The Ministry of National Defense recently received a petition from voters in Phu Tho province stating: Circular No. 105/2023 of the Ministry of National Defense stipulates physical fitness standards, in which citizens only meet the standards for military service when their BMI is from 18.5 to 29.9.

According to voters, this has led to many citizens with good health but not meeting the BMI requirements, so they are not allowed to join the army. Voters asked the Ministry to consider researching and amending to ensure convenience for military service examination for citizens at present.

Responding to this content, the Ministry of National Defense said: BMI (Body Mass Index) is a weight index or body mass index commonly used today because of its simple calculation, making it easy to detect thin, malnourished, overweight, or obese people at different levels of severity.

The higher the BMI, the more fat in the body. Conversely, a low BMI means a thin body. Applying the BMI in health assessment and classification ensures more scientific and objective results than using separate height and weight indicators and is used by many countries in the world in health standards for selecting citizens for military service.

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The Military Service Council in Quang Ninh inspects the organization of the medical examination. Photo: Military Zone 3 Newspaper

After 5 years of implementation, Joint Circular No. 16/2016 of the Ministry of Health - Ministry of National Defense regulating medical examination for military service has revealed many difficulties and inadequacies. Therefore, on December 29, 2021, the Ministry of Health issued a plan to develop legal documents on health in 2022, including developing a circular to replace Joint Circular No. 16/2016.

In the process of drafting the replacement circular, the Ministry of Health consulted the World Health Organization's BMI index standards and compiled opinions from leading hospital experts (Central Endocrinology Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital...) to propose supplementing and specifying the BMI index into a physical classification standard. The draft circular was reviewed and accepted by the Ministry of Health's Scientific Council on July 12, 2022.

The Ministry of National Defense is in charge of continuing to draft a circular to replace Joint Circular No. 16/2016. In which, the physical fitness classification standards are applied according to the Ministry of Health. The draft circular was widely consulted and received high consensus from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, People's Committees and Military Commands of provinces and cities before being issued.

The Ministry of National Defense said that before July 2025, the health standards for citizens to join the army will be implemented according to two circulars of the Ministry of National Defense: Circular No. 105/2023 and Circular No. 148/2018. Of which, Circular No. 105/2023 stipulates general health standards and regulations on scoring physical strength, diseases, and health classification for cases of citizens joining the army (military recruitment, military enrollment, recruitment); Circular No. 148/2018 adds regulations on separate health standards for citizens called for military service.

During the implementation of Circular No. 105/2023, with the basic favorable selection of citizens for military service, units found that the physical strength (height, weight, BMI) of new soldiers was more uniform than in previous years.

However, some localities have suggested that the Ministry of National Defense study and consider meeting health standards for military service for tall, thin, and healthy citizens.

On March 9, the Ministry of National Defense assigned the General Department of Logistics and Engineering to direct the Military Medical Department to coordinate with research agencies, advise, and propose adjustments to health standards regarding BMI index in calling citizens to join the army.

The Military Medical Department surveyed the entire army and received 102 comments from agencies and units, including: 19 focal units under the Ministry of National Defense, 62 provincial military commands, and 21 military hospitals.

According to the general survey results, agencies and units proposed to adjust the BMI index in calling citizens for military service: 16-29.9 is 1.96% (2/102); 16.5-29.9 is 3.92% (4/102); 17-29.9 is 38.23% (39/102); 17.5-29.9 is 55.88% (57/102); 18-29.9 is 64.70% (66/102).

On July 3, the Ministry of National Defense issued Circular No. 68/2025 amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 148/2018 regulating the selection and calling of citizens for military service, in which the BMI index meeting the military service health standards was revised to be between 18-29.9.

BMI = weight (kg)/height squared (m)

Only citizens with health categories 1, 2 and 3 as prescribed in Circular 105/2023 will be selected. This means that citizens with health categories 4, 5 and 6 will not be called up for military service.

In addition, citizens with myopia greater than 1.5 diopters or hyperopia of any degree will not be called up for military service (previous regulations in Circular 148/2018 were myopia from 1.5 diopters or more).

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-quoc-phong-neu-ly-do-quy-dinh-chi-so-bmi-18-29-9-khi-tuyen-cong-dan-nhap-ngu-2430162.html