Being highly aware of the important role of logistics in a strategic mobile main force, during the past few years, the Logistics Branch of 4^th Corps (the Logistics hereafter), first and foremost the Logistics Department, has actively advised the Corps High Command and Party Committee on guidelines and solutions to lead and direct the logistics work appropriately and effectively. At the same time, the Logistics Branch has strictly obeyed the guidance of the General Department of Logistics, closely cooperated with relevant units, directed and implemented professional, organizational, ideological measures synchronously in order to improve the quality of logistics, thus furthering task achievement. With the motto “Real innovation, advanced efficiency, sustainable quality”, the Corps logistics work has gained comprehensive results and significantly improved its quality. Logistics offices at different levels have ensured adequate and timely logistic needs, stabilized and gradually improved soldiers’ life, becoming a decisive factor for the political tasks’ achievement of the unit.

The Logistics Department’s Party Committee holding the conference on the supervision content set by the Central Military Commission

First of all, the Logistics aims at innovating working methods and styles, implementing the work of advising and planning, capable of becoming the core in organizing and conducting logistic work. Accordingly, the committees and commanders at all levels focus on educating and improving awareness, responsibility, viewpoint, attitude of logistics cadres and staff. The units’ focal points are to educate soldiers on the increasingly important position and demand of logistics in the new situation. Furthermore, units are directed to strengthen education and training, improve political will, responsibility, service, professional qualifications for logistics cadres and staff. Logistics agencies at all levels keep renewing working methods, implementing regular work of consultancy and planning; in which, the emphasis is placed on maintaining the logistics regime, improving the quality of planning, the capacity to advise, direct and administer logistics assurance and administrative reform in the professional field.

The Party Committee and Command of the Logistics Department regularly review, supplement and issue working and coordination regulations, clearly defining the duties and powers of each agency,  specialized branch, each member of the Executive Board to direct subordinate bodies aimed at fulfilling their responsibilities and tasks. Besides, the Department directs units to promote emulation movements, sports and logistics competitions; actively discover, build and replicate logistic models; focus on good implementation of emulation movement “Military Logistics Department follows Uncle Ho’s teachings” combined with the studying and following of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and style. As a result, each person is imbued with a sense of “saving”, a spirit of “self-reliance”, actively devoting their efforts and wisdom to the task fulfilment.

In order to ensure logistics for combat readiness and unexpected tasks of the Corps, the Party Committee and Command of the Logistics Department proactively review, supplement and complete operational logistic documents, logistic building plan in accordance with the operational plan and determination of the Army Corps commander. While maintaining strict implementation of logistic combat readiness, good management of all kinds of reserve logistic materials as regulated, the Department also directs logistic units to review, supplement and perfect logistic documents for combat readiness and assurance plans in unexpected situations, natural disaster fighting and prevention, search and rescue, etc. Furthermore, units of all levels are guided to develop logistic plan adhering to particular unit’s tasks, conduct regular practice based on combat plans, as well as improve the mobility of logistic agencies. The Department also requires that units ensure no losses in allocation and management of goods, maintain strict guard and patrol, provide absolute safety for people and warehouses. Materials for combat readiness must be sufficient, of high quality, neatly packed and maneuverable; the rotation of grain storage in stockpiles needs to be closely checked and monitored, with the aim of meeting task requirements.

The transportation task during an exercise

In regular logistics assurance, the Logistics actively advises the Corps Party Committee and Command to direct food resources exploitation, rearrange food processing stations; promote innovation of material assurance methods catering at each level; strengthen the agencies’ management, inspection and supervision; expand procurement bidding; gradually socialize some assurance aspects. In particular, the Corps undertakes to exploit, process and provide food; division-level units organize fuel exploitation, maintaining centralized food processing stations; sub-unit levels ensure daily vegetables and spices. Up to now, O Mon Food Milling Station has been operating regularly with the productivity of tens of tons of rice per day. Annually, the Corps purchases thousands of tons of paddy reserves, combined with milled raw rice, meeting 100% of food demand, at the cost of 10% cheaper than that in the market and the Ministry's regulations. Its interest rate helps raise the Corps’ fund, contributing to the improvement in soldiers’ life. Besides, mess and dining infrastructures are upgraded and modernized. Kitchen accessories are synchronized; mechanical boilers are put into use, partly saving fuel equal to 20% - 25% of soldiers’ expenditure on meals. At the same time, the work of gardening is effectively maintained for sustainable development. Concentrated food processing stations are built in the units, ensuring 10% - 15% lower cost, creating favorable conditions for units to closely manage food hygiene and safety.

The Logistics has set up models on mass production in accordance with practical conditions, drawing on experience and duplicating. Moreover, the units have invested in construction and promotion of mass production stations; boosting production at battalion level in line with the model of "garden - pond - barn - rig"; diversifying livestock and plants; cultivating in the direction of intensive farming and intercropping; combining methods of concentrated husbandry with dispersal one, industrial with traditional ones, actively applying modern scientific and technological advances in mass production. In 2018, it organized the competition "Good Unit of Production", focusing on three breakthroughs of sow and fish breeding as well as creepers husbandry. Currently, animal husbandry barns in regiments and brigades all breed sows and change themselves to “fish breeding” models. With efforts, a basic system of gardens, ponds, barns, rigs and processing stations has been built; it has been 100% self-sufficient in vegetables and meat, and over 75% self-sufficient in fish demand. Thereby, a fresh food source of hygiene and safety is actively ensured at the cost of 5% - 20% lower (depending on each type) compared to the market price, contributing to the improved quality of soldiers’ meals. All the production targets have been accomplished and exceeded the Ministry's criteria. In order to ensure sufficient and prompt military uniform for soldiers, the Department directs the units to well implement the motto of "predicting correctly, receiving specifically, decentralizing management, allocating at first hand"; and provide recruits with military uniforms at localities of troop handover. Concurrently, the emphasis is placed upon management, guidance and testing, especially for recruits and shared uniforms, which helps build the Corps regularity.

For military health care, the quality of medics at all levels has improved; soldiers’ health from the grassroots level is taken good care of. Accordingly, the military medical system at all levels is constantly strengthened in terms of manpower and equipment. Besides, attention is paid to the work of education to improve professional qualifications and ethics for the medical staff. The movement of "5-good Military Medical Unit" keeps promoting, military medical units and Military Hospital 4 have brought into play medical equipment, ensuring safe treatment and health care for patients, cadres and soldiers. Military medics have actively worked with preventive health systems in localities to closely monitor epidemics, strengthen propaganda and inspection of environmental and kitchen sanitation as well as personal hygiene, combining modern medicine with traditional methods in soldiers’ diseases treatment and prevention. Therefore, the number of soldiers of good health always stands at high rate (98.92% in 2018). On the other hand, the Logistics has actively conducted military-civilian activities, contributing significantly to the community health care and the unity between the army and people.

Ensuring military living conditions is attached to the emulation movement "Building and managing standard, bright, green, clean and beautiful barracks". The Party Committee and Command of the Logistics Department have proactively consulted the Corps Party Committee and Command to direct units to improve the planning of the whole barrack’s infrastructure and strictly supervise the quality of projects and buildings; ensuring the standards of electricity, water and living accessories for soldiers. Basic construction has been carried out centrally with focal points and in long-term direction as planned. It also complies with planning, regulations, investment process and priority. Along with the investment of superiors, the Logistics has advised the Corps to mobilize internal resources, improve barrack’s facilities, take measures of anti-leakage, anti-collapse, anti-lightning, renovate the grid system, concrete internal roads and yards; as well as repair barrack equipment, etc. So far, all units have had gardens of flowers and ornamental plants, creating spacious, clean and beautiful landscapes; thus improving soldiers’ living conditions remarkably.

In the coming time, the mission of the Logistics is increasingly onerous. With high awareness, responsibility and determination, the Logistics strives to improve its working quality and efficiency, practically celebrating 45 years of the Corps Foundation Day, as well as guaranteeing the Corps fulfilment of all assigned tasks.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Duc Binh, Head of the Corps Logistics Department