10 U.S.C. § 8101

Prescribed number; vacancies

In this chapter, the term “prescribed number” or “number . . . prescribed” as applied to a grade, means the number of officers of a described corps, designation, or other category that shall be maintained in the grade concerned. Except as otherwise specifically provided, the actual number of officers in a grade may not exceed the prescribed number. Vacancies occur whenever, and to the extent that, the actual number falls below the prescribed number.

( Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041 , 70A Stat. 299 , § 5441; Pub. L. 96–513, title III, § 313(a) , Dec. 12, 1980 , 94 Stat. 2889 ; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XVI, § 1622(e)(8) , Nov. 29, 1989 , 103 Stat. 1605 ; renumbered § 8101, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(1) , Aug. 13, 2018 , 132 Stat. 1834 .)