Types of Professional Military Service
Under the Military Service Code, professional military service is of two types: contractual — a voluntary, fixed-term military service based on a contract — and non-contractual — indefinite military service. Contractual service includes servicemen holding the ranks of private, first-class private, corporal, corporal-specialist, junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant, master sergeant, chief sergeant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant, and captain. Non-contractual service comprises those holding the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, and general. A serviceman of contractual service signs a contract to perform professional military service, and the form of the contract is approved by the Minister.
Admission Conditions and Selection
Professional military service is entered by a citizen of Georgia who is at least eighteen years of age, knows the state language, and meets the requirements of Georgian legislation. The maximum age for admission to contractual service may be set by a normative act of the Minister, and the admission procedure and the documents to be submitted are likewise determined by the Minister’s normative act. Before admission, the person undergoes selection — physical, medical, psychological, and special examinations, and in predetermined cases an interview as well.
After successful selection, the person is appointed to the relevant position and, in cases determined by an individual administrative-legal act of the Minister, undergoes an initial combat training course; upon successful completion, he or she continues service for the term fixed by the contract. The conduct of the initial training course is regulated by the Minister’s legal act, so the sequence from selection to contract is fully determined by subordinate legislation, and errors at any stage affect the lawfulness of what follows.
Term of Service and Age Limits
The term of service connected with contractual military service is determined by the contract concluded with the serviceman. Age limits are differentiated by composition: forty-five years for privates, fifty for corporals and sergeants other than the chief sergeant, fifty-five for the chief sergeant, forty-five for junior officers, fifty for senior officers other than a colonel, fifty-five for a colonel, and sixty for senior officers. The age limit may be extended by up to five years, the extension being granted by the Minister upon the recommendation of the Commander of the Defense Forces, while the age limit of the Commander is extended by decision of the Minister.