(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "Creditable service" means any period of time which may be used as a factor in the computation of any benefit under a public retirement system.

(2) "Military service" means service in the armed forces of the United States or in a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the National Guard.

(3) "Public employee" means elected and appointed officials and employees of the state or any branch, department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other agency of the state and elected and appointed officials and employees of any political subdivision of the state or of any authority or other agency of any such political subdivision.

(4) "Public retirement system" means any retirement or pension system now or hereafter created by or pursuant to the authority of Georgia law or the Constitution of Georgia which has public employees as members of the retirement or pension system.

(5) "Source of authority" means the law, resolution, or ordinance which creates or provides for a public retirement system.

(b) Only military service for which a person was discharged or separated under honorable conditions shall be eligible to be counted as military service for the purpose of obtaining creditable service under any public retirement system, whether presently existing or hereafter created, when the source of authority for such public retirement system authorizes military service to be used as a basis to obtain creditable service under such public retirement system.

(c) The provisions of this Code section are a limitation on the use of military service as creditable service under any public retirement system and shall not be construed to create a right to obtain creditable service for military service under any public retirement system when such right does not exist independently of this Code section.