After completing the academic baccalaureate, thousands of young Colombians look for a way to continue studying at a university or higher education institution in order to train in the area of interest; however, some choose to join the Military Forces or the National Police to serve the country in the role and position to be held.
In that sense, interested citizens wait every six months for the respective calls to apply to open, paying the corresponding incorporation process which includes carrying out physical, psychological and medical tests. However, the registration amount would be quite expensive for some people, which is why the National Government signed Decree 2225 of 2023, which came into effect in December of the previous year.
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What does Decree 2225 of 2023 say?
In accordance with what is indicated by the norm, this Decree was created in order to offer “free incorporation processes for men and women as Professional Soldiers, Professional Marines and Police Patrollers”, only for those who meet the requirements explained in article 2.3.1.9.6.
Likewise, those who are considered suitable for said economic benefit, They will not be able to request it again to start another process in any Public Force, since it is granted only once. In addition, they must “sign an act of commitment to remain for the training period,” the regulations suggest.
Requirements to join the Public Forces for free
As mentioned by Decree 2225 of 2023, people interested in joining the Military and Police Forces for free, They must meet the following requirements:
- Being Colombian.
- Be over 18 and under 24 years of age to be an applicant for the incorporation process into the Military Forces.
- Be at least 17 years old, as long as you reach the age of majority in the first semester of training and up to 27 years old, to be an applicant for the incorporation process in the National Police.
- Have the quality of first class reservists or be performing military service.
- Comply with the incorporation requirements for the Military Forces and the selection protocols for the Colombian National Police.
- Not having been a beneficiary of gratuity in the incorporation process, regardless of the military or police institution involved.
It is relevant to mention that the Public Forces will give priority or prioritize citizens who are in the group A (population in extreme poverty); B Group (population in moderate poverty) and group C (Vulnerable population) in the Identification System of Potential Beneficiaries of Social Programs (Sisbén); Therefore, it is essential that before requesting the benefit, applicants update the survey data and even verify the classification they have at the moment.
Case in which the free benefit is lost
The free benefit to join the Military and Police Forces can be lost when the entity in charge “evidence that a beneficiary used false information or documentation in the incorporation process”; In that case, the citizen will be obliged to return the economic resources that were used and could even entail legal sanctions.
