Regulations regarding conscription standards for nearsighted citizens need to be revised.

The Ministry of National Defence has received a petition from voters in Quang Ninh province requesting a review of the criteria for conscription: the degree of nearsightedness; the percentage, location, and content of tattoos... currently being too strict, causing difficulties in conscription in localities.

In response to voters' questions, the Ministry of National Defense stated that the activities of soldiers in the military environment are unique and high-intensity. Daily and weekly, soldiers must participate in military training, live-fire exercises, and use weapons, equipment, and supplies during training and combat readiness. Among these, shooting is the most characteristic activity of a soldier.

In addition, there is physical training, day and night combat in all weather conditions, terrain (forests, mountains), in the air, and at sea.

Therefore, in the military environment, soldiers always need to have good eyesight to meet the requirements of training, drills, and combat readiness.

Citizens in Ho Chi Minh City enlist in the military in early 2023. Photo: Chi Hung

The Ministry of National Defence affirms that high visual acuity requirements are an important criterion when assessing and classifying the health of citizens for military service. If citizens with myopia exceeding 1.5 diopters or hyperopia are called up for military service, they will likely not meet the requirements.

However, the Ministry of Defense also acknowledges that there are still some obstacles in the implementation process, as reflected in voter feedback and the reality that the percentage of young people with refractive eye errors is high and increasing, especially among young people with university and college degrees in urban areas.

To attract high-quality human resources to serve in the military and to suit the health of young people of conscription age, the Ministry of National Defense believes it is necessary to research and revise the regulations on conscription standards for citizens with myopia (nearsightedness).

Regulations regarding tattoos and body markings when considering the selection criteria and conscription of citizens into the military have also been established.

That is, those who are not selected for military service are those with tattoos or inscriptions containing content that opposes the regime, divides the nation, is horrific, bizarre, sexually provocative, or violent. Tattoos or inscriptions that are offensive and visible, such as: face, head, neck; from the upper half of the arm downwards, from the lower third of the thigh downwards. Tattoos or inscriptions covering at least half of the back, chest, or abdomen.

Thus, regulations regarding tattoos and body markings are among the criteria for political and moral conduct in the selection of citizens for military service.

The Ministry of National Defence stated that during the recruitment process, allowing citizens with tattoos or inscriptions containing the aforementioned content to enlist would be offensive, negatively impacting the image, etiquette, and conduct of revolutionary soldiers and hindering the development of a cultural environment within the Army.

Citizens with tattoos or body markings that are not subject to the above regulations or can be removed may still be considered for conscription.

However, in reality, some citizens have taken advantage of this regulation by deliberately getting tattoos or body markings before or after the recruitment examination in order to evade military service, causing public outrage.

To promptly prevent the exploitation and evasion of military service obligations, the Ministry of National Defense annually directs the review of experiences and provides detailed guidelines on tattoos and body markings when selecting and recruiting citizens for military service, contributing to limiting the exploitation of these conditions by citizens to evade military service.

Responding to voters' opinions, the Ministry of National Defense continues to direct relevant agencies to research and coordinate with ministries, departments, and localities to report to the Government and submit to the National Assembly amendments and supplements to the 2015 Law on Military Service; and Articles 332 and 335 of the 2015 Penal Code, which were amended and supplemented in 2017 according to the legislative drafting program of the 15th National Assembly term.

The Ministry of National Defence also directed relevant agencies to review legal documents, amend and supplement them to suit current practices, ensure the quality of citizens enlisting in the military, and meet the requirements of combat readiness training.

The Ministry of National Defence requests that the delegation of National Assembly deputies from the province and the People's Councils at all levels in the locality promote their supervisory role regarding the implementation of the Military Service Law, ensuring that no violations of the law occur.

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