Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 13:22 (GMT+7)
Struggling to prevent and combat degradation in morality and lifestyle of young officers in the Army

The fight against deterioration in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle of Army cadres in general and young officers in particular is one of the important tasks in building a clean and strong Military Party Committee. It requires Party committees and organisations at all levels of the entire army to conduct a series of drastic and synchronous solutions to successfully fulfill this important task.

The contingent of young officers is the "foundation" force to uphold the revolutionary cause in the Army, or in other words, the cause of army construction, defence consolidation, and the Fatherland protection depends largely on them. Our Party has clearly pointed out that the deterioration of political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and the manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" are "internal enemies" threatening the survival of the Party and the socialist system of our country. Among the contingent of young officers, there are signs of deterioration as pointed out by our Party. However, the degradation in morality and lifestyle of young officers often manifests first and is likely to aggravate the deterioration of political ideology and the manifestations of "self-evolution", and "self-transformation". As a young generation, they should be further trained comprehensively, especially their ethics and lifestyle as once their personality is degraded, people will easily lose themselves. When humanity is degraded, young officers would easily be fluctuated in their ideological stance and be seduced and bribed by other forces, causing their degradation in ideology in morality and lifestyle.

The degradation of morality and lifestyle of young officers is a state of gradual decline in moral quality, degradation in lifestyle, deviations in awareness, and practice of ethical values​, not to commensurate with the standards and personality of "Uncle Ho's soldiers". The manifestation of these deteriorations among the contingent of cadres is also the manifestation of the degradation that has been pointed out in the Party's Resolution 4 (12th tenure). It often manifests and is at risk of becoming worse in many aspects, such as: individualism, egoism, pragmatism, opportunism, self-seeking; only looking after one’s own interests without showing concern for collective interests, irresponsibility, laziness, etc.

Fighting against degradation in morality and the lifestyle of young officers is both an urgent and a long-term issue. It is urgent because this manifestation would harm the contingent of young officers, causing the inefficient operation of the command apparatus and party organisation in the Army: “From the deterioration of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle to "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" is only a short and very dangerous step, which can lead to aiding or colluding with hostile forces, betraying the ideals and revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation”. It is also a long-term problem, because it cannot be redirected at once. And the cultivation and training of morality and lifestyle of young officers are regular practice. In addition, fighting against the manifestation of degradation of morality in each person is sometimes even more difficult than fighting against the foreign invaders, because it is an invisible enemy embedding in each of us. President Ho Chi Minh warned: "There are people who were very brave in fighting against the enemy, but when they returned to the city, they were seduced by money and beautiful women and lost their stance and involved in illegal activities. Therefore, the enemy's bombs and bullets are not as dangerous as "sugar-coated bullets" because they harm us invisibly". Currently, in the market economy, for many people, especially the young generation, things ​​such as jobs, income, money, and economic benefits are their primary concern, sometimes even more important than the spiritual values. It causes young people, including young officers, to over concentrate on material values ​​and underestimate moral and spiritual values, leading to the boom of free, selfish, and pragmatic lifestyle. For young officers, once they do not seriously be trained in morality and lifestyle, they will be easily influenced by these negative impacts. In order to actively fight against degradation in morality and lifestyle among the contingent of young officers, it is necessary to synchronously implement the following basic solutions:

Firstly, emphasis should be placed on further concentrating on moral and lifestyle education for young officers. This is one of the basic subjects of officers’ training. In reality, however, due to the requirements on professional competence of young officers, education on morality and lifestyle have not been given due attention, especially in the field of moral practice. The practice of standard ethics and lifestyle of young officers should be done voluntarily, not by orders. When the morality and lifestyle of young officers are in accordance with the standard, their thoughts, words and actions are always unified, they would place the interests of the Party, the Fatherland, the people, and the unit above their personal interests; wholeheartedly fulfilling the assigned tasks. These qualities cannot be qualified naturally, but must be through education and training; therefore, it is of great importance to successfully implement this solution. In order to make education effective, commanders of each unit must build a fresh and healthy cultural environment to form a positive public opinion in the struggle to fight against unqualified ethical behaviour and improper lifestyles of young officers. It is also important to resolutely fight against individualism, since it is the enemy of revolutionary morality, the cause of degradation in morality and lifestyle among young officers. Therefore, attention should be regularly and persistently paid to create the good things and eliminate the bad ones, highlighting good example and multiplying standard ethical behaviours and lifestyles.

Secondly, importance should be attached to strictly practicing self-criticism and criticism. This is a sharp weapon and an important principle in Party building work. Skillfully using self-criticism and criticism is considered the best method to train the ethics and lifestyle of young officers. It is a sensitive issue, however, since it is related to human qualities, personality and interests, and easy to hurt comrades and teammates. Even in practice, there are people trying to make excuses, saying that self-criticism and criticism are necessary, but should be "gentle", "human", and sympathetic, since no one is perfect.

 President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: "If we do not resolutely adjust our shortcomings, it is similar to hiding a disease, not daring to take medicine, so that the disease gets worse and worse, endangering our lives". As the vast majority of young officers are active and trained in party organisations, the best way to combat their manifestations of moral deterioration is to consistently and patently practice self-criticism and criticism frankly and honestly. The self-criticism and criticism in the fight against degradation in morality and lifestyle of young officers are only effective when their commanders, commissars, junior commissars and party committees at all levels are to set examples of morality and lifestyle. Once the commander and the party committee do not set examples, putting the interests of the unit first, and practicing self-criticism and criticism, then the unit would easily be a place of flattery to superiors, "reconciled and precious" or to take advantage of criticism to humiliate and demolish each other.

Thirdly, emphasis should be placed on successfully conducting training, planning, and taking advantages of the young officers. The young officers are who to get basic and qualified training, being active to scientific and technical developments and to develop and be senior commanders in the Army. Therefore, through their performance of assigned responsibilities and tasks, leaders and commanders at all levels should regularly pay attention to nurturing their morality and lifestyle. It is also importance not to appoint young officers who show signs of deterioration and "self-evolution", "self-transformation", especially deterioration in morality and lifestyle to higher positions.

Basically, young officers are dedicated, enthusiastic and eager to work. Therefore, good implementation of the training, planning, assigning and using young officers is the basic and important motivation for them to strive, dedicate and self-discipline in their morality and lifestyle. Meanwhile, due to their young age, they have rarely experienced hardships, so when facing difficulties, they would easily be discouraged. Therefore, their morality and lifestyle should further be trained. And it is important to timely propose planning and create favourable condition for development of young officers to successfully complete their tasks. At the same time, there should be mechanisms and measures to protect young officers who dare to think and to create in their work.

Fourthly, attention should be paid to the work of inspecting and managing young officers. This is a very important content in preventing and fighting against manifestations of degradation in morality and lifestyle for young officers. It shows the initiative of the party committees and commanders at all levels in upholding prevention as the basic measure. When the work of detecting and preventing manifestations of degradation in morality and lifestyle for the young officers is proactively conducted, it will contribute to limiting losses and preventing the deterioration of young officers. The process of inspection and supervision should be linked to the tasks fulfillment of the young officers, and their own commitment to follow the Party’s discipline and regulations for cadres and party members, as well as the implementation of criteria set out in the emulation movements of the Army and units. When young officers are found to have signs of deterioration in morality and lifestyle and violation of the Party discipline, the State law, and the Army discipline, it is necessary to apply strict measures on them. It is also a measure to proactively prevent and reverse the deterioration from early and afar, and to make the Party building and rectification activities more qualified and efficient.

The fight against degradation in morality and lifestyle of young officers requires synchronous and integrated implementation of a number of measures. It requires the contingent of young officers and the party committees and commanders at all levels to be clearly aware of the meaning and importance of the current Party building and rectification work, especially the prevention and fighting against the degradation in morality and lifestyle. Once the good morality and healthy lifestyle are upheld, the degradations will be repelled.

Major General, Associate Prof., Doctor KIM NGOC DAI, Deputy Rector of the Political Officer Training School

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