Military recruitment acts as the first step of military academies and colleges’ training process, playing an important role in deciding the quality of building military staff and the military  in both short and long term.

Over the past years, military student recruitment has been always led and directed comprehensively and closely by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence; consistently guided by functional organs and implemented by units, colleges in the military  as well as relevant ministries, sectors and localities. Consequently, this first important step has always implemented seriously, closely, publicly, democratically, in accordance with regulations and principles set by the State, the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Education and Training. Notably, in recent years, following the guideline on innovating education and training, and facing the high requirements set by the task of building the military, various innovations in military student recruitment have been introduced in line with military specific characteristics and the system of national education; the quality of recruitment has unceasingly improved.

Officers from the the Military Student Recruitment Commission of the National Defence Ministry counselling high school students (photo: qdnd.vn)

The results gained from military student recruitment are really encouraging, which has made contributions to the work of training and building high-calibre military personnel and met the requirements set by the task of building the military and protecting the Homeland in the new situation. However, there remain limitations in this work. Information and guidance on military career have not been provided sufficiently in remote and isolated areas. The work of preselecting students has not been carried out thoroughly, which has led to repeated adjustments and supplementation. There have remained students who have passed the entrance exam but still been excluded due to bad health.

At present, the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland  in the period Vietnam is accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration has imposed high requirements on the task of building the military in general and its military staff in particular. To make contributions to building revolutionary, regular, elite, gradually modern military, student recruitment should continue innovation and further enhance its quality with the following measures.

First, it is necessary to strengthen the leadership and direction of party committees and commanders at levels, and the collaboration of organs, localities and units during the implementation of this work. Party committees and commanders must be fully aware that this is a political task of the unit and a central part of the annual military and defence work of the locality. Thus, they should be proactive in working out plans and assigning tasks; strengthening military student recruitment commission at levels and promoting their role. The Department of Schools - the Standing Organ of the Military Student Recruitment Commission of the National Defence Ministry should give advice to the Ministry of National Defence to amend, build and complete the system of normative legal documents on military student recruitment in accordance with the military specific characteristics and changes in regulations of the State and the Ministry of Education and Training on college recruitment; while strengthening inspection and supervision and proposing measures to enhance the quality of military student recruitment. Military regions and units under the Ministry of National Defence should focus on leading and directing its military student recruitment commissions, particularly those at district and regiment levels, schools and colleges to seriously follow regulations, ordinances and guidance made by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of National Defence on student enrollment.  Military student recruitment is related to various levels and subjects nationwide; thus, during the implementation of this work, it is necessary to ensure close collaboration and consistency, and involve local political system, committees, sectors and organizations in this task.

Second, strengthening propagation and military career guidance to draw young talents to military academies and colleges. As mentioned above, this has remained a weak point in recent years. To make it better, the Military Student Recruitment Commission of the National Defence Ministry and relevant organs and units should closely work with local party committees, authorities, organs, sectors and organizations to propagate military career with various forms and measures appropriate to characteristics of the area. District-level military student recruitment should continue to strictly adhere to regulations and guidance of the Ministry of National Defence on informing and counselling high school students. Military academies and colleges should continue to build up plans on propagation, making documentary on their majors and policies and collaborating with military student recruitment commission of units and localities to disseminate. 

Third, successfully carrying out the work of preselecting students. This is also an important measure deciding the results and the quality of student recruitment. Due to specific characteristics of the military field, students must experience preselection procedure. Military student recruitment commissions at district level, regiment-level units, academies and colleges should raise responsibilities towards the work of preselecting students and verifying student profile. This work must be conducted seriously and closely. Reality in military student recruitment has shown that students who passed the entrance exam and then were expelled mainly do not meet the health standards. To overcome this problem, district-level military organs should proactively work with localities to closely organize medical examination according to the circular made by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Defence. Military academies and colleges only accept profiles of students who have passed preselection and met the preset standards.

Military academies and colleges all use the results of the national high school graduation examination for enrollment. To improve the quality of student recruitment and meet the demands for military staff planning and use, the Military Student Recruitment Commission of the Ministry of National Defence should closely inspect and supervise the process of recruitment and the entrance marks of military academies and colleges. Details about recruitment standards and entrance marks must be publicized and supervised by examinees and social community. Military academies and colleges should step up the adoption of technology, effectively using military student recruitment software to improve accuracy and timeliness of enrollment.

Fourth, strengthening inspection of military student recruitment. From the high requirements and the complication of military student recruitment, more than ever, it is necessary to step up inspection and supervision the process of student enrollment to ensure all the steps be taken seriously, closely and consistently. In the time ahead, military academies and colleges should further promote their role in self-inspection, self-supervision and accountability to the Ministry of National Defence for the quality of their student recruitment. Besides, it is necessary to encourage democracy and openness in military student recruitment and promote the role of society in supervising this work, meeting the increasingly high requirements set by the task of building the military and safeguarding the Homeland.

Lieutenant General Pham Hong Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, VPA