Military Officer Promotion Integrity Act of 2026

Section 3 establishes that the Secretary of Defense may remove an officer selected for promotion only upon a written determination based on specific grounds such as misconduct, newly discovered adverse information, lack of statutory qualifications, or national security. This protects servicemembers by ensuring objective standards are met rather than arbitrary removals.

Section 3 explicitly states that a written determination to remove an officer may not be based upon an officer's participation in, implementation of, or statements made in connection with a lawful Department of Defense policy, directive, program, ceremony, or official activity that was authorized at the time. This protects servicemembers from being penalized for following lawful military policies.

Section 5 requires the Secretary of Defense to provide the officer with written notice of the proposed action and the factual basis, give the officer an opportunity to submit written matters for consideration, and consider those matters before issuing a final determination. This gives individuals a fair chance to defend themselves before a final decision is made.

Section 5 and Section 6 allow an affected officer to petition a board for correction of military records for an expedited review within 180 days, and mandate that the Secretary of Defense shall stay the removal of the officer until the board completes its review. This gives servicemembers access to an independent review process to challenge unfair decisions.