Article 18 of the Saudi Military Retirement Law
المادة 18 من نظام التقاعد العسكري
For total disability from war operations, captivity, armed organizations or chasing smugglers, the pension is the top-grade salary of the next rank up; four-fifths of it for partial disability.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يسوى معاش من يصاب من العسكريين بعجز كلي بسبب العمليات الحربية أو بسبب الأسر أو نتيجة إصابته خلال خدمة أُمر بها أثناء مواجهة التنظيمات المسلحة المعادية أو أثناء إطلاق النار خلال اقتحام أماكن المخربين أو مطاردة المهربين على أساس راتب أعلى درجة في سلم الرواتب للرتبة التي تعلو رتبته مباشرة، أما إذا كانت الإصابة قد أحدثت عجزًا جزئيًّا أوجب فصله من الخدمة العسكري فيمنح أربعة أخماس هذا الراتب.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 18 explained in plain English
This article sets a higher pension for a military member injured in specific dangerous circumstances.
Cases covered: the injury must be:
- because of war operations, or
- because of captivity, or
- the result of an injury during service that was ordered while confronting hostile armed organizations, or
- during gunfire while storming saboteurs' hideouts or chasing smugglers.
Amount of the pension:
- Total disability: the pension is settled on the salary of the highest grade on the salary scale for the rank immediately above his own.
- Partial disability that required his discharge from military service: he is granted four-fifths of that salary.
The difference between this article and Article 17 is significant: Article 17 concerns injury during and because of work in general, where the pension for total disability equals the last salary and for partial disability requiring discharge is four-fifths of the last salary. This article instead calculates the pension on the salary of the highest grade for the next rank, in recognition of the nature of the circumstances in which he was injured.
Article 19 extends the provision of this article to those injured during live-ammunition training projects, breaching obstacles, laying or clearing mines, air and sea landings, air and naval training, and similar cases specified by a decision of the Prime Minister.
This article was amended by Royal Decree No. (M/50) dated 19/10/1407 AH, and the text shown is the one in force. Someone injured in one of these cases may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases to assess his rights.
Practical example
First Lieutenant Sultan suffers a total disability during service ordered to confront a hostile armed organization. Under this article, his pension is not calculated on his current salary, but on the salary of the highest grade on the salary scale for the rank immediately above his own.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 18 of the Saudi Military Retirement Law
How is the pension of a military member injured in war calculated?
If he suffers total disability because of war operations, his pension is settled on the salary of the highest grade on the salary scale for the rank immediately above his own.
What is the pension for partial disability when confronting armed organizations?
If the partial disability requires his discharge from military service, he is granted four-fifths of the salary of the highest grade for the rank immediately above his own.
Does the article cover injury while chasing smugglers?
Yes. It covers injury during gunfire while storming saboteurs' hideouts or chasing smugglers.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/50 — 19/10/1407 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
عدلت هذه المادة بالمرسوم الملكي رقم (م/50) وتاريخ 19 / 10 / 1407 هـ ، لتصبح بالنص التالى :
( يسوى معاش من يصاب من العسكريين بعجز كلي بسبب العمليات الحربية أو بسبب الأسر أو نتيجة إصابته خلال خدمة أُمر بها أثناء مواجهة التنظيمات المسلحة المعادية أو أثناء إطلاق النار خلال اقتحام أماكن المخربين أو مطاردة المهربين على أساس راتب أعلى درجة في سلم الرواتب للرتبة التي تعلو رتبته مباشرة، أما إذا كانت الإصابة قد أحدثت عجزًا جزئيًّا أوجب فصله من الخدمة العسكري فيمنح أربعة أخماس هذا الراتب ) .
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يسوى معاش من يصاب من العسكريين بعجز كلي بسبب العمليات الحربية أو بسبب الأسر على أساس راتب أعلى درجة في سلم الرواتب للرتبة التي تعلو رتبته مباشرة، أما إذا كانت الإصابة قد أحدثت عجزًا جزئيًّا أوجب فصله من الخدمة العسكرية فيمنح أربعة أخماس هذا الراتب.
More articles on Disability and Injury Pension
- Article 15
For a deceased member, or one discharged as medically unfit or after an accident unrelated to work, the pension is 70% of the last salary or the amount due under Article 8, whichever is greater.
يسوى معاش العسكري المتوفى أو المفصول لعدم لياقته الطبية للعمل بغير سبب وظيفته، أو بسبب حادث بغير سبب العمل على أساس (70%) من الراتب الشهري الأخير، أو على أساس ا
- Article 16
Medical unfitness of a military member is established by the Military Medical Committee at the request of the sick or injured person or the authority he belongs to.
تثبت عدم اللياقة الطبية من اللجنة الطبية العسكرية بناء على طلب المريض أو المصاب أو من الجهة التي يتبعها العسكري.
- Article 17
A member totally disabled during and because of his work gets a pension equal to his last salary; if partial disability requires discharge, four-fifths of it. The Military Medical Committee decides, with Minister approval.
يمنح من يصاب من العسكريين بعجز كلي أثناء قيامه بعمله وبسببه معاشًا شهريًّا يعادل آخر راتب كان يتقاضاه، أما إذا كانت الإصابة قد أحدثت عجزًا جزئيًّا أوجب فصله من
- Article 19
Article 18 applies to members injured during live-ammunition training, breaching obstacles, laying or clearing mines, air and sea landings, air and naval training, and cases specified by the Prime Minister.
تسري أحكام المادة (18) على الذين يصابون أثناء مشروعات التدريب بالذخيرة الحية، أو اقتحام الموانع، أو بث الألغام، أو إزالتها، أو أثناء الإنزال الجوي والبحري، أو ا
- Article 21
The Military Medical Committee establishes injuries and deaths; for war or war operations, a written report from the formation commander stating the circumstances, time and place is enough.
للجنة الطبية العسكرية الحق في إثبات الإصابات والوفيات المنصوص عليها في المواد السابقة، أما إذا كانت الإصابة أو الوفاء أثناء الحرب أو العمليات الحربية فيكتفي بتق
- Article 22
A member disabled or dying because of weather or environmental diseases at a post he was ordered to serve in is treated under Article 17 and paragraph (a) of Article 20, as applicable.
يعامل من يصاب بعجز كلي أو جزئي أو يتوفى بسبب حالة الطقس أو أمراض البيئة في جهة أُمر بالخدمة بها طبقًا لما هو موضح بالمادة (17) والفقرة (أ) من المادة (20) وذلك ح
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.