Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/2219

 120 STAT. 2188

PUBLIC LAW 109–364—OCT. 17, 2006

under such regulations and policy as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe. ‘‘(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) through (6), the Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) that an officer has successfully completed a program of education, as described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 2155 of this title. ‘‘(3) In the case of an officer in a grade below brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half), a waiver under paragraph (2) may be granted only if— ‘‘(A) the officer has completed two full tours of duty in a joint duty assignment, as described in section 664(f) of this title, in such a manner as to demonstrate the officer’s mastery of knowledge, skills, and abilities on joint matters; and ‘‘(B) the Secretary of Defense determines that the types of joint duty experiences completed by the officer have been of sufficient breadth to prepare the officer adequately for service as a general or flag officer in a joint duty assignment position. ‘‘(4) In the case of a general or flag officer, a waiver under paragraph (2) may be granted only— ‘‘(A) under unusual circumstances justifying the variation from the education requirement under paragraph (1)(A); and ‘‘(B) under circumstances in which the waiver is necessary to meet a critical need of the armed forces, as determined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ‘‘(5) In the case of officers in grades below brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half), the total number of waivers granted under paragraph (2) for officers in the same pay grade during a fiscal year may not exceed 10 percent of the total number of officers in that pay grade designated as joint qualified during that fiscal year. ‘‘(6) There may not be more than 32 general and flag officers on active duty at the same time who, while holding a general or flag officer position, were designated joint qualified (or were selected for the joint specialty before October 1, 2007) and for whom a waiver was granted under paragraph (2). ‘‘(d) NUMBER OF JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that approximately one-half of the joint duty assignment positions in grades above major or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant commander are filled at any time by officers who have the appropriate level of joint qualification. ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense, with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall designate an appropriate number of joint duty assignment positions as critical joint duty assignment positions. A position may be designated as a critical joint duty assignment position only if the duties and responsibilities of the position make it important that the occupant be particularly trained in, and oriented toward, joint matters. ‘‘(3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a position designated under paragraph (2) may be held only by an officer who— ‘‘(i) was designated as joint qualified in accordance with this chapter; or ‘‘(ii) was selected for the joint specialty before October 1, 2007. ‘‘(B) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement in subparagraph (A) with respect to the assignment of an officer to a position designated under paragraph (2). Any such waiver shall be granted on a case-by-case basis. The authority of the

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