a), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1097; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, § 502(c), title X, § 1062(a)(3), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2530, 2649; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 516(a)–(e)(1), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2187–2189; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 522(a)(1), (2), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4444, 4445; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1081(a)(20), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1595; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 505, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1345; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(1)(D), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3820; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1722(c), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 670.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2023—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted ‘‘and Ma- rine Corps’’ for ‘‘Marine Corps, and Space Force’’ and inserted ‘‘, and officers of the Space Force on the Space Force officer list,’’ after ‘‘active-duty list’’. 2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘Marine Corps, and Space Force’’ for ‘‘and Marine Corps’’. 2019—Subsec. (d)(3)(B). Pub. L. 116–92 inserted ‘‘or a designee of the Chairman who is an officer of the armed forces in grade O–9 or higher’’ after ‘‘Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’’. 2017—Subsec. (c)(1)(B)(i), (3)(A). Pub. L. 115–91 sub- stituted ‘‘664(d)’’ for ‘‘664(f)’’. 2008—Pub. L. 110–417 amended section catchline gen- erally, substituting ‘‘Management policies for joint qualified officers’’ for ‘‘Management policies for offi- cers who are joint qualified’’, and in subsec. (a), sub- stituted ‘‘as a joint qualified officer or in such other manner as the Secretary of Defense directs’’ for ‘‘in such manner as the Secretary of Defense directs’’. 2006—Pub. L. 109–364, § 516(e)(1), substituted ‘‘officers who are joint qualified’’ for ‘‘joint specialty officers’’ in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–364, § 516(a), struck out at end ‘‘For purposes of this chapter, officers to be managed by such policies, procedures, and practices are referred to as having, or having been nominated for, the ‘joint specialty’.’’ Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 109–364, § 516(b), amended subsecs. (b) to (d) generally. Prior to amendment, sub- secs. (b) to (d) related to numbers and selection of offi- cers with the joint specialty, education and experience requirements, and number of joint duty assignments. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–364, § 516(c), substituted ‘‘offi- cers to achieve joint qualification and for officers who have been designated as joint qualified’’ for ‘‘officers with the joint specialty’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364, § 516(d), substituted ‘‘619a’’ for ‘‘619(e)(1)’’. 2002—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107–314, § 1062(a)(3), sub- stituted ‘‘December 28, 2001,’’ for ‘‘the date of the en- actment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002’’. Subsec. (c)(3)(E). Pub. L. 107–314, § 502(c), substituted ‘‘paragraph’’ for ‘‘subparagraph’’. 2001—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107–107, in introductory provisions, substituted ‘‘Each officer on the active-duty list on the date of the enactment of the National De- fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 who has not before that date been nominated for the joint spe- cialty by the Secretary of a military department, and each officer who is placed on the active-duty list after such date, who meets the requirements of subsection (c) shall automatically be considered to have been nom- inated for the joint specialty. From among those offi- cers considered to be nominated for the joint specialty, the Secretary may select for the joint specialty only officers—’’ for ‘‘The Secretaries of the military depart- ments shall nominate officers for selection for the joint specialty. Nominations shall be made from among offi- cers—’’. 1996—Subsec. (c)(3)(D). Pub. L. 104–106, § 501(d)(1), in third sentence, substituted ‘‘In the case of officers in grades below brigadier general and rear admiral (lower half), the total number’’ for ‘‘The total number’’. Page 645 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 661 Subsec. (c)(3)(E). Pub. L. 104–106, § 501(d)(2), added sub- par. (E). Subsec. (d)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–106, § 501(a), substituted ‘‘800’’ for ‘‘1,000’’. Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1503(a)(6)(A), sub- stituted ‘‘Each position designated by the Secretary under subparagraph (A)’’ for ‘‘Until January 1, 1994, at least 80 percent of the positions designated by the Sec- retary under subparagraph (A) shall be held at all times by officers who have the joint specialty. On and after January 1, 1994, each position so designated’’. Subsec. (d)(2)(C). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1503(a)(6)(B), struck out ‘‘the second sentence of’’ after ‘‘the requirement in’’. Subsec. (d)(2)(D). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1503(a)(6)(C), struck out subpar. (D) which read as follows: ‘‘During the pe- riod beginning on October 1, 1992, and ending on Janu- ary 1, 1993, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the operation, to the date of the report, of the first sentence of subparagraph (B) and on the Secretary’s projection for the use of the waiver au- thority provided under subparagraph (C), including the Secretary’s estimate of the average annual number of waivers to be provided under subparagraph (C).’’ 1989—Subsec. (c)(1)(B), (3)(A). Pub. L. 101–189, § 1113, substituted ‘‘(as described in section 664(f) of this title (other than in paragraph (2) thereof))’’ for ‘‘(as de- scribed in section 664(f)(1) or (f)(3) of this title)’’. Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 101–189, § 1122, added par. (4). 1988—Subsec. (c)(3)(D). Pub. L. 100–456, § 511, inserted ‘‘for officers in the same pay grade’’ after ‘‘under this paragraph’’, substituted ‘‘10 percent’’ for ‘‘5 percent’’, and inserted ‘‘in that pay grade’’ after ‘‘numbers of of- ficers’’. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 100–456, § 512(a), designated ex- isting provisions as subpar. (A), struck out sentence at end which directed that each position so designated by the Secretary could be held only by an officer who had the joint specialty, and added subpars. (B) to (D). Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 100–456, § 517(a), substituted ‘‘25 percent’’ for ‘‘one-third’’. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–456, § 518, added subsec. (f). 1987—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1301(a)(1), added par. (3). Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1301(b)(1), inserted ‘‘(as described in section 664(f)(1) or (f)(3) of this title)’’ after ‘‘joint duty assignment’’. Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1301(b)(2)(A)–(C), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), sub- stituted ‘‘An officer (other than a general or flag offi- cer) who has a military occupational specialty that is’’ for ‘‘An officer who has’’ and ‘‘full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment (as described in section 664(f)(2) of this title)’’ for ‘‘joint duty assignment of not less than two years’’, and struck out provisions that an offi- cer selected for the joint specialty complete generally applicable requirements for selection under par. (1)(B) as soon as practicable after such officer’s selection. Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1301(b)(2)(D), added subpar. (B). Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1301(b)(3), added par. (3). Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1302(a)(1), added sub- pars. (A) and (B) and substituted ‘‘by officers who—’’ for ‘‘by officers who have (or have been nominated for) the joint specialty.’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (d)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 100–180, § 1302(b), added pars. (2) to (4) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: ‘‘The Secretary of Defense shall designate not fewer than 1,000 joint duty assignment positions as critical joint duty assignment positions. Each such po- sition shall be held only by an officer with the joint specialty.’’ Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2006 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 516(f), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2189, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on October 1, 2007.’’ DESIGNATION OF AT LEAST ONE GENERAL OFFICER OF THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE AS A JOINT QUALIFIED OFFICER Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title V, § 516, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 249, provided that: ‘‘The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that at least one general officer of the Ma- rine Corps Reserve is designated as a joint qualified of- ficer.’’ TREATMENT OF CURRENT JOINT SPECIALTY OFFICERS Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 516(g), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2189, provided that: ‘‘For the purposes of chap- ter 38 of title 10, United States Code, and sections 154, 164, and 619a of such title, an officer who, as of Sep- tember 30, 2007, has been selected for or has the joint specialty under section 661 of such title, as in effect on that date, shall be considered after that date to be an officer designated as joint qualified by the Secretary of Defense under section 661(b)(2) of such title, as amended by this section.’’ IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 516(h), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2189, provided that: ‘‘(1) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than March 31, 2007, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Com- mittee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Com- mittee on Armed Services of the House of Representa- tives a plan for the implementation of the joint officer management system, which will take effect on October 1, 2007, as provided in subsection (f) [set out above], as a result of the amendments made by this section [amending this section] and other provisions of this Act [see Tables for classification] to provisions of chapter 38 of title 10, United States Code. ‘‘(2) ELEMENTS OF PLAN.—In developing the plan re- quired by this subsection, the Secretary shall pay par- ticular attention to matters related to the transition of officers from the joint specialty system in effect before October 1, 2007, to the joint officer management system in effect after that date. At a minimum, the plan shall include the following: ‘‘(A) The policies and criteria to be used for desig- nating officers as joint qualified on the basis of serv- ice performed by such officers before that date, had the amendments made by this section and other pro- visions of this Act to provisions of chapter 38 of title 10, United States Code, taken effect before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 2006]. ‘‘(B) The policies and criteria prescribed by the Sec- retary of Defense to be used in making determina- tions under section 661(c)(1)(B)(ii) of such title, as amended by this section. ‘‘(C) The recommendations of the Secretary for any legislative changes that may be necessary to effec- tuate the joint officer management system.’’ EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN OFFICERS FROM LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO GRANT A WAIVER OF REQUIRED COM- PLETION OR SEQUENCING FOR JOINT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, § 502(a), (b), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2530, provided for exclusion from the lim- itation set forth in former subsec. (c)(3)(D) of this sec- tion of any officer selected for the joint specialty who, on Dec. 28, 2001, had met the requirements for nomina- tion for the joint specialty, but had not been nomi- nated before that date, and who had been automati- cally nominated before Dec. 2, 2002, and provided that such exclusion would terminate on Oct. 1, 2006. INDEPENDENT STUDY OF JOINT OFFICER MANAGEMENT AND JOINT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION RE- FORMS Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 526, Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1099, directed the Secretary of Defense to provide Page 646 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 662 for an independent study of the joint officer manage- ment system and the joint professional military edu- cation system and to require the entity conducting the study to submit a report to Congress on the study not later than one year after Dec. 28, 2001. STUDY OF DISTRIBUTION OF GENERAL AND FLAG OFFICER POSITIONS IN JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title IV, § 404, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2398, directed Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of whether joint organizations of Department of Defense are fully staffed with appropriate number of general and flag officers and, not later than one year after Oct. 23, 1992, submit a report to Congress. TRANSITION TO JOINT OFFICER PERSONNEL POLICY Pub. L. 99–433, title IV, § 406(a)–(c), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1033, as amended by Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title V, § 516, Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1971, provided that: ‘‘(a) JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS.—(1) Section 661(d) of title 10, United States Code, shall be implemented as rapidly as possible and (except as provided under para- graph (2)) not later than October 1, 1989. ‘‘(2) The first sentence of section 661(d)(2)(B) of such title shall apply with respect to positions designated under the first sentence of section 661(d)(2)(A) of that title as critical joint duty assignment positions which become vacant after January 1, 1989. ‘‘(b) JOINT SPECIALTY.— ‘‘(1) INITIAL SELECTIONS.—(A) In making the initial selections of officers for the joint specialty under sec- tion 661 of title 10, United States Code (as added by section 401 of this Act), the Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement of either subparagraph (A) or (B) (but not both) of subsection (c)(1) of such section in the case of any officer in a grade above captain or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant. ‘‘(B) In applying such subparagraph (B) to the ini- tial selections of officers for the joint specialty, the Secretary may in the case of any officer— ‘‘(i) waive the requirement that a joint duty as- signment be served after the officer has completed an appropriate program at a joint professional mili- tary education school; ‘‘(ii) waive the requirement for the length of a joint duty assignment in the case of a joint duty as- signment begun by an officer before January 1, 1987, if the officer served in that assignment for a period of sufficient duration (which may not be less than 12 months) to have been considered a full tour of duty under the policies and regulations in effect on September 30, 1986; or ‘‘(iii) consider as a joint duty assignment any tour of duty begun by an officer before October 1, 1986, that involved significant experience in joint matters (as determined by the Secretary) if the of- ficer served in that assignment for a period of suffi- cient duration (which may not be less than 12 months) for his service to have been considered a full tour of duty under the policies and regulations in effect on September 30, 1986. ‘‘(C) A waiver under subparagraph (A) of this para- graph or under any provision of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph may only be made on a case-by-case basis. ‘‘(D) The authority of the Secretary of Defense to grant a waiver under subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph may be delegated only to the Deputy Sec- retary of Defense. ‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT FOR HIGH STANDARDS.—In exer- cising the authority provided by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the highest standards of performance, education, and experience are established and maintained for officers selected for the joint specialty. ‘‘(3) SUNSET.—The authority provided by paragraph (1) shall expire on October 1, 1989. ‘‘(c) CAREER GUIDELINES.—The career guidelines re- quired to be established by section 661(e) of such title, the procedures required to be established by section 665(a) of such title, and the personnel policies required to be established by section 666 of such title (as added by section 401) shall be established not later than the end of the eight-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 1, 1986]. The provisions of section 665(b) of such title shall be implemented not later than the end of such period.’’ § 662. Promotion policy objectives for joint offi- cers The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the qualifications of officers assigned to joint duty assignments are such that— (1) officers who are serving on, or have served on, the Joint Staff are expected, as a group, to be promoted to the next higher grade at a rate not less than the rate for officers of the same armed force in the same grade and competitive category who are serving on, or have served on, the headquarters staff of their armed force; and (2) officers in the grade of major (or in the case of the Navy, lieutenant commander) or above who have been designated as a joint qualified officer are expected, as a group, to be promoted to the next higher grade at a rate not less than the rate for all officers of the same armed force in the same grade and com- petitive category. (Added Pub. L. 99–433, title IV, § 401(a), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1026; amended Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title V, § 513, Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1969; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIII, § 1311(3), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1669; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 510, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2514; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 521(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1097; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, § 1062(a)(4), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2650; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 535, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1901; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 517, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2190; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1063(a)(3), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 321; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 523, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4446; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, § 1073(c)(2), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2474; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title V, § 505(a)(2), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3356.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2014—Pub. L. 113–291 struck out subsec. (a) designa- tion and heading ‘‘Qualifications.—’’ before ‘‘The Sec- retary of Defense’’ and struck out subsec. (b) which re- lated to annual report. 2009—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–84 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 110–417, § 523(1). See 2008 Amendment note below. 2008—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 110–417, § 523(1), as amend- ed by Pub. L. 111–84, substituted ‘‘officers in the grade of major (or in the case of the Navy, lieutenant com- mander) or above who have been designated as a joint qualified officer’’ for ‘‘officers who are serving in or have served in joint duty assignments’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–417, § 523(2), inserted ‘‘or on the Joint Staff, and officers who have been designated as a joint qualified officer in the grades of major (or in the case of the Navy, lieutenant commander) through colonel (or in the case of the Navy, captain)’’ after ‘‘joint duty assignments’’. Pub. L. 110–181 substituted ‘‘paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a)’’ for ‘‘paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of sub- section (a)’’.