Article 33 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 33 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الثاني: الأسبقية في القيادة
The article orders precedence in command where ranks and seniority are equal: the serving officer, then the serving officer recalled from retirement, then the technical officer, engineer or doctor, then those recalled, then the assigned officer, then the honorary officer.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا تساوت الرتب والأقدمية تكون أسبقية القيادة للضباط طبقاً للترتيب الآتي :-
1- الضابط العامل.
2- الضابط العامل المستدعى من التقاعد.
3- الضابط الفني أو المهندس أو الطبيب.
4- الضابط الفني أو المهندس أو الطبيب المستدعى منالتقاعد.
5- الضابط المكلف ثم ضابط الشرف.
يقصد بالضابط العامل بحكم هذه المادة الضابط الذي يعمل أصلاً في أحد أسلحة القوات المسلحة.
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 33 explained in plain English
This article addresses a practical question: who takes command where ranks and seniority are equal between two or more officers? It sets the following order:
- The serving officer.
- The serving officer recalled from retirement.
- The technical officer, engineer or doctor.
- The technical officer, engineer or doctor recalled from retirement.
- The assigned officer, then the honorary officer.
The article specifies that the serving officer, for its purposes, means the officer who originally serves in one of the branches of the Armed Forces.
The idea on which the order rests, as the text shows, is to put the officer serving in the branches ahead of others, and to put one who is in service ahead of one recalled from retirement in each category, with the assigned officer and the honorary officer coming last in the order.
Note that this order applies only where ranks and seniority are both equal, and does not address the case where they differ. The rule is connected with the definitions in Article 2 of the doctor, engineer and technical officer.
Anyone with a dispute over precedence in command in a particular situation may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
On one mission, two majors of equal rank and seniority came together: Major Sami is a serving officer in the infantry, and Major Emad is an engineer officer. Precedence in command goes to Sami because the serving officer comes first in the order, followed by the engineer officer.
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 33 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
Who takes command where officers' ranks and seniority are equal?
The serving officer, then the serving officer recalled from retirement, then the technical officer, engineer or doctor, then those recalled from retirement, then the assigned officer and then the honorary officer.
Who is the serving officer under this article?
The officer who originally serves in one of the branches of the Armed Forces.
More articles on Exceptional Promotion and Temporary and Honorary Ranks
- Article 27Amended (1429 AH)
The article makes promotion to lieutenant general by absolute selection by order of the Supreme Commander from among major generals who have spent at least four years, with a term of four years renewable for up to four more.
تكون الترقية إلى رتبة فريق بالاختيار المطلق بأمر من القائد الأعلى لكافة القوات العسكرية بناءً على اقتراح رئيس مجلس الوزراء وتوصية الوزير وذلك من بين الضباط الحا
- Article 28
The article makes promotion to the rank of general by absolute selection by decision of the Supreme Commander, and the ending of the service of a lieutenant general and a general by his decision, on the proposal of the Prime Minister and the recommendation of the Minister.
تكون الترقية إلى رتبة فريق أول بالاختيار المطلق بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة بناء على اقتراح رئيس مجلس الوزراء وتوصية الوزير وتنهى خدمة الفريق والفريق
- Article 29
The article permits the exceptional promotion of an officer to the next rank by decision of the Supreme Commander, without being bound by seniority or the time limit, if he performs distinguished acts on the battlefield or in military service.
يجوز ترقية الضباط إلى الرتبة التي تلي رتبته بصورة استثنائية بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة بناء على اقتراح رئيس مجلس الوزراء وتوصية الوزير دون التقييد با
- Article 30
The article allows the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, by decision, not to be bound by the promotion rules in the Law in cases of war and general mobilization.
يجوز بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة عدم التقيد بقواعد الترقية المنصوص عليها في هذا النظَام في حالتي الحرب والتعبئة العامة.
- Article 31
The article allows the Minister, on the recommendation of the Supreme Officers Committee, to give an officer a temporary higher rank for a post that requires it; he reverts to his rank on leaving the post, without financial benefits, and its period counts within his original service.
يجوز بقرار من الوزير بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا أن يمنح الضابط رتبة وقتية تعلو رتبته الأصلية متى عين الضابط في منصب تقضي ظروف الخدمة فيه بذلك الإجراء وي
- Article 32
The article allows the Minister, by decision on the recommendation of the Supreme Officers Committee, to grant honorary ranks to retired officers recalled to military service or to civilians where circumstances require.
يجوز بقرار من الوزير بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا أن تمنح الرتب الشرفية للضباط المتقاعدين المعادين للخدمة العسكرية أو المدنيين إذا اقتضت الظروف ذلك.
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.