Don’t rush Saudi military personnel into retirement when Spain has found the winning solution 
When Saudi lawmakers drafted the military retirement regulations in the late 1950s, the average life expectancy of Saudis did not exceed 46 years, according to the UN World Population Prospects database for the period between 1955 and 1960.
Consequently, it was logical and natural to consider the age of 44 as the standard for termination of service at the beginning of the military career ladder, for the ranks of private and private first class, as well as second and first lieutenants. However, things have changed today.
Figures from the Saudi Health Sector Transformation Program, published in 2026, indicated that citizens’ average life expectancy has risen to 79.9 years — a result of improved medical services and their success in reducing the number of chronic disease cases by 40 percent and road traffic fatalities by 30 percent.
This demographic shift in average age indicates that military personnel these days remain capable of working even after the age of 50. This calls for a review of the military retirement system, which was amended in 2015 to raise the retirement age for personnel by a full four years. The retirement age is uniform for the ranks of first sergeant, master sergeant, colonel and brigadier general; however, for enlisted personnel, it increases up to the rank of deputy sergeant, which corresponds to the rank of major, with the difference ranging from two to four years in favor of enlisted personnel.
It would be most appropriate to raise the retirement age specifically for officer ranks from second lieutenant to major, thereby aligning them with the corresponding enlisted ranks, since the legislature did not distinguish between enlisted personnel and junior officers regarding retirement prior to the amendment.
The demographic shift in average age indicates that military personnel these days remain capable of working even after the age of 50.
I believe that the decision not to raise the retirement age for field ranks from second lieutenant to major is primarily aimed at those holding the rank of sergeant major among enlisted personnel, especially those with college degrees, because they have priority in promotion. The four-year extension applies to the ranks immediately below theirs, meaning they can reach the rank of major at the very least. Continuing with the old system, however, blocks their path and keeps them on the enlisted ladder.
Furthermore, a military officer reaching the age of 50 does not necessarily mean a decline in competence, because the system, in principle, does not preclude retaining master sergeants and commanding officers until ages 54 to 58. As for military personnel with university degrees, their entry into the field officer ranks — given their accumulated experience — represents a significant asset to their employers.
Retirement, whether voluntary or mandatory, can pose serious economic challenges related to the financial stability of military families, because as soon as they retire, they lose between 35-55 percent of the salaries they earned while on active duty, due to the elimination of operational and field allowances. This disconcerting financial decline may not keep pace with their living expenses from the pre-retirement phase, plunging them into a cycle of debt and possibly forcing them to borrow from banks.
The problem becomes even more complex when retirees, who were once productive members of society and who received highly specialized and costly training at colleges and institutes, become a financial burden on pension funds for many years instead of continuing to contribute through career transition and retraining programs. This is significant in light of a 2022 study published by the Harvard Institute for Public Health Research, which examined performance efficiency and its relationship to aging. It concluded, based on laboratory and economic evidence, that people’s ability to think, reason, solve complex problems, and cope with emergencies and work-related stress reaches its peak between the ages of 45 and 65, scientifically confirming the benefits of retaining these professionals in the workforce.
In fact, international comparisons reveal legislative stability regarding military retirement. One example is the provision established by US federal law through the Military Preference Act of 1944, specifically in Article 2108 which established mandatory priority for military retirees in government hiring lists. In the UK, since 1998 the Ministry of Defence has administered what is known as the Career Transition Partnership. This begins with the retraining and redeployment of personnel two years prior to retirement, achieving an employment rate for military retirees in civilian jobs that reached 86 percent in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. In Asia, the Singapore-based Career Transition Resource Center will, as of 2025, train them through a program abbreviated to LEP, which grants them official leave with full pay six months before retirement, so they can receive training at the center’s expense in warehouse and shipping management, industrial security and project management. This has helped 80 percent of them find new jobs quickly.
Whereas Spanish law, in effect since 2006, stipulates that military personnel, upon reaching the age of 45, be transferred to clerical and administrative positions within their ministry to protect them and ensure their continued employment until they reach the age of 65, at which point they receive their full base salary after retirement. The additional 20 years are intended to allow them to benefit from annual bonuses, which increase their total salary upon retirement. This applies to all military personnel without exception, and I tip my hat to the Spanish in respect for their fair law.
Saudi legislation does not prohibit military retirees from working, and Article 25 of the Military Retirement System allows them to work freely in the private sector, granting them the right to combine their retirement pension with their new salary from private companies and institutions, without conditions or deductions.
In my opinion, the solution involves three tracks. First, raising the retirement age for officers from second lieutenant to major to align with that of enlisted personnel, and providing protection for college-educated enlisted personnel to guarantee them secure promotions and advancement through the officer ranks up to the rank of major. Second, abolishing the mandatory retirement age cap for the ranks of first sergeant and master sergeant for enlisted personnel, and for the ranks of colonel and brigadier general for officers, for those over the age of 50, and transferring them to clerical and administrative duties in a manner similar to the Spanish model, provided they are in good health. Then, keep them in service until age 65, on a par with civilians, to benefit from salaries and annual bonuses, thereby supplementing their basic retirement pension. Third, adopting the Saudi Ministry of Defense’s model for security and military entities, which launched an inspiring career transition program in December 2025 to prepare and empower its personnel for a flexible transition to civilian jobs. Formal agreements have already been signed with national entities, guaranteeing their direct employment after retirement.
• Dr. Bader bin Saud is a columnist for Al-Riyadh newspaper, a researcher in media and knowledge management, a university professor, an expert in crowd management and strategic planning, and the former deputy commander of the Special Forces for Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia. X: @BaderbinSaud.
