Selection and calling of citizens to join the army must be strict, democratic, public and in accordance with regulations.

Nghe An Newspaper reporter had an interview with Colonel Dinh Bat Van - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff, Provincial Military Command about this content.

PV:Could you please tell us about the results of the work of selecting and calling citizens to join the army in Nghe An province in recent years?

Colonel Dinh Bat Van:In recent years, the work of selecting and calling citizens to join the army in Nghe An province has been carried out in the conditions of stable political security, order and social safety in the area; socio-economic development, people's lives have been gradually improved; the province has a large source of human resources ready to join the army.

However, during the implementation process, we still encounter some impacts and influences that affect this work, such as: The area is large, traffic in mountainous and border areas is still difficult and complicated; cultural levels are uneven between regions; awareness of a part of the people about the Law on Military Service is still limited; the situation of citizens working far away without registering their permanent residence in the locality is increasing; some citizens after graduating from university or college do not return to their locality but work in other areas or go abroad to work.

However, thanks to the close leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels; the initiative of the Provincial Military Command; the synchronous coordination of departments, branches, organizations and the effective operation of the Military Service Councils at all levels... the military recruitment work of Nghe An province in recent years has always completed 100% of the assigned targets.

For example, in 2023, Nghe An province was assigned by the Government and the Ministry of National Defense to select and call 3,102 citizens to join the Army. Nghe An has implemented a "rounded" military recruitment work, with the motto: whoever is recruited is sure to be qualified. The military recruitment work has been truly innovative, effective, ensuring publicity, fairness, democracy, and compliance with the law.

The selection and recruitment of citizens for military service in Nghe An province has always been highly appreciated by the Command of Military Region 4 and the Ministry of National Defense. During the performance of their duties, all soldiers have promoted the heroic tradition of their homeland; always actively studied, cultivated and trained; built a steadfast and strong political will, had moral qualities, a pure and healthy lifestyle; enthusiastically and strived to complete all assigned tasks, contributing to building a strong and comprehensive unit... worthy of the qualities and noble traditions of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new era.

PV:Recently, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Plan No. 763/KH-UBND dated October 11, 2023 on implementing the selection and calling of citizens to join the Army and perform the duty of joining the People's Public Security in 2024. Could you please tell us more about the plan and solutions to complete the task?

Colonel Dinh Bat Van:In 2024, Nghe An province was assigned by the Government and the Ministry of National Defense to select and call 3,250 citizens to join the Army. To carry out the targets and tasks, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued a Plan to deploy the selection and calling of citizens to join the Army and perform the obligation to join the People's Public Security in 2024. The issuance of the plan aims to unify the content, time, and process of selecting and calling citizens to join the Army and perform the obligation to join the People's Public Security in 2024 to ensure strictness, democracy, publicity, compliance with regulations, good quality, and 100% completion of the assigned targets.

The plan clearly stated the contents and implementation time, specifically: The content of the preliminary military health screening is completed in November 2023. Military health examination is completed before December 27, 2023 (organizing make-up examinations and additional examinations until December 31, 2023). The provincial conference on military handover and reception in 2024 is completed before December 22, 2023. Studying records and finalizing the number of troops is completed before January 20, 2024. Issuing the call for citizens to join the army is completed before February 5, 2024. Organizing the military handover and reception ceremony is expected from February 25, 2024 to February 28, 2024.

To implement the plan, Nghe An has been perfecting the Military Service Council and Health Examination Councils at all levels; ensuring adequate and synchronous equipment for medical examination; organizing training and providing unified guidance on procedures for officers directly involved in military recruitment; implementing well the procedures for calling citizens to join the army, from preliminary selection, medical examination, approval of temporary deferment, exemption and calling citizens to join the army strictly in accordance with the provisions of law.

Direct localities to attach military recruitment responsibilities to members of the Military Service Council, first of all at the commune and district levels; focus on leadership and direction for difficult and complicated areas; assign military recruitment targets associated with mobilization areas and create a source of grassroots cadres for remote, border, and especially difficult areas; organize military handover and reception ceremonies in accordance with regulations, solemnly, safely, and economically.

The military units receiving the troops coordinate and cooperate closely with the military assignment localities in each stage of receiving and studying the records, finalizing the number of soldiers; checking, evaluating, and specifically reviewing to ensure that no unqualified citizens are left behind in the unit, and at the same time, not allowing citizens to take advantage of the situation to evade their military service.

PV: To continue improving the quality of military recruitment work, meeting the requirements and tasks of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation, what solutions should Nghe An focus on in the coming time?

Colonel Dinh Bat Van:To continue improving the quality of military recruitment, we will continue to strengthen propaganda and education to raise awareness of national defense, military, and local tasks; the rights and obligations of citizens in protecting the Fatherland and implementing the Law on Military Service.

First of all, the Military Command of communes, wards and towns needs to focus on doing a good job of propaganda and education so that people can grasp the viewpoints, guidelines and policies of the Party and State on building the all-people national defense and people's war to protect the Fatherland in the new situation. On the other hand, to improve the effectiveness of propaganda and education on the Law on Military Service, the Military Command of communes, wards and towns needs to combine regular propaganda and education with focused and key propaganda and education, especially before and during each recruitment period, on the occasion of holidays, festivals and important political events of the country and locality.

Next is close coordination between the military, the police and departments, branches and organizations in localities where young people are ready for military recruitment. Focus on doing a good job of infiltrating and selecting citizens to join the army, not allowing young people who do not meet political standards to join the People's Army and the People's Police.

Strengthening the leadership of Party committees, management and administration of authorities at all levels in military recruitment. Accordingly, every year before the military recruitment, Party committees at all levels must have a specialized resolution on military recruitment with specific goals and targets, close to the practical situation of the locality. Authorities at all levels from communes, towns to villages and hamlets focus on thoroughly grasping the resolutions of Party committees, deploying comprehensive, synchronous and drastic implementation; linking the responsibility of Party organizations, cadres and Party members with the quality and assigned targets; resolutely overcoming the situation of localities and bases having no military recruitment targets.

It is necessary to do better in the registration, management and selection of citizens ready to join the army. Ensure publicity, democracy and fairness at the block, hamlet, commune and town levels. Promote the role and responsibility of the medical team and doctors of the Examination Council in the process of examining and concluding on health, as a basis for issuing orders to call citizens to join the army later.

Finally, military agencies at all levels need to focus on doing a good job of advising Party committees and authorities on issuing directives and plans for military recruitment. The implementation process needs to proactively develop plans suitable to actual conditions; organize training, clearly assign responsibilities to officers in charge of each area to firmly grasp the quality of resources right from villages, hamlets, agencies, schools, companies, and enterprises. Promote the role of members of the Military Service Council, the participation of the entire political system to ensure the successful completion of military recruitment tasks.

PV: In order for the selection and calling of citizens to join the army to be carried out well, it is clear that the military's rear work needs to be taken care of. Could you please tell us about the activities to support enlisted and discharged soldiers in Nghe An province in the past time and the upcoming direction?

Colonel Dinh Bat Van:In recent times, the work of military rear policy has received attention from Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations; sectors and levels; and has been implemented in many practical forms.

In the military recruitment work, with the motto "Meet at home, see off at the commune, hand over the soldiers at the district", localities have closely coordinated with the military receiving units to organize solemn, serious and meaningful military handover and acceptance ceremonies. This has both an educational effect and raises awareness and responsibility for young people leaving for military service, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the military enlistment day.

In each military enlistment, departments, branches and localities have proactively coordinated with units to organize visits and give gifts to new soldiers. In particular, many localities have done a good job in military rear policy work, by implementing many models to help families of citizens joining the army who are poor, near-poor households with difficult circumstances; thereby, encouraging children to work with peace of mind and complete their tasks well.

In the work of welcoming soldiers who have completed their military service and returned to their localities, every year, the province has directed the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone and enterprises to organize conferences on counseling, career guidance and job introduction for demobilized soldiers; directed districts, cities and towns to organize career counseling sessions, job introduction... Through these festivals, many demobilized soldiers have found jobs, learned vocational skills at training facilities, learned languages ​​and went to work abroad.

With the opportunity to develop themselves, demobilized soldiers quickly stabilize their lives, actively participate in labor and production, enrich their families and society, and take the lead in socio-economic development movements and homeland construction.

In the coming time, the Provincial Military Command and related departments and branches will continue to advise the Provincial People's Committee on policies to support discharged soldiers to be accepted to work at local enterprises to ensure a good life, as well as to ensure the source of reserve officers and reserve training resources.

PV:Thank you, comrade!