Article 5 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 5 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الثاني: التعيين
The article provides that an officer is appointed by decision of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, on the proposal of the Prime Minister and after the recommendation of the Minister.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم التعيين بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة بناءً على اقتراح رئيس مجلس الوزراء وبعد توصية الوزير.
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 5 explained in plain English
This article identifies the authority that appoints an officer and the stages the decision passes through. There are three:
- The Minister's recommendation: under Article 2, the Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General.
- The Prime Minister's proposal.
- The decision of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The final appointment decision is issued by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, but it is based on the Prime Minister's proposal and preceded by the Minister's recommendation. The text arranges this with the wording "on the proposal of the Prime Minister and after the recommendation of the Minister."
In practical terms, an officer's appointment is a decision issued at the highest level, and is not in the hands of the commander of the unit or body in which the officer serves.
The article sets the formal procedure for appointment; the substantive conditions the candidate must meet are not addressed by this article, and one looks for them in the Law's provisions on appointment conditions. The article does not set a period for issuing the decision.
Anyone with a question about the procedures for his appointment or a delay in issuing his decision may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
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 5 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
Who issues the decision to appoint an officer?
Appointment is by decision of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, on the proposal of the Prime Minister and after the recommendation of the Minister.
What is the Minister of Defense's role in appointing officers?
The appointment decision is issued after the Minister's recommendation, and under Article 2 the Minister is the Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General.
More articles on Conditions for Appointing Officers
- Article 4Amended (1403 AH)
The article sets the conditions for appointing an officer: Saudi origin and upbringing, completion of 19 years, medical fitness and freedom from disease, the required qualifications, good character, and no sentence for a hadd offense or a crime involving moral turpitude.
يشترط في تعيين الضابط توفر الشروط التالية : أ- أن يكون سعودي الأصل والمنشأ ويستثنى من شرط المنشأ من نشأ مع والده أثناء خدمته للدولة خارج المملكة. ب- قد أكمل الت
- Article 6
The article sets who is appointed with the rank of second lieutenant: graduates of Saudi military colleges and their equivalents, equivalent foreign institutions, and colleges and institutes whose specializations the Armed Forces need, with an exception possible by Council of Ministers decision.
1- يعين في رتبة الملازم :- أ- خريجو الكليات العسكرية أو المؤسسات العسكرية السعودية التي تعادل شهاداتها شهادات الكليات العسكرية السعودية. ب- خريجو الكليات أو الم
- Article 7
For graduates of colleges and institutes under paragraphs (b) and (c) of Article 6, the article counts study years beyond three as seniority, and requires paragraph (c) graduates to pass a military course to continue.
بالنسبة للمتخرج من الكليات والمعاهد المنصوص عليها في الفقرتين (ب،ج) من المادة السادسة إذا كانت سنوات الدراسة المقررة للكلية أو المعهد تزيد على ثلاث سنوات فتحتسب
- Article 8
The article puts a second lieutenant on probation for two years, then a third year in another unit if his confidential reports are unsatisfactory, after which he is dispensed with, without rights, if they remain so.
يعتبر الضابط المعين في رتبة ملازم تحت الاختبار لمدة سنتين فإذا كانت تقاريره السرية غير مرضية ينقل إلى وحدة أخرى لمدة سنة ثالثة فإذا كانت تقاريره عند نهايتها غير
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.