((a)) ** .—** A selection board convened under shall recommend for promotion to the next higher grade those officers considered by the board whom the board, giving due consideration to the needs of the Space Force for officers with particular skills (as noted in the guidelines or information furnished the board under ), considers best qualified for promotion within each competitive category considered by the board.

((b)) ** .—** The Secretary of the Air Force shall establish the number of officers such a selection board may recommend for promotion from among officers being considered.

((c)) ** .—** A selection board convened under may not recommend an officer for promotion unless—

((1)) the officer receives the recommendation of a majority of the members of the board;

((2)) a majority of the members of the board finds that the officer is fully qualified for promotion; and

((3)) a majority of the members of the board, after consideration by all members of the board of any adverse information about the officer that is provided to the board under , finds that the officer is among the officers best qualified for promotion to meet the needs of the Space Force consistent with the requirement of exemplary conduct set forth in .

((d)) ** .—** Except as otherwise provided by law, a Space Force officer may not be promoted to a higher grade under this chapter unless the officer is considered and recommended for promotion to that grade by a selection board convened under this chapter or, in the case of an officer transferring into the Space Force from another armed force, chapter 36 or chapter 1403 of this title.

((e)) ** .—** The recommendations of a selection board may be disclosed only in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. Those recommendations may not be disclosed to a person not a member of the board (or a member of the administrative staff designated by the Secretary of the Air Force to assist the board) until the written report of the recommendations of the board, required by , is signed by each member of the board.

((f)) ** .—** The Secretary of the Air Force, and an officer or other official exercising authority over any member of a selection board, may not—

((1)) censure, reprimand, or admonish the selection board or any member of the board with respect to the recommendations of the board or the exercise of any lawful function within the authorized discretion of the board; or

((2)) attempt to coerce or, by any unauthorized means, influence any action of a selection board or any member of a selection board in the formulation of the board’s recommendations.

((g)) ** .—**

((1)) In selecting the officers to be recommended for promotion, a selection board shall, when authorized by the Secretary of the Air Force, recommend officers of particular merit, pursuant to guidelines and procedures prescribed by the Secretary, from among those officers selected for promotion, to be placed higher on the promotion list established by the Secretary under .

((2)) An officer may be recommended to be placed higher on a promotion list under paragraph (1) only if the officer receives the recommendation of at least a majority of the members of the board, unless the Secretary of the Air Force establishes an alternative requirement. Any such alternative requirement shall be furnished to the board as part of the guidelines furnished to the board under .

((3)) For the officers recommended to be placed higher on a promotion list under paragraph (1), the board shall recommend, pursuant to guidelines and procedures prescribed by the Secretary, the order in which those officers should be placed on the list.