'Careful assessment' of young men enlisting in the military who have tattoos.

Today, February 20th, the 2019 military conscription ceremony will be held in 43 provinces and cities, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, etc. The remaining localities will continue the conscription process on February 21st and 22nd.

Colonel Nguyen Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Military Personnel Department, General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, stated that the 2019 military recruitment process is being carried out in accordance with Circular 148 of the Ministry of National Defense. Accordingly, the Ministry requires localities to thoroughly reform administrative procedures in the recruitment process; apply information technology; accurately track citizens' backgrounds; and streamline procedures and paperwork to minimize multiple trips, saving citizens time and money.

To ensure democratic and transparent principles in military recruitment, the People's Committee at the commune level must direct the villages to conduct nominations and propose citizens who are eligible for military service (village-level authorities have the right to discuss conscription and deferment because they understand the circumstances of each family).

The list of citizens eligible for temporary deferment or exemption from military service; the list of those enlisted; and the results of health classification must be publicly posted at the headquarters of the commune-level People's Committee and relevant organizations for a period of 20 days.

According to Circular 148, localities must meticulously assess cases of tattoos and body markings to ensure that no soldiers violating conscription regulations are overlooked or exploited to evade military service...

"Specifically, can the tattoo or inscription be removed? Does it contain content that opposes the regime, sows discord among the people, is horrific, bizarre, provocative, or sexual?", Colonel Tan asked.

He stated clearly that tattoos and inscriptions that are offensive, conspicuous, inaccurately reflect religion or beliefs, contradict Vietnamese customs, culture, and people, express a lack of faith, negativity, superstition, or bear symbols of foreign armed forces will definitely not be considered for military service.

"Conversely, the Military Service Councils at all levels must not allow citizens to exploit tattoos to evade military service; they must do a good job of propaganda and education to prevent citizens from getting tattoos, or to remove them themselves before the medical examination and enlistment. Local authorities must resolutely and strictly handle cases of deliberate violations according to the law," he emphasized.

According to Colonel Tan, after enlisting in the Army and completing 24 months of military service, non-commissioned officers and soldiers may be considered for long-term service in the Army if they meet the following conditions: military training diplomas or certificates, medical qualifications obtained during military service, or college/university degrees before enlistment; professional qualifications suitable to the unit's mission requirements; job title needs, organizational structure, and political, moral, and health standards as prescribed by the Ministry of National Defense...

"Many argue that military service should be compulsory for all citizens, with the duration potentially reduced to about six months to a year. However, this would not provide enough time for training in military skills and tactics in general, not to mention complex specialized content necessary for soldiers to master weapons and equipment," Mr. Tan said.

There are currently no nationwide figures on the number of young men enlisting in the military, but there are some in Hanoi this time.approximately 3,500 new recruits, including1,300 young people have submitted applications to volunteer.

TThe percentage of new recruits in Hanoi who have graduated from university, college, or vocational high school is 32.4%;This figure is lower than in 2018 (40.8%) and 2017 (52.2%).

To meet the required number of recruits for 2019, Hanoi's districts and counties reviewed over 244,000 male citizens of military age, selecting approximately 49,000 for preliminary selection. From these, over 10,400 young men were chosen for military service health examinations, and more than 7,000 were deemed eligible for enlistment.

The criteria for tattoos and eyesight when selecting citizens for military service were previously regulated by Circular 50 of the Ministry of National Defense and Public Security.

Accordingly, citizens will not be selected for military service if their bodies "have tattoos or inscriptions containing content that opposes the regime, divides the nation, is bizarre, grotesque, sexually provocative, or violent. Tattoos or inscriptions that are offensive in visible locations, such as: the face, head, neck; from the upper half of the arm downwards, from the lower third of the thigh downwards. Tattoos or inscriptions covering at least half of the back, chest, or abdomen."

The Ministry of Defense asserts that these tattoos meet political and moral standards. If local military recruitment councils allow citizens with such tattoos to enlist in the army, it would be "contrary to regulations, offensive, and detrimental to the image, etiquette, and conduct of revolutionary soldiers."

Hoang Thuy