Thursday, July 26, 2018, 08:59 (GMT+7)
The armed forces of the Military Region 1 take initiatives in improving technical quality

Adhering to the resolutions and directives of the Party, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on military and national defence missions, the armed forces of the Military Region 1, in the past few years, have focused on the technical work to achieve new developments to contribute to the successful fulfilment of the political task of the Military Region. In addition to the advantages, the Military Region’s Technical Branch has faced a lot of difficulties due to its management and exploitation of a large number of weapons and technical equipment which have been in constant use for a long time, causing damage and incorrect technical specifications. Moreover, the Military Region is stationed in a large area with difficult terrain (over 90% of mountains, nearly 585 km of borderline), sparse population and severe weather, leading to the increased need for maintenance, repair and synchronization, whereas its expense, materials and petrol are under par, etc. In order to successfully perform the tasks of training, combat readiness and the other contingency missions, the Technical Department advised the Military Region’s Party Committee and High Command to implement measures for the enhanced technical quality, with great importance attached to the movement of taking initiatives in improving technical quality. 
In order to make the movement widespread in the whole Military Region 1, the Technical Department advised the Military Region on directing the concerned agencies and units to focus their leadership and direction on this movement. At the same time, technical agencies at all levels were asked to strengthen their key role in guiding and performing the task. Based on the consultancy of the Technical Branch, agencies and units in the Military Region elaborated these contents in resolutions and plans with specific targets and measures besides propaganda and education. In particular, attention were paid to propaganda about its role and effectiveness in various fields, along with popularization of research works, initiatives and examples that had contributed to the movement in agencies, localities and units. Moreover, the Military Region promulgated regulations and policies to encourage cadres and soldiers with their achievements in developing initiatives for technical improvements. The results of the movement were the "fixed criteria" for the annual emulation of individuals and collectives. Thus, the Military Region attracted the participation of all departments and units, promoted the self-consciousness, enthusiasm, passion and responsibility of all officers, soldiers, technical and professional personnel, spreading the movement throughout its armed forces and developing it comprehensively.
 

Sr. Col. Nguyen Van Thai and representatives visit the exhibition of products during the Military Region’s contest “Technical Initiatives”

To make the movement effective and practical, the Technical Department closely observed all agencies, units and localities’ performance and actively cooperated with the Military Region’s Staff Office, specifically the Department of Military Science to well conduct the work of research, appraisal and application of innovations. At the same time, the regularity of the movement contests was maintained with accepted products displayed for every agency and unit to study, share experiences and apply. Annually, the Department directed agencies and units to propose research ideas and initiatives for work in general and for technical field in particular. Thus, specific criteria for researches were assigned to each unit with the aim of ensuring feasibility and compatibility with the budget. The research direction first focused on dealing with the difficulties and urgent issues in technical practice, applying new technologies to improving the technical quality and efficiency, especially in maintenance, repair and synchronization of weapons and technical equipment. During the movement, the Department directed the agencies and units to create the most favorable conditions for research initiatives and asked Workshop X79 for technical assistance. Besides, the activities of examining the progress, evaluating the technical solutions, economic and applicable efficiency and the procedures of initiatives recognition were all planned out. As a result, the initiatives and researches were annually guaranteed in time, many of which were immediately applied to the technical field after being adopted.
Today, with the rapid development of science, technology and the increasing demand of technical work, the Department together with the Department of Military Science properly planned and conducted the work of military scientific information, especially the forecasts on both national and international development trend of this field as a basis for the officers and soldiers to focus their research and application orientation on. Particularly, the Department attached great importance to building a core contingent of young technical officers and engineers to promote the movement of developing initiatives for technical improvement in the units. Since 2012, the Department has held a number of training courses for them with positive results. Accordingly, in recent years, the junior officers’ initiatives accounted for nearly 87% of the total; 71% of the owners of initiatives were platoon and company officers, and 18% were technical staff, creating strong development for the movement. Moreover, the Department directed the agencies and units to use the collective intellect and bring into full play the soldiers’ dynamic spirit as well as creativity to overcome shortcomings of weapons and technical equipment in training, combat readiness and other tasks. With the motto "to facilitate the work; to reduce  heavy, dangerous work; to increase work efficiency; to save production time and cost", the Department asked the commanders at all levels to encourage any military initiatives, including those not related to their working fields. It was necessary for a thorough consideration into proposed technical ideas and solutions to direct the implementation. Adhering to Department’s direction, a good technical idea must be the product of the leader, young officers and professional staff. It was a combination of dynamic and creative individuals with the ones able to mobilize resources and turn ideas into reality.
The budget is proved one of the factors affecting the promotion of research, innovation and initiatives. Therefore, in the past few years, together with praising and honoring outstanding individuals in the movement, the Department actively advised the Military Region to direct the agencies and units to deduct the budget and mobilize other resources, especially from local budgets, to set up the "Military Region’s Creative Youth" to support typical works and initiatives. It helped encourage soldiers to do scientific research and to promote the movement of taking initiatives in improving technical quality in the whole Military Region. From 2009 to 2013, there was an average of 57 initiatives accepted, which increased to 87 ones each year from 2014 to 2017.
With these synchronous solutions, the activities of taking initiatives in improving technical quality in general and technical service in particular are stimulated by the Military Region in all agencies and units. Accordingly, the number of initiatives increases every year with basically good quality, properly solving problems in training, combat readiness, especially technical security, saving materials, money and petrol. Since 2012, 297 initiatives (out of a total of 478 ones) have been applied in technical work. Numerous initiatives have been awarded, including LED mortar lighters, the cylinder and flare for 14.5mm anti-aircraft guns, the circuit for starting electric motors on cars ZIL 130; Magnetic Heat Meter; Technological process of producing hand guards for AK, improving the communication equipment between the switchboards and the digital ones, rinsing tank cooler in the engine, phone HA-14, etc, associated with many individuals honored "Creative Youth of the Military Region 1.”
The success of the movement of the Military Region’s armed forces is not only the number of researches and initiatives but more importantly, the efficiency as well. Thanks to the promotion of taking initiatives in improving technical quality, a lot of difficulties in weapons and technical equipment maintenance and repair have been resolved. The innovations applied to practice have helped save considerable efforts, materials as well as funds and improve the productivity and quality of technical work in the Military Region. The technical specifications of weapons and technical equipment are always ensured, especially the ones for combat readiness. The percentage of weapons maintenance and repair always exceeds the plan from 5% to 7%. Besides, a lot of damage was rectified in the units.
To bring into full play the results of taking initiatives in improving technical quality, the Technical Department continually advises the Military Region to direct agencies and units to promote the movement, replicate typical initiatives and upgrade good ones to scientific researches for the higher technical capability of the Military Region to meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation.
Senior Colonel Nguyen Van Thai, Head of the Military Region’s Technical Department

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