Raising the retirement age of military officers by 1-4 years, further increase will cause "congestion" and surplus

The proposal to increase the service age limit for military officers of the rank of lieutenant and colonel by 1-4 years is appropriate, according to the Ministry of National Defense , because if it is increased further, it will cause congestion and redundancy in the military officer corps.

The National Assembly discussed in the hall the Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Officers of the Vietnam People's Army on the morning of November 5. This draft law was discussed by the National Assembly in groups on the afternoon of October 28.

One of the issues that National Assembly delegates are concerned about is raising the retirement age of military officers.

Some delegates suggested differentiating between male and female Colonels and Generals; and regulating the age increase roadmap similar to Article 169 of the Labor Code.

One of the issues that National Assembly delegates are concerned about is raising the retirement age of military officers (Illustration photo: ITN).

Proposal to raise retirement age is approaching its highest level ever

The report is expected to receive and explain the opinions of National Assembly deputies. The drafting agency is the Ministry of National Defense, saying that military officers work in many different specialized fields such as pilots, submariners, special forces, chemistry, etc.

They must regularly directly command, manage, train, be ready to fight and fight in difficult and arduous conditions, units stationed on missions in remote areas, borders, islands...

If the age is increased to the same level as the retirement age under the Labor Code or the retirement age of police officers, it will not ensure that officers, especially officers in units with sufficient troops and ready to fight, are healthy enough to complete their tasks, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

On the other hand, due to the structure and organization of the staff, the army still has to recruit military personnel every year to arrange and rejuvenate the team of officers at the squad level. If the age is increased compared to the draft law, it will cause congestion and surplus in the officer team.

The Ministry of National Defense affirmed that the draft law amending and supplementing this time raises the age limit for military service to the highest level ever compared to the provisions of the Labor Code.

This amendment to increase the age limit for officers to serve in the army has been researched, scientifically calculated, and carefully evaluated by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense based on age increase options, and has received high consensus from agencies and units throughout the army, according to the law drafting agency.

This is to both maintain a contingent of officers with courage, capacity, experience... that is suitable to the nature, tasks, structure, and organization of the army, and to implement personnel policies; at the same time, it is consistent with the provisions of the law on labor and the law on social insurance.

There is currently only one female officer at the rank of Major General.

Regarding female general and colonel officers, the Ministry of National Defense said that currently the entire army has 1 female Major General officer (Associate Professor, Doctor of Medicine) and about 2% female Colonel officers compared to the total number of Colonel officers.

These female Colonels mainly work in strategic agencies, academies, schools, scientific research centers, hospitals, cultural and artistic units and have high qualifications (Associate Professor, Doctor, Specialist II, People's Artist, Meritorious Artist), basically belonging to the group of people who have their military service period extended by 5 years according to the provisions of the draft law.

The oldest female Colonel-level officer currently has 13 people at 53 years old, so by 2029 it will be 58 years old, in line with the retirement age prescribed by the Labor Code.

"In practice, since the establishment of the Vietnam People's Army until now, the army has only had 7 female general officers, including 4 PhDs and doctors (at its peak, there were 3 female general officers working together, currently there is only 1 working)," according to the Ministry of National Defense.

"The draft law does not distinguish between men and women in the military and does not stipulate a roadmap to increase the maximum service age for female officers with the rank of Colonel, which is consistent with reality," the Ministry of National Defense further affirmed.

Information, the number of female officers accounts for a low proportion (about 3% compared to the total number of officers), mainly working in agencies, academies, schools, hospitals, cultural and artistic units..., there are no female officers commanding combat units, the Ministry of National Defense emphasized, according to the roadmap for increasing the retirement age (Article 4, Decree No. 135 dated November 18, 2020 of the Government), the retirement age of female workers in 2024 is 56 years and 4 months, then each year increases by 4 months, by 2029 it is 58 years old, by 2035 it is 60 years old.

Currently, the age limit for active service of female officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or lower (mainly officers with high professional qualifications: Associate Professor, Doctor, Specialist II..., specialized and specialized training) as stipulated in the draft law is still lower than the retirement age of female workers, so there is no need to stipulate a roadmap for increasing the age.

The draft law proposes to increase the service age limit for military officers of the rank of lieutenant and colonel by 1-4 years.

Specifically, for lieutenants, the maximum age limit for active officers (retirement age) increases from 46 to 50 years old. Majors from 48 to 52 years old. Lieutenant Colonels from 51 to 54 years old. Senior Colonels from 54 to 56 years old. Colonels from 57 years old (for men) and 55 years old (for women) to 58 years old (regardless of gender).

The age limit for generals remains 60 for men, and for women it increases from 55 to 60 years old.

When the military has a need, officers who have sufficient political and moral qualities, are good at expertise and profession, are in good health and volunteer can have their service age extended for no more than 5 years.

Source: https://dansinh.dantri.com.vn/nhan-luc/nang-tuoi-huu-si-quan-quan-doi-1-4-tuoi-tang-them-se-un-tac-doi-du-20241105122312503.htm