Alternative Promotion Authority
The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act provided an alternative to the conventional DOPMA framework for officer promotions. In the place of BPZ, IPZ,and APZ promotion considerations, the alternative authority allows Service Secretaries to designated competitive categories in which offices will be considered multiple times (up to five) in the primary zone. They are not considered twice failed of selection and therefore subject to selective continuation until that have been considered the maximum number of times specified by the Secretary.
Federal Law
10 U.S. Code §649a: Service Secretaries, after certain reporting requirements, may designate one or more competitive categories for promotion of officers under this authority.
10 U.S. Code § 649b: Most other promotion selection provisions of Title 10 apply to these promotions. Selection boards may recommend that an officer be excluded from future consideration under this authority.
10 U.S. Code § 649c: Most eligibility provisions applicable to conventional authority also apply to officers considered under this authority, but time-in-grade minimums do not apply.
10 U.S. Code § 649d: Service Secretaries will specify the number of considerations to be afforded under this authority (up to five) and may modify the number not more than once every five years. The Secretary of Defense my modify the number of considerations. If the number of considerations is reduced, officers who would have had one or more additional opportunities will be afforded at least one other opportunity.
10 U.S. Code § 649e: The following provisions of Title 10 continue to apply to promotions made under this authority: active-duty lists, competitive categories, numbers to be recommended for promotion, establishment of promotion zones, making promotions, vacating promotions, and accepting promotions.
10 U.S. Code § 649f: An officer is not deemed twice failed of selection until considered the maximum number of times under this authority
10 U.S. Code § 649g: Other provisions of Title 10 regarding retirement for years of service or selective early retirement apply to officers considered under this authority.
10 U.S. Code § 649h: Officers selected for continuation on active duty must be assigned to positions for which vacancies exist or are anticipated to exist. Selection boards must determine that officers recommended for continuation are qualified for assignment to one or more of those positions. Continuation is subject to approval of the Service Secretary. Continuation is for not more than three years, but may be renewed if selected again.
10 U.S. Code § 649i: Officers continued under this authority are eligible for continuation to 40 years of service if they meet the military specialty and career track provisions specified in 10 U.S. Code § 637a.
10 U.S. Code § 649j: The following provisions apply to officers in competitive categories subject to this authority: voluntary retirement incentives (10 U.S. Code § 638b), continuation to complete disciplinary action (10 U.S. Code § 639), and deferment of retirement or separation for medical reasons (10 U.S. Code § 640).
10 U.S. Code § 649k: The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations regarding the administration of promotions under this authority.
DoD Policy
DODI 1320.14: The DoD policy reiterates the provisions of Title 10 listed above.
Military Service Policies
As of this revision of the reference tool, Service policies have not been published.