Proposal to increase military service age for lieutenant colonels, majors and lieutenant colonels

The Ministry of National Defense recently received a petition from voters in Ninh Binh province reflecting that officers of the rank of lieutenant, major, and lieutenant colonel, upon retirement, will not receive 75% of the average monthly salary for social insurance contributions, but will only receive less than 70% due to not having paid social insurance for 35 years (lieutenant colonels, majors, and lieutenant colonels make up the majority of the current military force).

Voters propose to amend the Social Insurance Law in the direction of reducing the number of years of social insurance contributions upon retirement for officers of the rank of lieutenant, major, and lieutenant colonel (while waiting for changes to the current Law on Officers); or amend the Law on Officers of the Vietnam People's Army in the direction of increasing the age of service to be consistent with the provisions of the Social Insurance Law on the number of years of social insurance contributions to receive pension.

The Ministry of National Defense said that in recent years, along with the development of the country's economy, our Party and State have paid attention to and issued many regimes and policies on treatment of soldiers, including regulations on the age of active service and retirement regime for officers.

Regulations on service age and retirement regime for officers have been carefully studied, consistent with practical military operations; and balanced with the current system of regimes and policies.

The Ministry of National Defense will record the content of voters' petitions to recommend, propose and report to competent authorities to promptly study, amend and supplement legal provisions accordingly.

Proposal for health insurance for discharged non-commissioned officers and soldiers

Voters in Hanoi City proposed to study a health insurance policy for soldiers who have served in the army, including non-commissioned officers and soldiers who have returned to their hometowns but have not yet enjoyed the State's policies. Voters said that currently, there are cases where people are facing many difficulties, are often sick, and do not have enough conditions to buy voluntary health insurance.

Responding to Hanoi voters, the Ministry of National Defense said that according to the provisions of the 2014 Law on Health Insurance, non-commissioned officers and soldiers on active duty are subjects participating in health insurance, paid for by the State budget.

Demobilized non-commissioned officers and soldiers returning to their localities participate in health insurance according to other groups of subjects also stipulated in the Law on Health Insurance 2014.

Regarding the proposal to ensure health insurance policies for retired non-commissioned officers and soldiers, the Ministry of National Defense accepted the content of the voters' proposal and sent it to the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies for research and proposal in accordance with the country's economic conditions and the State budget's ability to guarantee.

Voters in Phu Tho province proposed that the Ministry of National Defense adjust and supplement regulations for soldiers who joined the army after December 15, 1993, and were discharged from the army, so that their time could be added to calculate their social insurance benefits. Voters said that not being allowed to add time would cause disadvantages for these subjects after they return to work and pay social insurance or voluntarily pay social insurance.

Regarding this issue, the Ministry of National Defense said that in recent years, the Party and State have paid attention to and issued many preferential policies and regimes for soldiers, including regulations on calculating the time of participating in social insurance contributions after discharge from the army.

Accordingly, in the case of non-commissioned officers and soldiers discharged from the military between December 15, 1993 and December 31, 1994, if they have not received a one-time allowance upon demobilization, that period will be counted as the period of social insurance contribution. In the case of discharge from the military between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2006, it will not be counted as the period of social insurance contribution. In the period from January 1, 2007 to present, the period of non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving in the military will be counted as the period of social insurance contribution.

The Ministry of National Defense said it will accept the petition and send it to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for study.

According to Vietnamnet