Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

Defense Officer Personnel Management Act - States that the total strength of an armed force (other than the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy) in members on active duty is as authorized annually by law.

States that the Secretary of Defense may, for any armed force except the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, prescribe the total strength in officers on active duty; and that the Secretary of the military department concerned may prescribe the numbers of any other category of members of an armed force under his jurisdiction authorized to be on active duty.

Sets forth the number of commissioned officers who may serve in each grade.

Provides that in time of war, or of national emergency declared by Congress or the President after January 1, 1975, the President may suspend the operation of such provisions related to officer strength.

States that the Secretary of the military department concerned shall, whenever the needs of the service require, prescribe the number of commissioned officers, that shall be maintained in each of the grades of major through colonel or lieutenant commander through captain (Navy).

Provides that original appointments in commissioned grades in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Establishes basic qualifications for commissioned officers.

Prescribes procedures to determine service credit for officers.

Requires that at least once a year and at such other times as the needs of the service require, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall convene selection boards to recommend for promotion to the next higher grade officers on the active-duty list in each grade from first lieutenant through lieutenant colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, and from lieutenant (junior grade) through commander in the Navy. Sets forth the required composition and procedures of such boards.

States that such a board may recommend as best qualified for promotion in each competitive category 15 percent of the total in each such category that the board is authorized to recommend for promotion to the grade concerned.

Establishes time-in-rank requirements for promotion.

Sets forth requirements and procedures for placing officers' names on the active-duty list in various competitive categories.

Allows the President or the Senate to remove names from lists of selectees for promotion.

Allows the Secretary of the military department concerned, under regulations prescribed by him to discharge any regular officer on the active-duty list who has less than 5 years of active commissioned service; and requires him to discharge a regular officer serving on the active-duty list in the grade of second lieutenant or ensign who is found not qualified for promotion to the next higher grade.

States that officers who have failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade for the second time, and whose name is not on a recommended list for promotion shall be honorable discharged or retired.

Provides that the Secretary of the military department concerned may defer retirement or separation it, because of unavoidable circumstances, evaluation of his physical condition and determination of his entitlement to retirement or separation for physical disability require hospitalization or medical observation that cannot be completed before the date he would otherwise be required to retire or be separated.

States that the selection and promotion of medical and dental officers to grades below brigadier general or rear admiral shall be based on the needs of the service as determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned.

Provides that in time of war, or of national emergency declared by Congress or the President after January 1, 1975, the President may suspend such provisions relating to promotion, separation, and retirement.

Entitles officers discharged under this Act to readjustment or retired pay.

Requires boards of review, each composed of three or more officers, to be convened by the Secretary of the military department concerned, at such times as he may prescribe, to review the records of cases of regular commissioned officers recommended for removal from active duty by boards of inquiry.

Allows the Secretary of the military department concerned to remove an officer of a regular component of an armed force from active duty if his removal is recommended by a board of review under this Act.

Allows each officer under consideration for removal to be: (1) notified in writing of the reasons, at least 30 days before the hearing of the case by a board of inquiry; (2) allowed reasonable time, as determined by the board of inquiry, to prepare his defense; and (3) allowed to appear in person and be represented by counsel.

Sets forth how rank shall be determined for commissioned officers.

States that a regular commissioned officer is not eligible for voluntary retirement until he completes at least six months in the grade in which he is to be retired.

Requires that each board convened to consider officers in the Navy Medical Corps, the Judge Advocate General's Corps, the Supply Corps, the Chaplain Corps, the Civil Engineer Corps, the Dental Corps, the Nurse Corps, or the Medical Service Corps shall consist of officers in the corps concerned.