The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Officers of the Vietnam People's Army will take effect from December 1, 2024.

According to the law, the maximum age for active service (retirement age) for officers, based on rank, has increased by 1-5 years compared to the current law. Specifically, the retirement age is 50 for junior officers; 52 for majors; 54 for lieutenant colonels; 56 for colonels; 58 for senior officers; and 60 for generals.

When the military has a need, officers who meet the political , moral, competence, and health requirements and volunteer may have their service extended by no more than 5 years. In exceptional cases, this extension may be granted by the Minister of Defense.

Before the National Assembly passed the bill, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly stated that increasing the retirement age of military officers to match that of police officers or the retirement age of workers as stipulated in the Labor Code would not guarantee that officers, especially those in combat-ready units, would have sufficient health to fulfill their duties.

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Members of Parliament vote to pass the law. Photo: National Assembly

Every year, the Army still has to recruit new soldiers to organize and rejuvenate its platoon-level officers. Increasing the age limit compared to the draft law would cause surpluses and bottlenecks in the officer corps.

Raising the retirement age for officers, as proposed in the draft law submitted to the National Assembly, would both preserve a contingent of officers with basic training, competence, skills, experience, and good health for command, management, research, and staff work, as well as highly skilled professionals, allowing them more time to serve in the military and meet the requirements of building a modern army; and ensure that officers have sufficient years of social insurance contributions to receive the maximum pension of 75%.

Regarding the highest military rank , the rank of General, there are no more than 3 of them, including: the Minister of National Defense; the Chief of the General Staff; and the Head of the General Political Department.

The number of Generals and Admirals of the Navy shall not exceed 14, including: Six Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of National Defense with the highest military rank of General or Admiral; and three Deputy Chiefs of the General Staff and Deputy Heads of the General Political Department, each with the highest military rank of General. In addition, there are the Director and Political Commissar of the National Defense Academy.

The highest-ranking military positions and titles are Lieutenant General, Vice Admiral; Major General, Rear Admiral, with a maximum number of 398.

Thus, the total number of people holding the highest rank of general is a maximum of 415.

Military officers seconded to the position of Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee hold the highest military rank of General. Military officers seconded to the position of Vice Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee, or appointed to the position of Deputy Minister or equivalent position/title, hold the highest military rank of Lieutenant General.

Military officers seconded to the position of Standing Member of the National Defense and Security Committee, or appointed to the position of Director General or equivalent position or title, hold the highest military rank of Major General.

The government stipulates that the highest military ranks are Lieutenant General, Vice Admiral, Major General, Rear Admiral, etc.

The highest military ranks for officers, including positions and titles, are the rank of Major and Lieutenant, as determined by the Minister of National Defense.

Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee Le Tan Toi said that some delegates suggested considering a commensurate level of general ranks between the army and the police in major, key provinces and cities; and clearly defining the number of generals for each rank.

According to the National Assembly Standing Committee, adding the number of Lieutenant Generals for the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and setting a ceiling on the rank of General for the Commanders of the Military Commands of 11 key provinces, as stipulated in the Law on the People's Police (which does not set a ceiling on the rank of General for Political Commissars), would be inconsistent with Resolution No. 51 of the Central Committee and would exceed the number of Generals stipulated by the Politburo (415 people).

In addition, it will affect the thoughts, feelings, and aspirations of the Commanders and Political Commissars of the Military Commands and Border Guard Commands of other provinces and cities.

The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense are studying and proposing amendments to the decree and circular on the ranks and titles of military officers. This will involve carefully considering and calculating the highest military ranks for officers throughout the armed forces, and adding specific regulations on the number and positions with the ranks of Lieutenant General, Vice Admiral, Major General, and Rear Admiral, ensuring strictness, transparency, and not exceeding the number stipulated in the Politburo's conclusions.

The retirement age for generals has been raised to 62, and colonels will no longer be promoted to general.

The retirement age for generals has been raised to 62, and colonels will no longer be promoted to general.

Minister of Defense Phan Van Giang argued that if the retirement age for generals is increased to 62, while colonels retire at 58, then colonels cannot be promoted to general, given the many different ranks and positions within the military.
If the retirement age for military officers is increased like that of police officers, there will be a surplus of personnel.

If the retirement age for military officers is increased like that of police officers, there will be a surplus of personnel.

According to the Ministry of Defense, raising the retirement age for military officers, as stipulated in the Labor Code, or to the same age as police officers would cause congestion and a surplus of officers.