The objective of this policy is to dignify the role of the Military Forces.
Health, education, housing and food for soldiers, police officers, officers, non-commissioned officers, navy infantry men and people serving military and police service are being strengthened.
Academic registration in the training schools will be free of charge
“This policy demonstrates the certain, concrete, real will of the Government to improve that situation:” Minister Velásquez.
All members of the Military Forces from regular soldiers and police auxiliaries to officers of the highest ranks will have new benefits for their human development, with the implementation of the new Wellbeing Policy 2023 - 2026.
The new policy is the roadmap with which the entire Military Forces and their families will improve their quality of life, taking into account that education, housing, health, food, recreation, sports, culture, incentives for military and reservist personnel, as well as psychosocial and legal support will be strengthened.
During the launch event of the new Policy, President of the Republic Gustavo Petro explained that the ultimate goal is to provide greater dignity to all members of the Military Forces so that it is equally reflected in a better treatment of the Military Forces towards society.
“I wish the entire Military Forces, every soldier, every police officer, patrol man, every navy infantry man, etc. could acquire general, universal knowledge, higher education once they enter the State, if possible, because this is going to work give us to two things: Not only the dignified life forward, [´cause] the years go by, we don’t know the future, or the cycles of life, and in the same way the human dignity which is reflected in the dignified treatment towards society,” President Petro pointed out.
The policy is a work led by the Ministry of Defense and coordinated with the Military and Police Forces. This work is a design of more than 40 initiatives aimed at improving physical and mental conditions, generating a sense of belonging, with principles and values for the good performance of the institutional mission.
Among the initiatives that have been consolidated are the granting of undergraduate degrees at the technical professional level to soldiers and navy infantry men in their military training, flexible literacy programs, basic and secondary education that promotes the increase of educational levels, free academic enrollment in Military Forces training schools, bilingualism, institutional alliances with ICETEX or other financial institutions, for the creation of incentives in special discounts, low interest and payment facilities.
For his part, the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez assured that the wellbeing of those who make up the Military Forces is a permanent concern of the National Government. "This is in the same way evidenced in the budget addition that for 600 billion pesos, following the instructions of the President of the Republic, was included to invest in education scholarships, improvement and construction of accommodations in soldiers' schools, expansion and construction of 36 classrooms in the Non-Commissioned Officers' School and an aquatic complex for our members of the Military Forces to strengthen swimming skills, survival and also to decrease accidents in river crossings within the framework of military operations.”
In the same way, the policy includes improvements in comprehensive health care and the provision of services, including health centers and hospital network, modernization in the technological and scientific capacity of the own Military Health Network, Police Health and the Central Military Hospital.
Both the President and Minister Velásquez explained that the possibility of improving the monthly bonus received by regular soldiers is already being discussed with the Minister of Finance. According to Minister Velásquez, the government's will is that with the budget addition, the monthly bonus of the regular soldier could be doubled.
For his part, President Gustavo Petro even talked about the possibility of a special bonus for the Soldier who go into territories of violence.
Another point that will benefit the forces is the structuring of a project for the construction of clubs or recreational places in strategic and remote areas in the country for the access and benefit of soldiers and police officers, and the strengthening of the family counseling and counseling service at the psychosocial and spiritual level.
“We have progresses that have been made, one related to food, which meant that, as of May 1, the increase was 57.7%, going from a little more than 10,000 pesos to more than 16,000 pesos, (...), there are really a number of initiatives that are going to be carried out with the SENA, with universities, the improvement in accommodations for Military Forces, in fiscal houses," the Minister of Defense said.
Finally, in a symbolic act, President Petro, Minister Velázquez and the military and Police commanders handed over the Wellbeing Policy document to representatives of the Military Forces and their families.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
