Can I be transferred to the officer rank after military service?

Currently, the subjects of conferring military ranks on active duty officers include: Cadets graduating from active duty officer training; Non-commissioned officers, soldiers in wartime; professional soldiers and active duty defense civil servants; cadres, civil servants outside the Army and those who have graduated from university or higher and are appointed to officer positions will be conferred the corresponding officer rank.

There are 5 sources of additional officers in active service: Non-commissioned officers and soldiers who have graduated from officer training schools or universities outside the Army; Non-commissioned officers and soldiers who have completed combat missions well; Professional soldiers and active defense civil servants who have graduated from university or higher and have been trained and educated in military programs according to regulations of the Minister of National Defense; Cadres and civil servants outside the Army and those who have graduated from university or higher and are mobilized to serve in the Army and have been trained and educated in military programs according to regulations of the Minister of National Defense; Reserve officers.

Thus, under current conditions, soldiers serving in the army cannot be directly promoted to officer ranks in the Army, however, soldiers can still be promoted to officer ranks through the following indirect forms:

First, become a professional soldier.

Pursuant to Article 2 of the Law on Professional Soldiers, Workers and National Defense Officials 2015, professional soldiers are Vietnamese citizens with technical and professional qualifications serving in the People's Army, selected and recruited according to their titles and awarded the rank of professional soldier.

Article 14 of the Law on Professional Soldiers, Workers and Civil Servants of National Defense 2015 stipulates the selection and recruitment of professional soldiers.

Specifically, the subjects of selection: Officers of the Vietnam People's Army in case of organizational and staff changes where the current position no longer requires an officer; Non-commissioned officers and soldiers whose term of active service has expired and are serving in the army's reserve force; Defense workers and civil servants.

Recruitment objects: Vietnamese citizens not subject to the provisions of Clause 1 of this Article, permanently residing in Vietnam, 18 years of age or older.

Conditions and criteria for selection and recruitment include: Having political qualities, ethics, health, clear background and voluntarily serving in the military; Having diplomas, certificates of technical expertise and profession suitable for the title of professional soldier.

The form of selection and recruitment is by examination or exam. In case of graduating from a regular university with good or excellent results or having high technical and professional qualifications, they will be selected and recruited through examination.

When their military service ends, soldiers can become professional soldiers if they fully meet the above conditions.

After becoming a professional soldier, soldiers need to strive to study and train. If they fully meet the conditions of the officer rank, they will be transferred from professional soldier to officer rank.

Second, during their service, soldiers can review and take exams to enter officer training schools in the Army by registering to take the national high school exam.

However, to do this requires soldiers during their time in the army to fully meet the criteria of political qualities, qualifications, working capacity and always complete their tasks well.

Priority selection to become professional soldiers

Article 9 of Circular 241/2017/TT-BQP stipulates that priority in selection for subjects is implemented according to the provisions of Clause 5, Article 8, Clause 4, Article 14, Clause 4, Article 28 of the Law on professional soldiers, defense workers and civil servants and the following provisions:

- Non-commissioned officers and soldiers with outstanding achievements in performing tasks at agencies and units are awarded the title of emulation soldier at the grassroots level or higher by competent authorities.

- Graduated from college or university in technical or professional fields that the Army does not train, suitable for the title of a professional soldier or the job position of a defense worker or the professional title of a defense official.

- Have special talents and abilities to meet the requirements of the tasks and staff of the People's Army in the fields of physical education, sports and arts.

- Is an ethnic minority.

Accordingly, those subject to the above regulations will be given priority when participating in the selection of professional soldiers.

Term and age of service of professional soldiers

Pursuant to Article 17 of the Law on Professional Soldiers, Workers and National Defense Officials 2015, the term of service of professional soldiers in peacetime is as follows: Service for a term of at least 06 years from the date of decision to become a professional soldier; Service until the age limit as prescribed below.

The maximum age limit for active service of professional soldiers according to military rank: Professional military lieutenant: male 52 years old, female 52 years old; Professional military major, lieutenant colonel: male 54 years old, female 54 years old; Professional military lieutenant colonel: male 56 years old, female 55 years old.

Professional soldiers with high technical and professional qualifications, good political qualities, ethics, health and volunteerism, if the army has a need, will be considered for an extension of their active service age of no more than 5 years.

Fighters who perform tasks when they reach 40 years old will be given priority in training, development and assigned to other positions in accordance with the requirements of the army or transferred to another sector. In case the army cannot continue to employ them and cannot transfer them to another sector, if they have paid social insurance for 20 years, of which 15 years are spent as fighters, they will be eligible for retirement.

The list of combatant titles is prescribed by the Minister of National Defense.

Thus, the minimum period of military service is 6 years and the age of military service depends on the military rank of the professional soldier and will have different regulations.

Wisdom

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