Article 125 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 125 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: لجنة الضباط العليا
The article lists the matters the Senior Officers Committee considers and makes recommendations on, including appointment, discharge, promotion from major to brigadier general, transfer, secondment and retirement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تنظر لجنة الضباط العليا وتوصي بالمسائل الآتية :
أ- بدء تعيين الضباط بالقوات المسلحة.
ب- الاستغناء عن الخدمة والإعادة إليها.
ج- منح الأوسمة.
د- اختيار أعضاء البعثات العسكرية من بين المرشحين لها.
هـ- النظر في طلبات الإعارة والإجازات الدراسية وإنهائها.
و- تحديد الأقدمية ومنحها أو ردها وفقاً لأحكام هذا النظَام.
ز- ترقية الضباط من رتبة رائد حتى رتبة عميد.
ح- طلبات الإحالة للاستيداع أو التقاعد أو الاستقالة.
ط- تعيين الضباط لمناصب القيادة والأركان والوظائف الرئيسية الأخرى.
ي- نقل وإثبات الضباط من رتبة مقدم فأعلى.
ك- نقل الضباط من قوة إلى أخرى بالقوات المسلحة.
ل- نقل الضباط من سلاح إلى آخر لجميع الرتب.
م- ترشيح الضباط للدراسة بكلية القيادة والأركان قبل تقديم أسمائهم لانتخاب المرشحين بموجب نظَام كلية القيادة والأركان.
ن- القضايا التي يرى إحالتها إلى الوزير.
ص- القضايا التي يرى إحالتها إليها رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة.
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 125 explained in plain English
This article sets out the competences of the Senior Officers Committee, the committee formed in the armed forces under the chairmanship of the Chief of the General Staff under Article 124. Its role is to consider and recommend, that is, it makes recommendations on the following matters:
- The start of appointing officers in the armed forces.
- Dispensing with service and returning to it.
- Awarding decorations.
- Selecting members of military missions from among the candidates.
- Requests for secondment and study leave, and ending them.
- Determining seniority and granting or restoring it under the provisions of the Law.
- Promoting officers from the rank of major to the rank of brigadier general.
- Requests for referral to reserve status, retirement or resignation.
- Appointing officers to command and staff posts and other principal positions.
- Transferring and confirming officers of the rank of lieutenant colonel and above.
- Transferring officers from one force to another, and from one branch to another for all ranks.
- Nominating officers to study at the Command and Staff College before their names are submitted for the selection of candidates.
- Cases it considers should be referred to the Minister, and cases the Chief of the General Staff refers to it.
Note that the article is worded "considers ... and recommends", so the committee's role is to issue recommendations on these matters. Under Article 126, the committee holds its meetings when called by its chairman at least once every 15 days, and its meetings are valid when more than half of its members attend, including the chairman.
To assess the position of a particular officer, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.
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 125 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
What are the competences of the Senior Officers Committee?
It considers and recommends on appointment, dispensing with service, decorations, missions, secondment, study leave, seniority, promotion of officers from major to brigadier general, requests for reserve status, retirement and resignation, appointment to command posts, transfer and other matters.
Who recommends the promotion of an officer from major to brigadier general?
The Senior Officers Committee; this is among the matters it considers and makes recommendations on.
Who chairs the Senior Officers Committee?
Under Article 124, it is chaired by the Chief of the General Staff, and its membership includes force commanders and heads of bodies, among them the Director of Armed Forces Officers Affairs as member and secretary.
More articles on Supreme and Branch Officers Committees
- Article 14
The article requires the officer to be informed of the content of an unsatisfactory report and to sign that he has seen it, gives him the right to object to the Officers Committee through his superior within two weeks, and makes the Committee's recommendations final once ratified.
يبلغ الضابط من قبل قائده الذي كتب عنه تقريراً غير مرض بمضمون ذلك التقرير ويوقع بالاطلاع وله الحق في تقديم اعتراضه على كل أو بعض ما ورد بالتقرير إلى لجنة الضباط
- Article 39
The Article provides that officers of all ranks are transferred outside their arm or specialty on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
يجري نقل الضباط على اختلاف رتبهم خارج السلاح أوالاختصاص بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
- Article 40Amended (1409 AH)
The Article provides that transfer and confirmation of officers within each force is on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee for the rank of lieutenant colonel and above, and by decision of the force commander for major and below.
يجري نقل واثبات الضباط داخل كل قوة بالقوات المسلحة على الوجه الآتي: 1- من رتبة مقدم فما فوق بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا. 2- من رتبة رائد فما دون بقرار من قائد
- Article 51
The Article provides that, absent another provision, transfer, appointment, confirmation, attachment and loan under Chapters One and Two of Part Five are by decision of the Minister on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
فيما لم يرد به نص آخر فإن النقل والتعيين والإثبات والإلحاق والإعارة المنصوص عليها بالفصل الأول والثاني من الباب الخامس من هذا النظَام يتم بقرار من الوزير بناءً
- Article 126
The article requires the Senior Officers Committee to meet when called by its chairman at least once every fifteen days, with meetings valid when more than half its members attend, including the chairman.
تجتمع اللجنة العليا بدعوة من رئيسها ، ويجب أن تنعقد مرة واحدة كل خمسة عشر يوماً على الأقل وتكون اجتماعاتها نظَامية عند حضور أكثر من نصف أعضائها من بينهم الرئيس.
- Article 127Amended (1406 AH)
The article provides that when the chairman of the Senior Committee is absent, whoever is assigned to carry out his work replaces him, and when a force commander is absent his deputy replaces him.
عند غياب رئيس اللجنة العليا يحل محله من يكلف بالقيام بعمله وإذا غاب أحد قادة القوات فيحل محله نائبه
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.