It is expected that at the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly (October 2024), the National Assembly will comment and consider approving the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Officers of the Vietnam People's Army (Law on Officers) according to simplified procedures.
Recently, the National Assembly's Committee on National Defense and Security (QPAN) held its 12th plenary session to review this draft Law.
Examining the draft law, related to the age of active service of officers, the QPAN Committee basically agreed to amend in the direction of raising the highest age of service of officers of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA).
In which: Lieutenant: 50 years old; Major: 52; Lieutenant colonel: 54; Senior Lieutenant colonel: 56; Colonel: 58; General: 60.
This is to ensure compliance with the Party's policy on adjusting the retirement age and is consistent with the provisions of the 2019 Labor Code on retirement age, ensuring that military officers participating in social insurance are eligible to receive up to 75% of their salary according to the provisions of the Law on Social Insurance.
According to the QPAN Committee, increasing the active service age of the People's Army officers also aims to promote the capacity, qualifications and experience of the basically trained officers, contributing to reducing the pressure on training officers and in line with the nature and tasks of the Army "as a special labor sector".
Speaking with Lao Dong, Lieutenant General Nguyen Huy Hieu - former Deputy Minister of National Defence - said that adjusting the retirement age of People's Army officers is very necessary and suitable for the practical situation.
In practice, the retirement age of military officers is currently lower than that of the general workforce. This can lead to a waste of human resources, especially those with experience serving in the military. Therefore, adjusting this policy is very necessary in the current context.
Also discussing, Dr. Bui Sy Loi - former Vice Chairman of the Social Committee of the National Assembly - also said that, in order to be consistent with the Law on Social Insurance, the Labor Code and to preserve the team of experienced cadres, the proposal to increase the active service age of the People's Army officers is appropriate.
However, due to the special nature of the labor industry, the military force may consider reducing the retirement age due to reduced working capacity. In this case, it is possible to consider the option of letting them retire earlier in specific job positions to suit the actual situation and operations of the military.
Resolution 126/NQ-CP of the Government's August 2024 thematic meeting on law-making also clearly stated that regarding the maximum age limit for officers to serve in the army: Unified regulations on equal retirement ages for male and female officers.
According to the current 2019 amended Officer Law, the retirement age of military officers is divided according to rank. Accordingly, the age for lieutenant is 46 years old; the age for major is 48 years old; the age for lieutenant colonel is 51 years old; and the age for senior colonel is 54 years old. The above ages apply to both men and women.
From the rank of colonel, the highest age limit for men is 57 years old, and for women is 54 years old. For the rank of general, men is 60 years old, women is 55 years old.
