The Composition of Military Ranks
The Defence Code distributes military ranks by composition: the privates' composition includes private and private first class; the corporals' — corporal and corporal-specialist; the sergeants' — junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant, master sergeant and chief sergeant. The officers' composition divides into three tiers: junior officers (lieutenant, senior lieutenant, captain), senior officers (major, lieutenant colonel, colonel) and the highest officers (brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, general). Questions of rank subordination are regulated by military regulations.
Granting the First Rank
The rank of private is granted to a person enrolled in national military service, a junker enrolled in a military school, a person in contract service and a person enrolled in the reserve — each, where he holds no other rank — and to one who has completed the voluntary military training program for students. The junior sergeant's rank is granted after the relevant course, the reserve junior-officer program (for one without a bachelor's degree), or 11 months of compulsory service where the person completed the sergeants' course and was appointed to the relevant position.
The routes to lieutenant are likewise precisely framed: completion of a military school bachelor's program; an academic degree together with the junior-officer candidate program; the reserve junior-officer program with a bachelor's degree (or submission of the degree document within 5 years, up to the age of 35); or 11 months of service with the junior-officer training program and the relevant position, the degree being held at completion or submitted within 10 years, up to the age of 35.
Terms for the Next Rank
Exact service terms are established for the next rank: from private to private first class — 1 year; from private first class to corporal — 1 year; from junior sergeant to sergeant — 3 years; sergeant to senior sergeant — 4 years; senior sergeant to master sergeant — 4 years; master sergeant to chief sergeant — 5 years; lieutenant to senior lieutenant — 2 years; senior lieutenant to captain — 3 years; captain to major — 4 years; major to lieutenant colonel — 5 years; and lieutenant colonel to colonel — 6 years. No term is set for an officer's next highest rank, while for a person in the active reserve the term is double the minimum.
The Granting Procedure and the Highest Ranks
The next rank is granted sequentially, without skipping a step, where the following exist simultaneously: expiry of the established term, satisfaction of the qualification requirements, a position of a staff category higher than the actual rank and, for centralised categories, a positive decision of the selection board. The first highest rank may be granted to a colonel who has held a colonel's position for 2 years and a highest-officer staff-category position for 1 year. Ranks other than the highest are granted by the Minister; an officer's highest rank is granted by the President of Georgia with the Prime Minister's counter-signature, the candidacy being presented by the Minister. Granting ahead of term is admissible only in a state of war.
Stripping of Rank
The only lawful route to losing a rank is the court: by a court decision a person is stripped of the military rank in the cases provided for by the Criminal Code. Upon stripping, the person's right to social benefits arising in connection with military service ceases — these two consequences operate together and in practice produce the gravest outcome.
Planning a rank career begins with knowing these terms: a serviceman sees in advance which step becomes accessible when, and which conditions — qualifications, staff category, the selection board — must be satisfied. For reservists the doubled terms require a separate plan, while the highest-officer career develops by a different logic altogether, where the decision is taken at the highest level of the state. A correctly planned career prevents disputes and defines the service perspective in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years does a rank change take?
Among privates and up to corporal — 1 year per step; among sergeants — from 3 to 5 years; among officers — from 2 to 6 years; in the active reserve the terms are doubled.
May a step be skipped?
No — the next rank is granted sequentially; ahead-of-term granting is admissible only in a state of war.
Who grants the highest rank?
An officer's highest rank is granted by the President with the Prime Minister's counter-signature upon the Minister's presentation; the first highest rank requires 2 years in a colonel's position and 1 year in a highest-officer category.
When is a rank stripped?
Only by a court decision, in the cases of the Criminal Code, together with the cessation of social benefits.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assists with rank matters: assessing the right to a rank, calculating terms and requirements, preparing the dispute and appealing. Write to us — we will assess your service situation through the lens of the law.