AUTHORITY FOR OFFICERS TO OPT OUT OF PROMOTION BOARD CONSIDERATION.

SEC. 505. AUTHORITY FOR OFFICERS TO OPT OUT OF PROMOTION BOARD CONSIDERATION. (a) Active-Duty List Officers.—Section 619 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(6) An officer excluded under subsection (e).” ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(e) Authority To Allow Officers To Opt Out of Selection Board Consideration.—(1) The Secretary of a military department may provide that an officer under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may, upon the officer’s request and with the approval of the Secretary, be excluded from consideration by a selection board convened under section 611(a) of this title to consider officers for promotion to the next higher grade. “(2) The Secretary concerned may only approve a request under paragraph (1) if— “(A) the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete a broadening assignment, advanced education, another assignment of significant value to the Department, or a career progression requirement delayed by the assignment or education; “(B) the Secretary determines the exclusion from consideration is in the best interest of the military department concerned; and “(C) the officer has not previously failed of selection for promotion to the grade for which the officer requests the exclusion from consideration.” . (b) Reserve Active-Status List Officers.—Section 14301 of such title is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) in the subsection heading, by striking “Previously Selected Officers Not Eligible” and inserting “Certain Officers Not”; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(6) An officer excluded under subsection (j).” ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(j) Authority To Allow Officers To Opt Out of Selection Board Consideration.—(1) The Secretary of a military department may provide that an officer under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may, upon the officer’s request and with the approval of the Secretary, be excluded from consideration by a selection board convened under section 14101(a) of this title to consider officers for promotion to the next higher grade. “(2) The Secretary concerned may only approve a request under paragraph (1) if— “(A) the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete a broadening assignment, advanced education, another assignment of significant value to the Department, or a career progression requirement delayed by the assignment or education; “(B) the Secretary determines the exclusion from consideration is in the best interest of the military department concerned; and “(C) the officer has not previously failed of selection for promotion to the grade for which the officer requests the exclusion from consideration.” .