Benefits for joining military service in Vietnam 2023

Benefits for joining military service in Vietnam 2023 (Internet image)

1. What is military service?

According to Clause 1, Article 4 of the Law on Military Service 2015, military service is the glory of citizen to serving in People’s Army. Military service is performed in the regular armed forces or in reserve forces of People’s Army.

2. Benefits for joining military service in Vietnam 2023

2.1. For non-commissioned officers and soldiers in Vietnam

* The social insurance benefít for non-commissioned officers and soldiers:

According to Clause 1 of Article 7 of Circular 95/2016/TT-BQP, stipulating the social insurance benefits for non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving in the army as follows:

- The time of active service of non-commissioned officers and soldiers is counted as the period of payment of social insurance premiums to serve as the basis for calculating the entitlement to social insurance benefits as prescribed.

- In case, before enlistment, they have time to work and pay compulsory social insurance at state agencies, organizations, and economic establishments belonging to all economic sectors: If they are discharged from the army and return to the locality, they are allowed to add their previous working time with social insurance premiums to their time in the army to calculate the social insurance benefits according to regulations and to be settled by the Ministry of National Defense's Social Insurance.

- In case, before enlistment, they have time to work and pay compulsory social insurance at state agencies, organizations, and economic establishments of all economic sectors: If demobilized to the old agency or state agencies, organizations, and economic establishments of all economic sectors continue to pay social insurance premiums, they are allowed to add their previous time with their time in the army and their working time with social insurance contributions to be used as a basis for calculating and enjoying social insurance benefits according to regulations. As follows:

* Leaves of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers:

Leaves of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers according to Article 3 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP is as follows:

- From the 13th month on service, an active non-commissioned officer or soldier has an annual leave of 10 days (exclusive of the travel time) and receive allowances for travel cost under current regulations.

- For non-commissioned officers and soldiers who have studied in military or non-military schools or institutes for at least one year and have a summer vacation between two academic years, such vacation shall be considered period of leave and payment for travel cost shall be made as per current provisions. 

- If leave cannot be granted due to a combat situation or threat thereof or difficulty in travel, the leave will be converted into an amount of money.  The payment for one leave day shall be equal to the daily meal allowance of a non-commissioned officer/foot soldier.

- For non-commissioned officers/soldiers who have used up their annual leave, if their family suffer from natural disaster or a serious fire or their parents, parents-in-law; lawful fosterer; spouse; children or legally-adopted children pass away or they gain remarkable achievements during duty performance, they will be given a special leave of a period of no more than 5 days (exclusive of the travel time) and receive an allowance for travel.

* Benefits for families of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers

According to Clause 2, Article 2 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP, family members of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers, including: Parents; parents-in-law; lawful fosterer of spouse, spouse, children and legal adopted children.

According to Article 6 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP, benefits for families of active non-commissioned officers and soldiers are as follows:

-  In any of the following cases, the family of an active non-commissioned officer/soldier shall receive an irregular allowance of:

+ VND 3,000,000/time if the house of the active non-commissioned officer/soldier collapses due to a fire or natural disaster or the incident results in relocation or causes severe financial damage;

+ VND 500,000 for each family member who has suffered from illness for at least 1 month or has undergone one-time treatment in the hospital for at least 7 days;

+ The irregular allowances specified in Point a this Clause shall not be provide more than two times a year for each active non-commissioned officer/soldier;

The irregular allowances shall not be provided more than two times a year for each member of family of an active non-commissioned officer/soldier;

+ VND 2,000,000 for each family member of an active non-commissioned officer/soldier who is killed in combat or dies or is missing.

- Children and legally-adopted children of an active non-commissioned officer/soldier shall be entitled to remission of tuition fees in public or private general education institution as regulated in Decree 86/2015/ND-CP.

* Additional allowances due to extension of duration of service and extra allowances for active female soldiers and non-commissioned officers:

Additional allowances due to extension of duration of service and extra allowances for active female soldiers and non-commissioned officers under Article 4 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP are as follows:

-  In addition to rank allowances provided as regulated, active non-commissioned officers/ soldiers who have their duration of service extended as decided by the Minister of National Defense of Vietnam shall receive 250% of the current monthly rank allowances.

These additional allowances shall not be provided for active non-commissioned officers/soldiers who are waiting to be transferred to professional soldiers, national defense officials or public employees; or waiting for school admission, entrance exam; or studying in military or non-military schools and institutes and others.

- Active female soldiers and non-commissioned officers shall receive an additional allowance equal to 20% of the statutory pay.

* Other benefits for active non-commissioned officers and soldiers:

According to Article 5 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP, a number of other regimes for non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving active duty are as follows:

- They shall be exempt from postage when sending money, mailers or parcels and provided with 4 letter stamps/month of which the price is regulated by the Ministry of Information and Communications and monthly rank allowances in the same period.

- Non-commissioned officers and soldiers who are members of poor household or students who have taken loans from Vietnam Bank for Social Policies shall be eligible for an interest-free deferral of loan repayment during the service period under current regulations.

- Active non-commissioned officers and soldiers who satisfy standards for political quality, ethics, culture, health and age may sit the entrance exam as regulated by the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and shall be given plus points when sitting entrance examinations as currently regulated.

2.2. For discharged non-commissioned officers and soldiers in Vietnam

* One-off discharge allowances and allowances for job creation and travelling provided for discharged non-commissioned officers and soldiers

According to Article 7 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP stipulating the one-time demobilization allowance for non-commissioned officers and soldiers as follows:

- In addition to one-off benefits from social insurance under law provision on social insurance, the discharged non-commissioned officer/soldier shall receive one-off discharge allowances; the allowances for one year serving in the military force shall be equal to the amount of 2 month’s statutory pay as regulated by the Government at the time of discharge. 

Allowance for an incomplete year:

+ Less than 1 month: no allowance;

+ – 6 months: 1 month’s statutory pay;

+ From more than 6 months to 12 months:

+ 2 month’s statutory pay. 

- Non-commissioned officers/soldiers who have served in military force for 30 months inclusive shall receive an additional allowance equal to 2 month’s current monthly rank allowances when discharged; if discharged prior to the time mentioned above, an additional allowance of 1 month’s current monthly rank allowances shall be paid for the period from the 25th month to the 30th month.

- Non-commissioned officers/soldiers who fulfill their duty of military service as specified in the Law of Military Service 2015 shall receive allowances for job creation equal to 6 month’s basic salary when being discharged as regulated by the Government on the discharge day.

- Discharged non-commissioned officers/soldiers will have a farewell meeting before discharge held by their supervisory authority with the cost of VND 50,000/person; and taken back to their residence place as regulated or provided with an allowance for travel.

* Training, vocational training and employment opportunities after discharge

Training, vocational training and employment opportunities after discharge in Article 8 of Decree 27/2016/ND-CP are as follows:

- Non-commissioned officers/soldiers who are studying in or receive an acceptance letter from vocational training institutions or tertiary education institutions before enlistment shall have their academic records retained and may be admitted by these institutions after discharge.

When discharged, if the non-commissioned officer/enlisted soldier who has fulfilled his/her duty of military service desires to enroll in vocational training courses and is eligible for vocational training, he/she shall be provided with vocational training as specified in Decree No.61/2015/ND-CP.

- When discharged, non-commissioned officers/ soldiers who work for regulatory agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations before enlistment shall be re-employed and assigned by the aforesaid entities and get paid not less than pre-enlistment payment;

In case such agencies or organizations are dissolved, their supervisory authorities shall give employment suitable for the discharged officers/soldiers. 

In case such supervisory authorities are dissolved or no supervisory authority is available, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall take charge and cooperate with relevant regulatory agencies at the same level to provide employment to discharged non-commissioned officers/soldiers.

- When discharged, non-commissioned officers/soldiers who work in economic organizations before enlistment shall be re-employed, assigned and receive the salary/remuneration equal to the one paid before enlistment;

In case the economic organization is closed, dissolved or declare bankruptcy, benefits for discharged non-commissioned officers/ soldiers shall be provided like the ones given to workers of these economic organizations under current law provisions on social insurance;

The social security administration of the place in which such economic organization is located shall pay benefits from social insurance under current regulations.

- Non-commissioned officers/ soldiers admitted to regulatory agencies, economic organizations which are economic sectors shall get paid based upon the work assigned and have their time of service included in their working time, and receive benefits like officials, public employees and other worker of these economic organization under current regulations.

- Discharged non-commissioned officers/ soldiers specified in Clause 1 Article 43 and Clause 1 Article 48 of the Law of Military Service 2015 shall be given priority in job provision and plus points in school recruitment or recruitment of officials and public employees; and shall receive 100% of salary and allowances suitable for their knowledge and skills during probation.

Quoc Dat

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