Us Code § 20502 - Retention boards
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 20502 — Retention boards, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 20502. Retention boards
(a)
(b)
(c)
(1) If a retention board determines that the officer has failed to establish that the officer should be retained in a space force active status, the board shall recommend to the Secretary of the Air Force one of the following:
(A) That the officer be transferred to an inactive status.
(B) That the officer, if qualified under any provision of law, be retired.
(C) That the officer be discharged from the Space Force.
(2) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force, an officer as to whom a retention board makes a recommendation under paragraph (1) that the officer not be retained in a space force active status may be required to take leave pending the completion of the officer's case under this chapter. The officer may be required to begin such leave at any time following the officer's receipt of the report of the retention board, including the board's recommendation for removal from a space force active status, and the expiration of any period allowed for submission by the officer of a rebuttal to that report. The leave may be continued until the date on which action by the Secretary of the Air Force on the officer's case is completed or may be terminated at any earlier time.
(d)
(1) If a retention board determines that the officer has established that the officer should be retained in a space force active status, the officer's case is closed.
(2) An officer who is required to show cause for retention in a space force active status under subsection (a) of section 20501 of this title and who is determined under paragraph (1) to have established that the officer should be retained in a space force active status may not again be required to show cause for retention in a space force active status under such subsection within the one-year period beginning on the date of that determination.
(3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an officer who is required to show cause for retention in a space force active status under subsection (b) of section 20501 of this title and who is determined under paragraph (1) to have established that the officer should be retained in a space force active status may again be required to show cause for retention at any time.
(B) An officer who has been required to show cause for retention in a space force active status under subsection (b) of section 20501 of this title and who is thereafter retained in an active status may not again be required to show cause for retention in a space force active status under such subsection solely because of conduct which was the subject of the previous proceedings, unless the findings or recommendations of the retention board that considered the officer's previous case are determined to have been obtained by fraud or collusion.
(4) In the case of an officer described in paragraph (2) or paragraph (3)(A), the retention board may recommend that the officer be required to complete additional training, professional education, or such other developmental programs as may be available to correct any identified deficiencies and improve the officer's performance within the Space Force.
(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, §1719, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 659.)
About This Section
10 U.S.C. § 20502 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 10 U.S.C. § 20502. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.