Committee ends honorary promotion option for retired Georgia officers

The Defense & Veterans Affairs committee approved House Bill 1184 (LC461304), which removes an option in state code allowing certain retired officers to request honorary promotions.

Joe Farrar of the Georgia Department of Defense told the committee the honorary-promotion option has become a nuisance and creates confusion when retirees wear state honorary ranks on federal uniforms. "We've had some number of our people who got an honorary promotion who the next time you see them out in public, they're wearing this honorary rank... on a federal uniform, which is technically illegal," Farrar said, arguing the bill would eliminate that possibility.

Farrar said the change applies only to officers who had the option for an honorary promotion; it does not apply to enlisted members or to active-duty personnel. Committee members asked whether the bill abolishes the process going forward; Farrar confirmed it would "cut it off." He also said no additional benefits or pension changes are involved.

When asked about penalties, Farrar said federal law already contains penalties for wearing a uniform rank one is not entitled to and that state law likewise provides penalties; the bill therefore removes the eligibility to request an honorary promotion rather than adding new penalties.

A motion to pass the bill was made, seconded and the chair announced that the second bill passed unanimously. The transcript records unanimous passage but does not include a roll-call tally in the record provided.