Regular Air Force: strength in grade; promotion-list officers

§ 8211. Regular Air Force: strength in grade; promotion-list officers (a) Subject to subsection (b), the authorized strength of the Regular Air Force in officers in each regular grade on each of the promotion lists authorized by section 8296 of this title shall be as prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. A vacancy in any grade on a promotion list may be filled by an appointment in any lower grade. (b) Each strength prescribed by the Secretary under subsection (a) shall be stated as a percentage of the strength authorized for the particular list, and the schedule of percentages may be different for each list. No schedule for a list may authorize, with respect to a grade, a percentage that is higher than the sum of (1) the figure fixed for the grade according to the following table, and (2) the amounts, if any, by which the percentages fixed by the Secretary for higher grades are less than the figures fixed according to that table: Grade Column 1 Column 2 Medical, dental, and veterinary officers, chaplains, and judge advocates All other promotion lists 1 Colonels whose retirement is deferred under section 8921 (b) of this title are not included within this percentage. 2 None may be authorized by the Secretary for this category. Percent Percent Colonel 1 8 1 8 Lieutenant colonel 14 14 Major 19 19 Captain 23 23 First lieutenant 36 18 Second lieutenant (2)— 18