Problems existing in employment resettlement of veterans and optimization of countermeasures

【Abstract】The employment placement of retired military personnel is crucial for social stability and national defense construction. Properly placing retired military personnel can enhance the enthusiasm of social members to join the military. With the continuous deepening of the market economy, the current system for the placement of retired military personnel can no longer meet the current employment situation. Analyzing the current status of employment placement for retired military personnel, identifying existing problems and contradictions, and addressing these issues in a targeted manner are of utmost importance.

【Keywords】Veterans | Employment Placement | Issues | Countermeasures

Facing the ever-changing international situation and increasingly sharp international conflicts, a solid national defense force is a crucial line of defense for maintaining world peace and ensuring the safety of the people's lives. To achieve the goal of strengthening our military and building a modernized force, it is essential to continuously infuse the military with fresh blood and young talents. Each year, tens of thousands of individuals are recruited into the military, and correspondingly, a significant number of soldiers retire. The employment placement of these retired soldiers has always been a key issue closely monitored by our Party and country, as employment is vital to the national economy and people's livelihood. Only by fully addressing the employment needs of retired soldiers and effectively ensuring their living conditions, eliminating their worries, can we encourage more people to actively respond to the call for military service, join the military, and contribute to its development, while also contributing to social stability.

China's veteran employment and resettlement system has undergone multiple evolutions. The current resettlement methods mainly include self-employment, job placement, and retirement with support. Although these policies have largely resolved the employment issues of veterans, with the continuous development of the market economy, the resettlement of veterans has not been very smooth, leading to a series of structural contradictions. These contradictions have caused dissatisfaction among some veterans with their resettlement outcomes, potentially leading to social conflicts that are detrimental to social harmony and national development. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate and analyze the current employment and resettlement situation of veterans, identify the points of contradiction, and address them. Only in this way can the nation achieve long-term stability and encourage more people to join the defense forces, continuously strengthening national defense.

I. The Development History of the Employment Placement System for Retired Military Personnel

China's veteran employment and resettlement system has undergone six stages, with each stage's policies being the result of combining the then-current national conditions and adapting to social development, gradually evolving from the initial simplicity and crudeness to the present detailed and comprehensive state. Understanding the development history and historical background of the employment system is of great significance and role in helping us grasp the current situation and formulate appropriate policies.

The first phase refers to the initial formation stage in the -year period, during which our country promulgated the "Decision on the Demobilization Work of the People's Liberation Army in the Year", and specifically established an institution responsible for the placement of retired servicemen.

The second phase refers to the gradual development stage spanning several years, during which our country issued multiple policies and documents, further stipulating the placement work for retired military personnel and making clear demands. Governments at all levels established "Army Officer Resettlement Committees" to handle the placement of retired military personnel as a regular task.

The third phase refers to a brief stagnation period marked by the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution, which led to the dissolution or weakening of relevant functional departments, a rapid expansion in the number of military personnel, and the widespread destruction of the established system for the resettlement of retired soldiers.

The fourth phase refers to the recovery and adjustment stage of the year, where the emergence of the "streamlining and reorganization" policy led to a significant increase in the number of retired military personnel. Coupled with the reform of local cadre personnel systems, the issue of employment and resettlement for retired military personnel became acute.

The fifth stage refers to the continuous exploration phase over the years, during which adjustments were needed in the highly planned model of veteran resettlement to adapt to changes in the economic system. A series of legal and institutional frameworks along with supporting policies were introduced during this period, providing legal and institutional safeguards for veteran resettlement work.

The sixth stage refers to the reform and innovation phase from the year to the present. During this period, a new approach of self-employment was proposed, the policy of integrated urban and rural resettlement for retired servicemen was implemented, along with a series of other employment security systems, greatly improving the resettlement system for retired servicemen in our country.

II. Current Situation and Issues of Employment and Resettlement for Retired Military Personnel

At present, there are three main ways for the employment and resettlement of retired military personnel in China: transfer, demobilization, and retirement. Transfer includes two forms: planned distribution and self-employment. Planned distribution involves the state arranging jobs, while self-employment gives retired military personnel more choice. Therefore, since the implementation of this policy, the number of retired military personnel choosing self-employment has been increasing year by year, then experienced a period of decline, and subsequently increased again as the self-employment policy and system were adjusted and improved. The first job for demobilized personnel is arranged by the government, but there are usually issues such as limited types of employment, low benefits, and restricted development space, leading some retired military personnel to choose self-employment, in which case the government will provide a one-time resettlement fee. Retirement mainly applies to those with long military service records and certain disability levels, who can receive retirement benefits and enjoy various welfare treatments.

The current employment system for retired military personnel in our country has significantly ensured the legitimate rights and interests of retired servicemen to a certain extent, reflecting the social status of military personnel. However, there are still many issues in the actual implementation process, such as the excessive number of retired servicemen awaiting placement, the heavy government placement tasks, the inability to realize the legitimate rights and interests of some retired servicemen, weak reemployment capabilities of retired servicemen, difficulty in finding suitable positions, and dissatisfaction with employment positions among retired servicemen. These issues hinder the development of the placement cause for retired servicemen in our country, and are detrimental to national harmony, stability, and the reserve of military personnel.

III. Optimization Strategies for Employment and Resettlement of Retired Military Personnel

(1) Expand placement channels to alleviate the pressure on government allocation.

Our country is a major military personnel nation, with a very large number of retired military personnel each year. The excessive number of retired personnel means that the government's task of resettlement and employment is extremely heavy. At this stage, reforms to streamline government units and their staffing are being carried out in various provinces and cities across the country, which will lead to a significant reduction in the number of job positions available for retired military personnel. The emergence of this issue will exacerbate the contradiction of reemployment for retired military personnel. According to statistics, the number of natural attrition in state-owned enterprises, public institutions, and civil service positions in our country is close to 10,000 each year. These vacancies could be fully filled by retired military personnel. However, the reality is contrary to this, as some retired personnel remain in a state of pending resettlement. The reason lies in regional issues; these positions are mostly concentrated in small and medium-sized cities and grassroots areas, and some retired personnel aspire to work in large cities and refuse to take up positions there. In response to this problem, the state should adjust relevant policies to tilt the resettlement focus towards these regions, using differences in welfare and treatment to guide retired military personnel to flow towards county and district areas and grassroots levels. Additionally, efforts should be made to increase the recruitment and capacity of private enterprises to hire retired military personnel, thereby reducing the resettlement pressure on state-owned enterprises and government units. Specific measures could include tax reductions for private enterprises, relaxed financing conditions for private enterprises, and lower loan interest rates. By allowing private enterprises to enjoy greater benefits, their absorption of retired military personnel can be promoted.

(2) Addressing the Issue of Geographic Restrictions in Employment Placement

In principle, the employment placement of retired military personnel is usually allocated by local governments based on their household registration, following the principle of returning to where they came from. This placement model creates regional disparities, where areas with a higher number of military personnel have heavier placement tasks, and it also restricts the mobility of retired military personnel, hindering the overall coordination of placement work. Additionally, economically developed coastal or central-eastern regions offer a larger number of high-quality job opportunities, which could potentially become the second major force in addressing the placement needs of retired military personnel from economically underdeveloped areas. Therefore, to adapt to the development of the new era and the employment needs of retired military personnel, the household registration system should be abolished to break regional restrictions. In the initial employment of retired military personnel, the principle of proximity should be followed, and the opinions of the job seekers should be fully respected, allowing them to choose placement in the household registration location of themselves, their spouse, or their spouse's parents. After the completion of the first round of employment placement, local governments should tally the remaining positions and promptly publish them on official websites and other job portals. For retired military personnel who did not secure employment in the first round, they should be given the opportunity to choose again, with regional restrictions removed. It should be stipulated that anyone meeting the job requirements can be hired, thereby encouraging the mobility of retired military personnel and achieving full employment.

(III) Improve the re-education and skill training system to enhance employment competitiveness

Due to the special nature of the military profession, soldiers often undergo long-term high-intensity training in relatively closed environments. When they leave the military and interact with society, they frequently face difficulties in adapting to the environment and integrating into society, leading to a lack of competitiveness in the job market. Additionally, many soldiers join the military at a young age with lower educational backgrounds, and when they need to re-enter the workforce, they lack the necessary capabilities to fulfill corresponding job roles. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult for retired military personnel to find employment. Therefore, the state should establish a comprehensive system for re-education and skill training to enhance the employment enthusiasm and advantages of retired military personnel. Collaboration with the Ministry of Education can open pathways for academic advancement for retired military personnel, attracting them to schools and classrooms by waiving tuition fees, allowing them to learn new knowledge and improve their educational qualifications. Alternatively, for different branches of the military, based on their individual strengths and personal inclinations, career planning can be provided, followed by targeted skill training to equip them with specialized skills or professional qualifications, thereby increasing their competitiveness in the job market.

(IV) Enhance military personnel's treatment, ensure living standards

The issue of benefits for retired military personnel requires attention, as it affects the living standards and conditions of military personnel and their families, as well as the enthusiasm of potential recruits. Currently, the nationwide standard for one-time retirement compensation for retired military personnel has not been unified. Different provinces have different reference standards for compensation, and even within some provinces, there are urban-rural disparities. This disparity in treatment affects the fairness of the placement of retired military personnel, particularly the urban-rural divide, which harms the interests of retired military personnel with rural household registration and implies identity discrimination, hindering the development of rural population enlisting. Therefore, the state should establish a unified subsidy standard and eliminate urban-rural differential treatment to ensure the fairness and justice of the placement of retired military personnel. Additionally, attention should be paid to the connection between social security benefits such as pensions, medical care, and housing for retired military personnel and the military. Service years can be counted as working years, and the contribution levels of various parameters should be increased.