### §604. Senior joint officer positions: recommendations to the Secretary of Defense

(a) Joint 4-Star Officer Positions.—(1) Whenever a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated to occur, in a position specified in subsection (b)—

(A) the Secretary of Defense shall require the Secretary of the Army to submit the name of at least one Army officer, the Secretary of the Navy to submit the name of at least one Navy officer and the name of at least one Marine Corps officer, and the Secretary of the Air Force to submit the name of at least one Air Force officer and the name of at least one Space Force officer for consideration by the Secretary for recommendation to the President for appointment to that position; and

(B) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may submit to the Secretary of Defense the name of one or more officers (in addition to the officers whose names are submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A)) for consideration by the Secretary for recommendation to the President for appointment to that position.

(2) Whenever the Secretaries of the military departments are required to submit the names of officers under paragraph (1)(A), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Secretary of Defense the Chairman's evaluation of the performance of each officer whose name is submitted under that paragraph (and of any officer whose name the Chairman submits to the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B) for consideration for the same vacancy). The Chairman's evaluation shall primarily consider the performance of the officer as a member of the Joint Staff and in other joint duty assignments, but may include consideration of other aspects of the officer's performance as the Chairman considers appropriate.

(b) Covered Positions.—Subsection (a) applies to the following positions:

(1) Commander of a combatant command.

(2) Commander, United States Forces, Korea.

(Added Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IV, §405(c)(1), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2745; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title IV, §404(a), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2506; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, §509(a), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title IV, §405(a), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2526; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, §504(a), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1456; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, §502(e), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2102; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(15), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3823.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted "and the name of at least one Space Force officer" after "Air Force officer".

2016—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 114–328 struck out par. (3) which read as follows: "Deputy commander, United States European Command, but only if the commander of that command is also the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe."

2003—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out heading and text of subsec. (c). Text read as follows: "This section shall cease to be effective at the end of December 31, 2004."

2002—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–314 substituted "December 31, 2004" for "September 30, 2003".

1999—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted "September 30, 2003" for "September 30, 2000".

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted "September 30, 2000" for "September 30, 1997".