In order to attach the task of legal propaganda, dissemination and education to real circumstance of each unit, in accordance with the awareness levels of officers and soldiers, achieving practical effectiveness, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command of Tra Vinh have paid great attention to the diversification of forms and methods to conduct this important task.

Over the past years, Tra Vinh has strictly followed the guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State, promoting the construction of strong committees and administrations at all levels, emphasizing the leadership capability, roles and responsibilities of cadres, party members, especially officers in charge at all levels. Thus, it has recorded achievements in socio-economic development as well as the enhancement of national defence and security. However, in Tra Vinh province, the  ethnic minority people account for over 30% of its population; the issues related to political security, social order and safety, traffic accidents are still complicated; hostile forces accelerate the strategy of "peaceful evolution", promoting "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" in the Army, etc. These factors have affected the comprehensive development of the province, including the observance of the Party's guidelines, the State law and the Army discipline among officers and soldiers of the armed forces. Being aware of the situation, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have always led and directed agencies and units to improve the quality of legal propaganda, dissemination and education; in this regard, diversification of forms and methods is considered one of the important solutions.

Sr. Col. Vo Duy Thanh addressing the conference on reviewing the 10-year and 5-year implementation of the Central Military Commission’s resolutions

First of all, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have promoted the leadership of the Party committees and commanders at all levels over law dissemination and education. The reality shows that, where there is strong and active leadership and direction of the executive committee and the commander, there are flexible, relevant, and effective methods and forms of legal education and training. Annually, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command direct agencies and units to strictly implement the legal documents in accordance with the guidance of the Military Region 9’s Coordination Council on law dissemination and education. On that basis, party committees and commanders at all levels include them in the leadership resolutions and develop action plans. For this work to be carried out uniformly, synchronously, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have promoted the advisory role of the Law Dissemination and Education Coordination Council with the coordination of activities of organizations, and forces; integrated legal dissemination and education contents into political education, ideological and disciplinary management, and cultural and spiritual activities in units. At the same time, attention has been paid to inspecting and reviewing this work at each unit, promptly detecting and replicating good practices and effective models, and rectifying weaknesses.

Following the direction of the senior levels, the Provincial Military Command has ordered its agencies and units to strictly implement the educational program, while focusing on including relevant contents to each object and their main political tasks. This is an important solution, since only when the right content identified, then there would be appropriate and scientific forms and measures to implement. Accordingly, for commanders and officers, attention has been paid to topics such as: National Defence Law; Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Officers, 2014; Cyber Security Law, etc.

At the same time, emphasis has been placed on encouraging and creating favorable conditions for officers, especially commanding officers to self-study the contents of economic and cultural laws, and social management, etc., thereby helping them to acquire comprehensive knowledge as the basis for the state management of national defence and security. For non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and military civilians, importance has been attached to particular subjects, such as: Law on Military Service; Law on professional military personnel and defence workers and officials, etc.

Educational contents are not only confined to military activities, but also include military staff’s civil transactions in order to raise their awareness and sense of responsibility towards observing the State law and military discipline. Thus, whenever they get out of the barracks, soldiers could not only retain the military discipline but also behave culturally, and uphold the beautiful image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers”. As for the militia and self-defence force and the reserve force, attention has been paid on the main points of the Law on the Militia and Self-Defence Force, the Ordinance on the Reserve Force; the Law on Complaints and Denunciations, and specific legal contents related to the performance of these forces. For the forces in the coastal districts, the Provincial Military Command has cooperated with the Navy, Border Guard, and Coast Guard forces in propagating the Law of the Sea of Vietnam, the Law of Fisheries, and The EU Regulation to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing that we have agreed upon. In addition, the Provincial Military Command has stayed close to the socio-economic situation and great political events of the country, the Army and the locality to supplement appropriate propaganda and legal education contents.

Along with organizing regular courses on law education and dissemination, the provincial armed forces have actively renewed and diversified forms and methods of education in accordance with the activities of the forces. Accordingly, agencies and units have actively implemented law dissemination and education in an open manner, such as: dialogue, discussion, club, etc., to attract all soldiers’ participation. In particular, the grassroots units have brought into play the role of "legal advisory groups", directly answering specific questions, meeting legal needs of each soldier. To support this work, agencies and units have successfully managed and exploited "Law bookcases", diversified types of propaganda materials, such as books, leaflets, video clips and audio recordings.

The Provincial Military Command has directed its agencies and units to effectively implement the Law Day and actively integrate common legal contents into the implementation of Political, spiritual and cultural day, the cultural activities, youth forums, and contests on law knowledge, etc., thereby creating useful and healthy "playgrounds" right in the units for officers and soldiers.

The agencies and units have always focused on closely combining legal propaganda and education with the Campaign "Promoting tradition, dedicating talent, deserving Uncle Ho's soldiers" and the Determined to Win Emulation Movement at all levels. In addition, the Provincial Military Command has also closely cooperated with Tra Vinh Newspaper, Radio and Television, local radio stations and internal broadcasting system in broadly disseminating the relevant legal contents and discipline observance of the armed forces on National Defence Program to opportunely provide official information, guiding public opinion.

As a result, the amount of legal information is increasingly enriched and diversified as a favorable condition for raising awareness, capacity and sense of compliance with State law, military discipline among all soldiers.

In order to improve a sense and habit of voluntarily observing law and discipline for all officers and soldiers, the Provincial Military Command has directed the agencies and units to strengthen discipline management and maintenance, build regular practice and promote the exemplary role of the contingent of officers. Accordingly, agencies and units have strictly maintained the studying and working schedules; practiced military behavior and style; performed work in accordance with their responsibilities, and action in accordance with the military disciplines; resolutely fought against violations of discipline and law in training, combat readiness and activities.

At the same time, emphasis has been placed on strictly implementing the Grassroots Democracy Regulation. Officers always stay close to soldiers so as to understand their thoughts and aspirations, and promptly solve contingency issues, and create solidarity and consensus in units. Along with that, officers at all levels, especially the commanding ones have been really exemplary, taking the leading role in ethics and lifestyle practice, being real typical examples in practicing law, the military disciplines, and the regulations of the units. As the result, a militarily cultural, legal, and ethical environment has been created while the habit and awareness of abiding by State law and military discipline among officers and soldiers have been promoted.

Along with the above-mentioned measures, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have closely cooperated with the local party committees in promoting the combined strength in the process; collaborated with the Public Security force and the Provincial Court in introducing special topics on fighting against and preventing crimes and violations of laws, social order and safety in the locality.

Thus, it has made contributions to raising the awareness of the military staff and adjusting their legal acts, thereby avoiding violations due to lack of knowledge. At the same time, agencies and units have cooperated with one another in preventing the intrusion of social evils, such as: high-interest loans, gambling, etc., creating "safety corridors" on legal and discipline practice, building the strong stationed area.

Due to its regular reforms in law propagation, dissemination and education methods, units have been able to more quickly bring the state law and military discipline to each officer and soldier of the provincial armed forces. As a result, since the beginning of 2018, the proportion of legal and disciplinary violations of the soldiers reduced below 0.2%. In 2018, the Provincial Military Party Committee was recognized as a clean and strong organization; the provincial armed forces were awarded the emulation flag by the Ministry of National Defence.

Those achievements provide the basis for the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command of Tra Vinh to continue leading, directing and further improving the effectiveness of legal propaganda, dissemination and education, giving an impetus  to enhance the comprehensive quality and combat strength of the provincial armed forces, ensuring that they are always ready to fulfil all assigned tasks.

Sr. Col. Vo Duy Thanh, Commissar of the Provincial Military Command