Dong Phu's youth apply for voluntary military service

(ĐN) - Of the 228 residents of Dong Phu commune called up for military health checks, 60 have submitted applications to the Military Service Council expressing their desire to be selected for enlistment and serve to protect the Fatherland in the spring of 2026.

According to Pham Van Huan, Commander of the Military Command and Standing Vice Chairman of the Military Service Council of Dong Phu commune, Dong Phu has been assigned a quota of 39 conscripts for 2026. By the official medical examination date on December 11, the communal Military Service Council had already received 60 applications for voluntary military service. While final selections have yet to be announced, Huan said the number of volunteers would ensure the commune meets its recruitment target in 2026.

Youth contribute to national defence

Among those who have applied is Vu Trong Hieu, an 18-year-old party member from Minh Hoa hamlet. In his application, Hieu said he wanted to follow his family’s tradition of service and contribute his youth to national defence.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Manh Chinh (far right), Head of the inspection team from the Provincial Military Command, oversees benefit payments for youths undergoing medical examinations in Dong Phu Commune.

“My paternal grandparents were veterans who had fought to defend Vietnam’s southwestern border. When I intended to submit my enlistment application, my grandparents and parents all encouraged me and hoped I would be accepted, both to carry on our family tradition and to contribute, in my own way, to building the army and defending the country,” Hieu said.

In his application, Hieu wrote that he was volunteering in the belief that young people should step forward wherever they are needed. He described enlistment as both a personal choice, shared by his family, and a responsibility that young people owe to their country.

Meanwhile, Le Minh Quan, a Communist party member from Minh Tan hamlet, wrote in his voluntary application to the commune’s Military Service Council that, if selected, he would take on his civic duty, adhere to military discipline and work to become a capable soldier in the People’s Army of Vietnam.

Quan said his decision was shaped by stories from war veterans and what he learned at school. “The image of Vietnamese soldiers carrying their packs, working through floods to help civilians, and accepting hardship and sacrifice to defend the country has always meant a great deal to me,” he said. “That was what led me to apply for military service.”

Vo Gia Bao, from Tan Lien hamlet, said his decision was influenced by his father, who is currently serving in the military. Bao said he wanted to enlist “to stand alongside my father” in the defence of the country. Although he is in his second year at university, he decided to put his studies on hold in order to enlist. “You can return to your studies later, but there is a limited age window for military service,” Bao said. “My parents and the rest of my family support my decision.”

His father, Lieutenant Colonel Vo Xuan Dong, who serves at Depot K882 under the General Department of Logistics and Technical Services, said the family respected Bao’s choice. “Deciding to put his studies on hold shows that he has matured,” he said. “We fully support him in pursuing what he wants to do.”

Ensuring smooth facilitation and careful selection

Speaking at a provincial meeting in late September 2025 to approve recruitment criteria and call-up results, Ho Hung Phi — Deputy Secretary of the Dong Phu commune Party Committee, Chair of the Dong Phu People’s Committee and Head of the commune’s Military Service Council — said military recruitment was as a key statutory task that must be addressed at the start of 2026.

After completing the review of eligibility criteria, preliminary health checks and official examinations, the commune carried out the process rigorously to select the most qualified candidates, ensuring they met ethical, political and educational standards for military service.

Ho Hung Phi said priority would be given to volunteers in good health, members of families with a tradition of service, party members and those who had a strong record of following laws and regulations. The commune’s Military Service Council is working closely with Area Defence Command No. 3 in Dong Xoai to oversee the medical examinations and ensure high-quality candidates are selected. At the same time, the local military command has been tasked with coordinating outreach across all 20 hamlets to promote enlistment and identify suitable candidates for national defence.

In 2026, Dong Nai province is expected to call up around 5,420 citizens for military service, including roughly 4,500 for the armed forces and the remainder for police units. All stages of the process, from identifying eligible candidates to preliminary screening and official examinations, are being closely coordinated to ensure the recruitment work is fully prepared for 2026

Lieutenant Colonel HOANG MANH CHINH, Deputy Chief of staff of the Dong Nai provincial Military Command

Speaking to us during a recent inspection of recruitment work by the provincial Military Command in Dong Phu commune, Dao Thi Hao, head of Thang Loi hamlet, said that of the 17 young people from the hamlet called for health checks, six had submitted applications for voluntary military service. Five of the six had completed secondary education and were hoping to be selected for the spring 2026 intake.

At the Dong Phu Military Service Examination Council, members carried out their duties responsibly. Doctor Vo Xuan Duc, Director of the Dong Phu Regional Health Centre, said: “We are pleased that citizens came on time and that so many volunteered. Their commitment shows maturity in both thought and action: it shows that they understand their responsibility to protect the country. With young people applying for voluntary military service, families supporting them, and local authorities involved, the 2026 recruitment is on track to succeed.”

Inspections across the Military Service Examination Councils showed a large number of voluntary applicants. This gives local authorities a strong pool of well-qualified candidates, ensuring readiness for the 2026 call-up.

By Nguyet Ha – Translated by Thien Kim, Thu Ha