; authorized delay of promotions (a) Procedure for promotion of officers on an approved promotion list (1) Placement of names on promotion list When the report of a selection board convened under section 20211 of this title is approved by the President, the Secretary of the Air Force shall place the names of all officers approved for promotion within a competitive category on a single list for that competitive category, to be known as a promotion list, in the order of the seniority of such officers on the list or based on particular merit, as determined by the promotion board. A promotion list is considered to be established under this section as of the date of the approval of the report of the selection board under the preceding sentence. (2) Order and timing of promotions Except as provided in subsection (d), officers on a promotion list for a competitive category shall be promoted to the next higher grade when additional officers in that grade and competitive category are needed. Promotions shall be made in the order in which the names of officers appear on the promotion list and after officers previously selected for promotion in that competitive category have been promoted. Officers to be promoted to the grade of first lieutenant shall be promoted in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. (3) Limitation on promotions to general officer grades to comply with strength limitations Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the promotion of an officer on the Space Force officer list to a general officer grade shall be delayed if that promotion would cause any strength limitation of section 526 of this title to be exceeded. The delay shall expire when the Secretary of the Air Force determines that the delay is no longer required to ensure compliance with the strength limitation. (4) Promotion of first lieutenants on an all-fully-qualified officers list (A) Except as provided in subsection (d), officers on the Space Force officer list in the grade of first