---
title: O.C.G.A. § 38-2-2. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 38-2-2
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 38-2-2 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-2-2
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-2-2.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-2-2/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=6f93000f_0#page=162
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MILITARY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS / MILITARY AFFAIRS / STATE MILITIA GENERALLY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 38-2-2. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) “Active military service of the United States” and “in the armed forces of the United States” mean full-time duty in the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force, or coast guard of the United States.

(2) “Active service” and “active duty” mean military duty in or with a force of the organized militia (not including the inactive National Guard) or in the Military Division, Department of Defense, either in a full-time status or in a part-time status, depending upon the conditions under which the duty is performed.

(3) “Military” and “military and naval” mean army or land, air force or air, and navy or naval.

(4) “Military” or “military or naval” means army or land, air force or air, or navy or naval.

(5) “Military service of the state,” as to military personnel, means service in or with a force of the organized militia or in the Military Division, Department of Defense.

(6) “National Guard” means the Georgia National Guard, the composition of which is set forth in Code Section 38-2-3.

(7) “Naval Militia” means the Georgia Naval Militia as may be organized hereafter.

(8) “Officer” or “commissioned officer” includes warrant officers.

(9) “On the active list” means on the rolls of a force of the organized militia, not including the inactive National Guard.

(10) “Organized militia,” “all or any part of the organized militia,” “organized militia or any part thereof,” “any force of the organized militia,” and “organized militia or any force thereof” mean, severally, the Army National Guard, the Air National Guard, the Georgia Naval Militia, when organized, and the State Defense Force, when organized, and include any unit, component, element, headquarters, staff, or cadre thereof as well as any member or members.

## History

Ga. L. 1955, p. 10, § 3; Ga. L. 1985, p. 356, § 1; Ga. L. 2024, p. 81, § 10/HB 299, effective July 1, 2024.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2024, p. 81, § 10/HB 299, which amended this Code section, purported to amend paragraph (a)(4) of this Code section but actually amended paragraph (1) of this Code section.

## Amendments

The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, inserted “space force,” in paragraph (1).