New criteria for considering promotion beyond the rank of officer

The Lao Dong Newspaper Legal Consulting Office replied:

Article 5 of Circular 18/2025/TT-BQP of the Ministry of Defense stipulates that the rank of graduates of training officers in the army; promoting the rank of officers, superior level, before the deadline and raising the officer's salary ahead of time (effective from March 22, 2025) stipulates the criteria and criteria for consideration of promotion as follows:

1. Officers with the current military rank 2 (two) or higher than the highest military rank of the position or title currently held by an officer, with outstanding achievements, will be considered for promotion to a higher rank when being awarded one of the following forms of commendation (excluding forms of commendation according to term or contribution process), as follows:

a) forms of medals: Gold Star Medal; Ho Chi Minh Medal, First Class Independence Medal; First Class Military Exploit Medal; First Class Labor Medal; First Class Fatherland Protection Medal; First Class Military Exploit Medal.

b) State honorary title: title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces; title of Hero of Labor.

c) Ho Chi Minh Award.

2. During the term of holding a position, the officer can only be considered for promotion to a higher rank once, exceeding one military rank; the time of consideration after the officer has a decision on commendation.

3. Special cases not specified in Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article shall be considered and decided by competent authorities.

Thus, from March 22, 2025, the criteria for considering promotion to a higher rank for officers are stipulated as above.