; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (6) An officer excluded under subsection (j). ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (j) Authority To allow officers To opt out of selection board consideration (1) The Secretary a military department may provide that an officer under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may, upon the officer’s request and with the approval of the Secretary, be excluded from consideration by a selection board convened under section 14101(a) of this title to consider officers for promotion to the next higher grade. (2) The Secretary concerned may only approve a request under paragraph (1) if— (A) the basis for the request is to allow an officer to complete a broadening assignment, advanced education, another assignment of significant value to the Department, or a career progression requirement delayed by the assignment or education; (B) the Secretary determines the exclusion from consideration is in the best interest of the military department concerned; and (C) the officer has not previously failed of selection for promotion to the grade for which the officer requests the exclusion from consideration. . 508. Competitive category matters Section 621 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting (a) Competitive categories .— before Under regulations