Increase in commanding position allowance for militia and self-defense forces in Vietnam from March 23, 2025

Is it correct that there is an increase in commanding position allowance for militia and self-defense forces in Vietnam from March 23, 2025?

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 7 of Decree 72/2020/ND-CP (amended by Clause 1, Article 1 of Decree 16/2025/ND-CP) regarding policies for command allowance for militia and self-defense forces:

Article 7. Regime for Command Position Allowance of Militia and Self-Defense Forces

1. The command allowance for militia and self-defense forces is paid monthly, with the rates as follows:

a) Commander-in-chief, Political commissar of the Military Command at commune level; Commander-in-chief, Political commissar of the Military Command at agencies, organizations: 561,600 VND;

b) Deputy Commander-in-chief, Deputy Political commissar of the Military Command at commune level; Deputy Commander-in-chief, Deputy Political commissar of the Military Command at agencies, organizations; Battalion Commander, Battalion Political commissar; Naval Battalion Commander, Naval Political commissar; Squadron Commander, Squadron Political commissar of standing militia; Company Commander, Company Political commissar of mobile Civil Defense units: 514,800 VND;

c) Deputy Battalion Commander, Deputy Battalion Political commissar; Deputy Naval Battalion Commander, Deputy Naval Political commissar; Deputy Squadron Commander, Deputy Squadron Political commissar of standing militia; Deputy Company Commander, Deputy Company Political commissar of mobile Civil Defense units: 491,400 VND;

d) Company Commander, Company Political commissar; Squadron Commander, Squadron Political commissar; Platoon Commander of mobile militia, Platoon Commander of standing militia: 468,000 VND;

dd) Hamlet Commander: 280,800 VND and an additional 100% command position allowance of a squad leader when concurrently holding the position, or 100% of a platoon leader's allowance when concurrently holding the position. In case the hamlet organizes a local militia team, it is entitled to an additional 100% command position allowance of a squad leader;

[...]

The command allowance for militia and self-defense forces is increased as follows:

Note: Decree 16/2025/ND-CP is effective from March 23, 2025.

Increase in commanding position allowance for militia and self-defense forces in Vietnam from March 23, 2025​ (Image from the Internet)

Who are the militia and self-defense forces in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 2 of the militia and self-defense forces Law 2019, the militia and self-defense forces are defined as:

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Law, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. militia and self-defense forces are armed forces of the masses that do not disengage from production and work, organized at the local level referred to as militia, organized at state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, public service providers, economic organizations (hereinafter referred to as agencies, organizations) referred to as self-defense.

2. Local militia and self-defense forces are forces that perform duties in villages, hamlets, communes, towns, clusters, sectors, and in agencies and organizations.

3. Mobile militia and self-defense forces are mobile forces that perform duties in areas as decided by competent authorities.

[...]

According to the above regulations, militia and self-defense forces are armed forces of the masses that do not disengage from production and work. If organized at the local level, they are called militia. If organized at state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, public service providers, economic organizations, they are called self-defense.

Components of the militia and self-defense forces include:

- Local militia and self-defense forces.

- Mobile militia and self-defense forces.

- Standby militia and self-defense forces.

- Maritime militia and self-defense forces.

- militia and self-defense forces for air defense, artillery, reconnaissance, communication, engineering, chemical defense, healthcare.

Is participation in militia and self-defense forces mandatory in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 8 of the militia and self-defense forces Law 2019, the age and duration for performing the obligation to participate in the militia and self-defense forces in peacetime are stipulated as follows:

Article 8. Age, Duration of Performing Obligations to Participate in militia and self-defense forces in Peacetime

1. Male citizens from the age of 18 to the end of 45, female citizens from the age of 18 to the end of 40 have the obligation to participate in the militia and self-defense forces; if voluntarily participating, this period can be extended to the end of 50 for males, and to the end of 45 for females.

[...]

Under the above regulations, citizens who meet the age and standards for participation are obliged to join the militia and self-defense forces, except for cases exempt from registration, deferment, or exemption from the militia and self-defense forces obligation as prescribed by law.

Additionally, Article 11 of the militia and self-defense forces Law 2019 stipulates cases in which citizens can be postponed or exempted from performing militia and self-defense forces obligations in peacetime:

[1] Citizens may be postponed from performing militia and self-defense forces obligations in the following cases:

- Women who are pregnant or raising children under 36 months of age; men who are single-handedly raising children under 36 months of age;

- Persons not in good health to perform duties of militia and self-defense forces;

- Having a husband or wife who is an officer, professional soldier, official, or public employee serving in the People’s Army;

- Having a husband or wife who is an officer, non-commissioned officer, soldier, or worker serving in the People's Public Security;

- Having a husband or wife who is an official, public employee, or youth volunteer mobilized to work in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions as prescribed by law;

- The sole laborer in a poor or near-poor household;

- Persons directly supporting relatives who are incapable of working or not yet of working age;

- Persons in households suffering heavy losses due to accidents, natural disasters, or dangerous epidemics as verified by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the district where there is no administrative unit at the commune level, or the head of the agency or organization where the citizen resides or works;

- Husbands, wives, or children of war invalids, sick soldiers, or persons affected by toxic chemicals with a labor capacity decrease from 61% to 80%;

- Persons studying at schools under state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, educational institutions within the national education system;

- Persons working, studying, or working abroad.

[2] Citizens may be exempted from performing militia and self-defense forces obligations in the following cases:

- Spouses or children of martyrs;

- Spouses or children of war invalids, sick soldiers, or persons affected by toxic chemicals with a labor capacity decrease of 81% or more;

- Reservists already arranged into reserve mobilization units;

- Persons directly nurturing and caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; Persons directly nurturing persons with a labor capacity decrease of 81% or more;

- Persons working in cipher organizations.