Article 2 of the Saudi Enlisted Personnel Service Law

This is a definitions article, meaning it sets the meaning of words used in the rest of the Law, unless a provision or the context indicates another meaning. The most important points in it are:

• The Minister: the competent minister or head of the body to which the enlisted person belongs, each with respect to his military body.
• The enlisted person: any military member whose rank is below officer.
• The private: the lowest military rank.
• The noncommissioned officer: an enlisted person whose rank is above private first class and below officer.
• The technical enlisted person: one who performs special work requiring technical specialization or skill as set by the Implementing Regulations.
• The enlisted person's family: the persons recorded in the family civil register belonging to him.
• Length of service: the period from the enlisted person's appointment until he leaves service.
• Specialization service: the period a technical enlisted person must serve from the date of his appointment to the technical post.
• Basic salary: the amount set for the rank and grade in the salary scale attached to the Law.
• Actual salary: the basic salary together with the prescribed increments and allowances.

These definitions matter in practice: the distinction between basic and actual salary, for example, sets the basis on which any entitlement the Law ties to one or the other is calculated. The definition of the enlisted person's family also determines who benefits from the advantages the Law provides for the family. This article is linked to Article 1, which sets the bodies to which the Law applies, and to Article 3, which lists the ranks of enlisted personnel.