Article 80 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 80 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: الابتعاث
The Article permits sending an officer on military or specialty courses abroad for a limited period, or on postgraduate study missions, counts the mission period as service, and makes the decision the Minister's on the Higher Officers Committee's recommendation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ- يجوز ابتعاث الضابط للدراسة في دورات عسكرية أو دورات ضمن اختصاصه خارج المملكة لمدة محدودة.
ب- يجوز إيفاد الضابط في بعثة دراسية للدراسات العليا ضمن فروع القوات المسلحة.
ج- تعتبر مدة الابتعاث ضمن الخدمة بالقوات المسلحة.
د- يحدد احتياج القوات المسلحة من المبتعثين وشروط الابتعاث بقرار وزاري بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا.
هـ- يتم الإبتعاث بقرار من الوزير بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا.
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 80 explained in plain English
This Article regulates sending officers on study missions in five paragraphs:
- (a) Courses: an officer may be sent to study on military courses or courses within his specialty outside the Kingdom for a limited period.
- (b) Postgraduate studies: he may be sent on a study mission for postgraduate studies within the branches of the Armed Forces.
- (c) Counting the period: the period of the mission is considered part of service in the Armed Forces.
- (d) Need and conditions: the Armed Forces' need for officers sent on study missions, and the conditions of the mission, are determined by ministerial decision on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
- (e) The mission decision: it is made by decision of the Minister on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
In practice, sending on a study mission is a discretionary power of the authority, based on the Armed Forces' need and the conditions set by the ministerial decision; it is not an automatic right of the officer. But once sent, the period of his mission is not lost from his service, but counted within it.
Note that paragraph (b) limits postgraduate studies to being within the branches of the Armed Forces. The Article does not itself set the conditions for the mission, but refers them to the ministerial decision.
An officer who wishes to be sent on a mission, or who has a dispute over his nomination, may consider consulting a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
Captain Muhannad is nominated for a specialized six-month military course abroad. The decision to send him is issued by the Minister on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee, and the six months are counted within his service in the Armed Forces.
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 80 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
Is the period of an officer's study mission counted in his service?
Yes. The period of the mission is considered part of service in the Armed Forces.
Who decides to send an officer on a study mission?
The mission is made by decision of the Minister on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
May an officer be sent for postgraduate studies?
Yes. He may be sent on a study mission for postgraduate studies within the branches of the Armed Forces.
More articles on Officer Scholarships and Study Leave
- Article 81
The Article requires the Higher Officers Committee to issue regulations setting the duties and prohibitions of an officer sent on a study mission, and requires him to comply with them and avoid anything that harms his reputation or that of his country.
تضع لجنة الضباط العليا لائحة تحدد واجبات الضابط المبتعث والأشياء المحظورة عليه ، ويلتزم الضابط المبتعث بالتقيد بهذه اللائحة ، ويتجنب كل ما يخل بسمعته أو سمعة بل
- Article 82
The Article allows the Higher Officers Committee to recommend ending an officer's study mission in listed cases, including a Sharia hadd judgment or dishonorable crime, harming reputation, dismissal from the institute, absence, and negligence-based shortfall.
للجنة الضباط العليا أن توصي بإنهاء ابتعاث الضابط في إحدى الحالات الآتية : 1- إذا صدر بحقه حكم بحد شرعي أو بجريمة مخلة بالشرف أو الأمانة. 2- إذا تسبب الضابط بقصد
- Article 84
The Article grants an officer sent on a training course inside the Kingdom outside his work region an allowance of 75% of his basic salary, in addition to his salary.
إذا كان الابتعاث للتدريب في دورة داخل المملكة وفي غير المنطقة التي يعمل فيها الضابط فيصرف له (75%) من راتبه الأساسي كبدل ابتعاث إضافة على راتبه.
- Article 85
The Article gives an officer sent abroad a return ticket to the country of the assignment under Article 47's classes, and, if the assignment exceeds six months, a return ticket once for his wife and children only.
يمنح الضابط تذكرة إركاب إلى البلد المبتعث إليها مرجعاً حسب الدرجات المنصوص عليها بالمادة (47) وإذا كانت مدة الابتعاث تزيد عن ستة أشهر فللضابط الحق في الحصول على
- Article 86
The Article permits granting an officer study leave for postgraduate studies of up to four years on the Higher Officers Committee's recommendation, counted as service, with only basic salary and housing allowance paid and tickets once.
1- يجوز منح الضابط إجازة دراسية للدراسات العليا بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا ولمدة لا تتجاوز أربع سنوات. 2- تحتسب الإجازة الدراسية ضمن الخدمة بالقوات المس
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.