In his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh once said that "Individualism is like a very poisonous germ" - the enemy of the revolutionaries. Cadres and party members, if not duly educated nor conduct self-cultivation, are prone to individualism. In particular, as for officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army, in order to maintain and promote the noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", the prevention and fight against individualism in light of his teaching is an important and urgent task today.

The qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" are unique military cultural values ​​of the Vietnam People's Army; the crystallisation of the nation's traditional cultural values ​​with the new-style military revolutionary nature of the working class led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. They have been shaped by generations of officers and soldiers of the VPA through the process of cultivating, training, fighting, and sacrificing for national independence, freedom, and happiness of the people. They ​penetrate deeply and permeate every officer and soldier, becoming their mental strength, will, bravery and intelligence, so that under any conditions and circumstances, they are always "loyal to the Party, kind to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland and for socialism, accomplishing every mission, overcoming every difficulty, and defeating every enemy.

General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence speaks at the review on 3 years implementing Conclusion No.01-KL/TW of the Politburo (13th tenure) and 2 years implementing Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission

However, in the current time, the maintenance and promotion of the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" are facing significant challenges. Besides the fierce sabotage of hostile forces, the negative impacts of the market economy,... individualism, a cruel enemy, the “internal enemy”, the deep roots leading to degradation of the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" and undermining the combat strength of our Military is there to exist, potentially affecting a number of servicemen. Therefore, preventing and combating individualism, maintaining and promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" in the new situation, contribute to building a politically strong Military, creating a firm foundation to build an elite, compact, strong Military moving towards modernity is an important and urgent political task. To this end, it is necessary that we keep steadfast and creatively apply President Ho Chi Minh's views and thoughts on preventing and combating individualism into current practice with the following measures:

Firstly, thoroughly grasping the resolutions and directives of the Party and the Military; strengthening the leadership and direction of party committees and organisations in the fight against individualism. Party committees and organisations at all levels should strengthen leadership and direction to resolutely fight against manifestations of individualism. It is important that party committees and organisations at all levels should improve their leadership capacity, overall quality, and strictly comply with the operational principles of the Party, especially the principle of democratic centralism. Develop and strictly implement working regulations and leadership regulations for key work aspects of party committees and organisations. Strengthen the work of internal political protection, inspection and supervision to promptly detect and prevent violations of cadres and party members. Party committees and organisations at all levels should base on requirements and tasks to issue thematic resolutions or include them in regular leadership resolutions on policies, leadership measures, action plans and programmes that are realistic and effective. At the same time, they should build regulations, strengthen education, raise awareness and responsibility, promote the role of cadres, party members, and the masses to resolutely fight against manifestations of individualism, maintain and promote the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" in the new era.

Second, promoting the proactiveness in self-cultivation and self-training of revolutionary ethics of cadres, party members and the masses. It is evident that the deterioration of cadres and party members often stems from unhealthy manifestations in ethics and lifestyle. Therefore, the best measure to prevent and combat individualism is to regularly cultivate and practice revolutionary moral qualities and lead a healthy and simple lifestyle. President Ho Chi Minh taught that: “Revolutionary morality does not fall from the heaven. It is developed and strengthened through daily struggle and persistent training. Just like the more jade is polished, the brighter it becomes, and the more gold is refined, the purer it is." This requires that each soldier raises awareness of self-study, self-training, and effectively practice the 5 qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers". At the same time, they should resolutely fight against the 10 manifestations of individualism as identified in Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW. Officers and soldiers of the VPA should avoid the vague, one-sided and misleading perceptions about the nature and traditions of the Military and the cultural values ​​of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", about material needs, trivial benefits, as advised by Party’s General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: "Each officer and soldier should always remember that our Military comes from the people, fights for the people". Every year, based on their responsibilities and tasks, each soldier needs to build their own plan of self-cultivation and self-training. They should be resolute in preventing and fighting against individualism and manifestations of deterioration in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and the internal "self-evolution" and "self-transformation".

Third, seriously practicing self-criticism and criticism, "self-reflection and self-correction" of cadres and party members. This is considered a sharp weapon, one of the important measures in the fight against individualism. Serious practice of self-criticism and criticism, "self-reflection and self-correction" not only makes each cadre and party member clean, but also makes each party organisation increasingly pure and strong, improving the resistance of each unit and soldier against bad habits and practice. To be effective, first of all, each cadre and party member needs to uphold the spirit of "self-reflection, self-correction"; always be honest and straightforward in evaluating their own strengths and weaknesses, and truly progressive with critical comments from their comrades and teammates. At the same time, democracy should be exercised, criticism and suggestion should be given to comrades and teammates when they have limitations and shortcomings, especially when they show signs of individualism. For cadres and party members who are found with individualism, party committees at all levels should resolutely counter and handle promptly to maintain the strictness of Party and Military disciplines. Self-criticism and criticism should be carried out on a regular and continuous basis, "like washing our faces every day", in a friendly and sincere manner to work together to overcome and correct limitations and shortcomings for continuous improvement.

Fourth, promoting the exemplary role of cadres and party members, especially the leading ones at all levels in the fight against individualism. President Ho Chi Minh has made it clear that: "a living example is worth more than a hundred propaganda speeches". The exemplary and standard words and actions of officers at all levels are non-verbal orders, highly convincing to soldiers, making them trust officers and commanders  and commit to the units. Implementing this solution well will be an important premise to concretise the motto "The above shows for the below to follows”. It is evident that, in the fight against individualism to preserve and promote the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", cadres, especially the leading ones at all levels, must educate morality and set an example of morality, train and follow the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers". Each cadre, party member, especially the presiding ones, should thoroughly grasp and implement well the instructions of President Ho Chi Minh and the Party's viewpoints on modeling in carrying out responsibilities and tasks, and in the fight against embezzlement, corruption and other negative manifestations of individualism; in self-reflecting and self-correcting their own strengths and weaknesses; be fair and strict in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of subordinates. Moreover, they should also be vigilant and wise to detect and resolutely fight against the wrong perceptions and bad behaviour of cadres and party members in life and at work.

The noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" are invaluable spiritual assets of our Military, which need to be preserved and promoted in the new era. To do that, it is required that party committees, party organisations, officers and soldiers implement a number of solutions synchronously, in which, promoting awareness and responsibility in resolutely fighting against individualism is an important one. This is to further promote the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", contributing to building a politically strong Military, truly be a political force, a combat force that is absolutely loyal and reliable of the Party, State and People, successfully completing all assigned tasks.

Senior Colonel, PhD. NGUYEN HUNG SON, Political College