According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), according to new amendments to the country’s military service law, Kuwait stipulates that all male citizens over the age of 18 must perform compulsory military service, starting from those born on January 1, 2012.The changes amend Kuwait’s 2015 national military service legislation and aim to “rectify legislative and procedural deficiencies.”
What did the amendment change
Under the revised law, the registration period for eligible males was extended from 60 days to 180 days after turning 18. The amendment also introduced an exemption for only children.Firefighters employed by Kuwait Petroleum Company will now receive similar exemptions as members of the Kuwait Fire Brigade.According to KUNA, the amendments are intended to address delays in processing certain transactions and difficulties in handling cases not expressly covered by the original law.
Where can conscripts be distributed?
The National Selective Service has the authority to assign new recruits to one of the following four branches:
- kuwaiti armed forces
- Ministry of Interior
- Kuwait National Guard
- Kuwait Fire Brigade
The decree formalizes the authority’s ability to allocate conscripts to these services based on operational needs.
Employment security during employment
The amendment provides that conscripts who are hired retain their salaries, allowances, bonuses and benefits during their service. Their NS time will also count towards their total years of service.In a statement cited by KUNA, the Army said the amendments reflected the National Service’s commitment to modernize the legislative framework for conscription in line with operational requirements.“The new decree addresses issues that have arisen in the implementation of the current law and prompts a review of certain provisions to ensure greater effectiveness,” the military said.The updated framework incorporates a number of procedural changes, including extending the registration window to 180 days, granting an exemption for only children, adjusting firefighter exemptions, and clarifying authorities’ powers to allocate recruits to designated security and military agencies.The amendments mark a major update to Kuwait’s national service system, which will see the country implement compulsory service for the next generation of eligible male citizens, starting with those born in 2012.
