The Ministry of National Defense recently issued Circular 68/2025, amending and supplementing several articles of Circular 148/2018 regarding citizen recruitment and enlistment. This document adjusts various authorities to align with the two-level local government model and local military organization under the current circumstances.

Accordingly, commune-level People's Committees are responsible for coordinating with Regional Defense Headquarters and receiving units to jointly manage troop handover, finalize troop numbers, and decide on citizen enlistment. This authority previously belonged to district-level People's Committees.

In addition, commune-level People's Committees will direct hamlets to organize elections and nominate male citizens of eligible age for preliminary military service screening, conduct the screening, compile lists for military service medical examinations, and hand them over to the medical examination board and the Regional Defense Headquarters.

The Ministry of National Defense stipulates that the number of people called for medical examination should not exceed four times the enlistment quota, and the reserve ratio should not exceed 5% of the assigned quota.

New recruits perform military service at Battalion 563, Region 5, Navy. Photo: QCHQ

New recruits perform military service at Battalion 563, Region 5, Navy. Photo: QCHQ

Annually, communes will publicly disclose on online portals and post at their headquarters the recruitment quota assigned by the province, recruitment conditions and criteria, cases of postponement and exemption from enlistment, the list of citizens eligible for enlistment, the list of citizens granted postponement or exemption, and the list of citizens qualified for enlistment. Results of preliminary health screenings, health classifications, and the list of candidates who passed the military service selection and are ready for enlistment must also be made public.

At the provincial level, the Ministry of National Defense stipulates that provincial People's Committees establish regional military service medical examination boards and medical examination teams appropriate for each area and assigned quota. Provincial authorities will organize the review and approval of enlistment postponements and exemptions in a strict, democratic, fair, and transparent manner, with decisions signed and issued by the provincial People's Committee Chairman.

2025 marks the first year the Ministry of National Defense applies new health criteria, assessing physical condition based on the BMI to select young people for military service. Health classification for military service will be based on two main criteria: physical fitness and medical conditions. Citizens participating in military service must achieve health category 1, 2, or 3.

The Ministry of National Defense employs a point-based scale for health classification. Each criterion, after examination, is assigned a score from 1 to 6, with 1 being "excellent" and decreasing to 6 being "very poor." Individuals achieving health category 1 have all criteria scored as 1; category 2 have at least one criterion scored as 2; category 3 have at least one criterion scored as 3; category 4 have one criterion scored as 4; category 5 have one criterion scored as 5; and category 6 have one criterion scored as 6.

Regarding physical condition, the Ministry of National Defense applies the BMI (Body Mass Index), which assesses the correlation between height and weight for selection. The formula to calculate BMI is weight in kg divided by height in meters squared.

BMI scores are categorized as follows: Category 1 is 18.5-24.9; Category 2 is 25-26.9; Category 3 is 27-29.9. For example, a young man 1.7 m tall and weighing 65 kg has a BMI of 22.5, meeting the health requirements for Category 1. With the same height of 1.7 m, but weighing 90 kg, the young man would have a BMI of 31.1 and would not meet the requirements for Category 3.

The Ministry of National Defense does not enlist citizens with myopia greater than 1.5 diopters, all levels of hyperopia, or a BMI less than 18 or greater than 29.9. Additionally, male citizens under 1.57 m tall and weighing under 43 kg, and female citizens under 1.5 m tall and weighing under 42 kg do not meet the standards for military service.

Son Ha