Young people embark on their national service duties on Thursday in Hà Nội.— VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI — Young people from 52 provinces and cities across Việt Nam embarked on their national service duties on Thursday, the first day of the 2025 military enlistment period.

In accordance with the Law on National Defence, enacted on June 19, 2015, and Prime Ministerial Decision No 102/QĐ-TTg issued on September 20, 2024 regarding the conscription of citizens for military service in 2025, as well as Ministry of Defence's Directive No 4705/HD-BQP issued on October 31, 2024 on the recruitment process for 2025, enlistment will take place between February 13 and 15 (Thursday to Saturday).

This year, the recruitment process takes place in a single phase, with ceremonies spanning three days.

On Thursday, 52 provinces and cities held their enlistment ceremonies, including Hà Nội Capital Command, six provinces from Military Region 1, four from Military Region 2, nine from Military Region 3, 11 from Military Region 5, nine from Military Region 7 and 12 from Military Region 9.

On Friday, six provinces in Military Region 4 will hold enlistment ceremonies, while five provinces from Military Region 2 will follow suit on Saturday.

To ensure the completion of recruitment quotas while maintaining quality and adhering to the Law on National Defence, the Ministry of National Defence has guided local authorities to carry out strict registration and management of citizens eligible for military enlistment.

It also emphasised improving the fairness and transparency of the selection process, ensuring that only qualified candidates are chosen and avoiding any oversights in selection.

Local authorities and military units receiving conscripts are coordinating regularly, ensuring all stages of the recruitment process are executed meticulously to meet targets, ensure quality and guarantee safety.

The units have prepared comprehensive plans for the reception, transport and accommodation of new recruits, ensuring they are well cared for from day one of their service.

Excitement across localities

Relatives see off young men on their way to carry out their public security duties.— VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

In Hà Nội, the 2025 conscription ceremony was held simultaneously across 30 districts and towns.

Thousands of young people from the capital embarked on their military and public security duties.

Despite the morning rain, the air was filled with excitement as the conscription event unfolded across various locations.

At the Quần Ngựa Sports Palace in Ba Đình District, Hà Nội’s Party Committee secretary Bùi Thị Minh Hoài, Deputy Minister of National Defence General Phạm Hoài Nam and head of Hà Nội Capital Command Lieutenant General Nguyễn Quốc Duyệt were present to motivate and send off conscripts from the district.

Hoài, along with other city and district leaders, presented flowers, offered words of encouragement and bid farewell to the new recruits as they boarded buses for their training units. She wished them good health, perseverance and dedication in their service.

Tạ Nam Chiến, chairman of the district's People’s Committee, emphasised the importance of national defence and encouraged the new soldiers to uphold the legacy of Việt Nam’s heroic past, taking inspiration from previous generations who fought to safeguard the homeland.

“I hope the new recruits will carry forward the proud traditions of their district and fulfil every duty assigned to them with excellence,” he said.

At the Đống Đa District enlistment point, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hà Nội Trần Sỹ Thanh and Deputy Minister of Public Security Lê Quốc Hùng sent off the new recruits.

Large crowds gathered to bid farewell to their loved ones before they departed for their military or public security duties.

Lê Trường Giang, a young man from the district representing the recruits, expressed his pride in being selected to serve.

Giang promised to honour the legacy of his forebears and dedicate himself fully to the national defence of the country, while continuously improving his skills in the military.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Thuận, 89, a resident of Láng Hạ Ward, sees her grandson off to perform his duty on Thursday in Hà Nội.—VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

As she bid farewell to her grandson on his journey to enlist, Láng Hạ Ward resident Nguyễn Thị Minh Thuận, 89, said she believed that he would become a soldier trained and disciplined in order, self-awareness and strictness, fulfilling the sacred duty of protecting the homeland in line with the traditions of both her family and the local community.

Hà Nội People's Committee chairman Thanh urged the recruits to uphold and build upon the traditions of the capital, a thousand-year-old centre of culture and heroism, and the motto "Determined to die for the birth of the country” held by the capital’s armed forces, as well as the heroic legacy of Đống Đa District.

He encouraged them to quickly adapt to their new environment, dedicate themselves to studying and training to acquire excellent technical and tactical skills, master modern weapons and equipment and be fully prepared to carry out every task assigned to them.

On the same day, 11 provinces from Military Region 5 held their recruitment events.

New recruits greet their relatives before leaving for military service in Military Region 5 on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Dũng

In Đà Nẵng, the ceremony was held in 29/3 Square.

Major General Lê Ngọc Hải, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Military Region 5, said at the ceremony that the local military selection process was conducted transparently and democratically, ensuring the proper recruitment of healthy and qualified young men.

This year, recruitment exceeded the assigned quotas, with a noticeable increase in the number of recruits with high fitness and education levels.

HCM City’s Party Committee secretary Nguyễn Văn Nên offers words of encouragement to a recruit on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

Also on Thursday, the recruitment ceremony at the administrative centre of Military Region 7 was attended by HCM City’s Party Committee secretary Nguyễn Văn Nên, Deputy Minister of National Defence Võ Minh Lương and Commander of Military Region 7 Lieutenant General Nguyễn Trường Thắng, who all offered words of encouragement to the recruits from the city.

One of the three female youngsters from the city, graduate Đỗ Phương Trang, expressed her joy at joining the ranks of the armed forces, inspired by her experiences working with military personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic and her participation in a national search and rescue programme.

She believed that training in a military environment would help her become more mature, she added.

Meanwhile, law graduate Huỳnh Thiên Anh said that his determination was to serve in the public security forces, following his family’s tradition of service and fulfilling a lifelong dream.

On the same day, localities in four provinces of Military Region 2 -- Phú Thọ, Vĩnh Phúc, Yên Bái and Tuyên Quang -- solemnly held a ceremony.

Lieutenant General Trịnh Văn Quyết, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Standing Member of the Central Military Commission and Director of the General Department of Politics of the Việt Nam People's Army attended the military enlistment ceremony in Việt Trì City, Phú Thọ Province.

According to the city's Military Command, nearly 50 per cent of the citizens enlisted to perform military service and public security duties this year were volunteers.

In particular, the number of citizens enlisting to perform military service aged 18 to 21 reached over 86 per cent. All of them have high school, college and university degrees. — VNS