Conscription a national duty: Kuwait Army

KUWAIT CITY, March 10, (KUNA): The National Military Service Authority (NMSA) of the Kuwaiti Army affirmed the importance of conscription calling it a national duty because the safety and security of the homeland should be the top priority.

The authority said the defence of the nation is a sacred duty A report published by the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army, Tuesday, the NMSA said conscription is an honor for citizens who work under the leadership of His Highness, the Amir, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and His Highness, the Crown Prince (we pray to God to protect them).

The report explained the decree of (Law No. 102 of 1980) regarding compulsory military service was marred by several observations that required reconsideration, so it was suspended by (Law No. 56 of 2001) and some provisions of (Law No. 102/80) as it strived to find radical solutions to avoid remarks of the previous repealed law.

The report quoted the head of the National Military Service, Brigadier General Imad Aman, as saying after a 14-year hiatus, the Ministry of Defense came up with the (Law No. 20 of 2015) regarding the national military service, and Article (58) of it stipulated that “it shall be enforced after two years from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.”

Subsequently it was enforced on May 10, 2017, and ministerial decisions and administrative orders were issued in this regard. He indicated the period of performing active service, according to what was mentioned in the law, is 12 months, divided into two phases, the first of which is four months, at the National Service Institute, while the second phase of eight months was in the National Service Brigade.

Brigadier General Aman stated since the application of this law, the first batch of recruits No. 46 was in January 2018 and the number of recruits was 94, and in December 2018, the Batch No. 47 comprised of 133 recruits. He explained that the part of the civil training will take place at the Kuwait Flour Mills and First Aid Company, in addition to various trainings activities which will be held at the Ministry of Health and the petroleum sector so that everyone can complete the remaining eight months.

Aman said according to the law all those who are 18 years old are obliged to register on the NMSA website or through its centers in the six governorates within 60 days so that they will not be subject to the penalty stipulated in the law. For his part, the Director of the National Military Service Directorate, Brigadier General Muhammad Al-Jassar, said the NMSA began receiving requests from the medical committees in the Al-Mubarakiya camps (Gate No. 4), the reception hall of the National Military Service Al-Jassar saying the applicants must bring along the following documents -- a medical report issued by the Ministry of Health and a fitness certificate issued by the Public Authority for Disabled Affairs, provided the documents are issued recently.

He explained the reports will be presented to the competent military medical committee, starting from tomorrow, to consider cases of applicants suffering from a certain disease or disability that prevents him from joining the service in accordance with the conditions of health fitness for the active service, indicating that inquiries and review can be made through the National Military Service website www.kns gov.kw.

For his part, Colonel Muhammad Al- Rifai said, according to the report, the purpose and objective of performing the national military service is loyalty, belonging, sacrifice and giving Al-Rifai indicated that the aim is also to protect the nation from external greed and internal threats, to enhance the spirit of loyalty to the country, to mobilize manpower when necessity arises, to develop the capabilities of Kuwaiti youth in the field of national service and effective participation in all sectors of the state. Al-Rifai pointed out those with disabilities, students studying outside the country, or whoever has any temporary health conditions, the guardian or his official representative, according to the law must visit the registration center to prove the case, whatever it may be. He added in the second stage, a ministerial decision will be issued to announce the training course, and published first in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Alyawm) and then announced through various advertising means. He stressed that whoever evades conscription until the age of 35 is subject to legal punishment and accountability.