The regulations for calculating the duration of military service in Azerbaijan are set to undergo significant changes. According to a new draft law discussed in the Youth and Sports Committee of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly), the start date of military service for personnel will be determined by new criteria rather than the previous regulations.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that these innovations are reflected in proposed amendments to the "Regulation on Military Service.". The changes aim to streamline the administrative process and align the legal start of service with the physical deployment of personnel.
New service start dates for conscripts
According to the new project, the beginning of active military service for conscripts will be considered the day they are sent to the military unit by the relevant executive authority. In contrast, under the current law, this period was calculated differently; previously, the service period started from the day the conscripts arrived at the military commissariat to be sent to their respective units.
Prior to this amendment, the dispatch of citizens for military service was carried out by the military commissariat through the Republican Assembly Point. Local military commissariats would collect the identity cards of individuals and issue them a military ID upon receiving a commitment before sending them to military units.
Contract details for volunteers and officers
The rules for extended active military service for soldiers, sailors, and sergeants are also changing. For those entering service voluntarily on a contract basis, the day the contract is signed will be considered the start of active military service. Under current law, this date was the day the order for admission to service and appointment to a position was signed.
The same approach applies to warrant officers and midshipmen. For them, the day the contract is signed will mark the beginning of service, replacing the previous rule of the order's signing date. A similar change is intended for officers; for those entering voluntary service under a contract, the service period will be calculated from the day the contract is signed.
However, the rule differs for reserve officers called up for military service after graduating from higher or secondary specialized military educational institutions. For them, the day the order is signed regarding their call-up (admission) to military service will be considered the start of active duty.
Women's military service and documentation
The draft law includes important points regarding female military personnel. Female citizens of Azerbaijan aged 19 to 40 who have a military registration specialty, the list of which is approved by the relevant executive authority, can be registered for military service with their consent. They are accepted into active military service in the Armed Forces on a contract basis, and their service period begins on the day the contract is signed.
Regarding documentation and logistics, the transportation of conscripts to the assembly point is carried out by the relevant executive authority. Before individuals are sent to military units, their identity cards are temporarily collected and handed over to the relevant body. Those documents are kept there until the end of service and then returned to the owner. Citizens called for initial active military service and cadets of special-purpose educational institutions will be issued a military ID.
In Azerbaijan, military service is a constitutional duty, and the country maintains a robust defense posture to ensure its territorial integrity. These legislative updates are part of ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Defense to modernize the legal framework of the armed forces and improve the management of human resources within the military sector.
