Join the army to change yourself.

My dream is to wear the military uniform.

"Mom, I've been selected for military service!" Tran Trong Dat (23 years old, Van Co Ward, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province) excitedly announced to his family upon receiving the news from the ward. He was even more proud to be one of 10 out of 15 young men who volunteered to join the military service and were selected this year.

In 2019, as a freshman at Hung Vuong University, Dat harbored the intention of volunteering for military service to continue the family tradition of his father, a veteran, and his older brother and sister-in-law, both serving in the military. However, due to health and physical fitness issues, he failed the selection process and had to reluctantly give up.

Many young people volunteer to apply for military service.

Upon returning home, Dat focused more on physical fitness and sports training. At the end of 2023, after graduating from university, his family encouraged him to continue pursuing his dream of joining the military.

"I continued to write applications to volunteer for military service. After going through the selection process, I was officially accepted," the male student proudly stated. In his application to volunteer for military service, Dat clearly wrote , "With the consent of my family and with the responsibility of a young man towards the cause of protecting the Fatherland, I am clearly aware of my duty to the cause of protecting the Fatherland. I realize that the military environment is a good environment to train me to become more mature and useful to society."

Compared to the age of his fellow recruits, Dat is older, but he is confident that he has enough knowledge, maturity, and passion to serve in the military. "The military environment excites me a lot. I've really wanted to wear a military uniform for a long time," Dat said.

Trong Dat also openly revealed his intention to strive to excel in his two-year mandatory military service, after which he will continue to apply for selection to become a professional soldier.

Join the army to change yourself.

It's not just Tran Trong Dat; the mindset of many young people today has changed, viewing military service as a responsibility, a source of pride, and a path to self-improvement.

The recent Lunar New Year was probably the happiest occasion for Nguyen Hoang Van Thi (21 years old, My Dinh 1 Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi), with relatives and friends coming to his house to congratulate him on being selected for military service in 2024. According to the plan, he will leave for military service next Monday, officially beginning his military career.

Thi had a difficult childhood; his parents divorced when he was young. From then on, he lived under the care and care of his paternal grandparents. He graduated from high school with good grades, making him eligible for university, but due to his family's extreme poverty, he had to work odd jobs around his neighborhood, sometimes serving drinks at a beer quán, other times transporting goods, and tending to plants, all for meager wages.

"My grandparents are getting old and their health is declining. I want to change my life, I want to learn a trade, have a stable job, and have capital to start a business, but I don't know where to begin. I decided to join the military service in the hope of finding an opportunity to change my life," the male student confided.

Since September 2023, when the ward announced the preliminary medical examination for military service in 2024, Thi asked permission from her grandparents and aunts and uncles to volunteer and apply to participate.

When Thi's family learned that he had volunteered to enlist in the army, they were very happy and fully supportive. The young man believed that the military environment would instill in him self-discipline, discipline, meticulousness, and a greater sense of responsibility.

"My goal after two years of military service is to continue serving in the army. If not, I will learn motorcycle repair to open a shop at home, which will allow me to take care of my grandparents and earn some extra money," he said.

The rate of young people applying to join the military is increasing.

According to Article 30 of the 2015 Military Service Law, the age for military service is from 18 to 25 years old. However, in the case of male citizens with college or university degrees who are granted a temporary deferment from military service, the age for conscription extends to 27 years old.

Statistics from Military Region 2 show that in 2023 and 2024, the number of young people with university and college degrees enlisting in military units within the Military Region increased by 10.9% compared to 2022 and 2021. Of these, the number of children of military officers enlisting increased by 0.8%; and the number of young people who are Party members increased by 8.6%.

Colonel Le Van Son, Commander of the Dien Bien Provincial Military Command, said that in 2024, the locality has nearly 5,500 young people eligible for military service. The military service councils at all levels will select 900 citizens with sufficient health and good political qualities to enlist in military units.

Military enlistment ceremony at Military Region 2.

To date, 129 communes, wards, and towns in the province have completed the preliminary health screening for military service, and the rate of young people volunteering for military service has also increased compared to 2023 and 2022.

In previous years, military recruitment in many localities faced difficulties due to illness and the reluctance and avoidance of some young people. Children from well-off families often did not want to perform military service, instead sending them to work or go abroad. Common avoidance tactics included lowering blood pressure, getting tattoos, using stimulants, or finding excuses to miss trains or buses.

"This situation has gradually improved in recent years, with an increasing number of young people participating in military service, and many voluntarily submitting applications. This is a positive sign," Mr. Son added.

According to statistics from the Hanoi Capital Command, in 2023, Hanoi had 4,240 new recruits joining the military. Of these, 3,500 citizens enlisted in the army (including 6 Party members, 1,393 citizens considered for Party membership, 2 new recruits who are civil servants; 408 have university degrees, 329 have college degrees, and 90 have vocational degrees) and 740 citizens performed their duty in the People's Public Security Force.

As one of the areas with a high rate of young people volunteering for military service in Hanoi, the representative of the People's Committee of Hoang Liet ward assessed that the movement of young people writing volunteer applications for military service has become a beautiful tradition of the ward's youth, something to be very proud of in recent years. The exemplary young people who voluntarily wrote applications to participate in military service in 2024 deserve to be commended.

Behind each volunteer enlistment application lies a unique circumstance, a different thought, and a different goal. However, all the young men share the common desire to wear the green military uniform and fulfill their responsibilities and duties as youth in building and protecting the Fatherland, the representative added.

The proposal suggests that all young men should participate in military service.

Mr. Vu Trong Kim, former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union, believes that protecting the Fatherland is the responsibility and duty of young people in all eras and contexts. Therefore, he proposed amending the 2015 Military Service Law to ensure that, like in some countries, every young person undergoes at least two years of military training.

"The current Military Service Law includes exemptions and reductions, so not 100% of our young people are able to participate in military service. I hope that every young person can participate in military service because it creates new awareness and spirit for them," Mr. Kim said.

The former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union analyzed that Vietnam has gone through too many wars, so those who have not undergone compulsory military training will "feel like something is missing." Mr. Kim also cited the example of South Korea, with its policy requiring all young people to perform compulsory military service.

"Just like in South Korea, no matter how good a young man is at playing football abroad, he still has to return to fulfill his military service. Building and protecting the homeland is very important, and every young man must deeply understand this duty," Mr. Kim added.

Source: https://vtc.vn/tinh-than-moi-nhap-ngu-de-thay-doi-ban-than-ar854229.html