Imbued with the morality of "Remember the source when drinking water", and "Repaying", in recent years, along with well performing the military and defence tasks, the Party Committee and the Military Command of Ben Tre Province have actively participated in counseling for the party committees and local authorities to promote the "Repaying" movement, thereby, improving the material and spiritual life of the beneficiaries, fostering and building the People's faith in the Party, the State and the socialist regime.

Ben Tre is a province rich in revolutionary traditions. In the wars for national liberation, national defence, and international duty, the province had a large number of people involved in combat and combat service. The whole province has 35,879 martyrs, more than 6,000 remains of which have not been found; there are 146,064 people and families with meritorious services to the revolution, with nearly 20,000 wounded and diseased soldiers; more than 6,800 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; 158 collectives, 88 individuals  are Heroes of the People's Armed Forces and Heroes of Labor. These are great losses, but also the honor and the pride for the great contributions of the Military and people of the province to the revolutionary cause. In order to implement the policy for war invalids, martyrs and the movement of "Repaying", the provincial armed forces have promoted the core role in advising the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Committee to well perform this task, considering it a regular and important political responsibility.

Repatriating martyrs' remains

The Party Committee and Provincial Military Command have advised the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee to issue many documents, directives and plans to direct the implementation of the Party and State’s guidelines and policies for people with meritorious services to the revolution. At the same time, it acts as the central agency directly implementing policies, such as: Decision No. 142/2008/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister on the implementation of regimes for soldiers participating in the American resistance war with less than 20 years in service; Decision No. 62/2011/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister on regimes and policies for people participating in wars to defend the Fatherland and implement international missions in Cambodia, help Laos after April 30, 1975 who have demobilized or resigned; Decision No. 49/2015/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister on the regimes and policies for the civilian joining the resistance war against France, against the United States, the war to protect the Fatherland and to perform international duties, etc. During the implementation process, the Military Command coordinated closely with the functional agencies to focus on reviewing, verifying and thoroughly resolving with an attitude of "Full, timely, fair and democratic, transparent".

Implementing Project 1237 of the Government on searching and gathering the remains of martyrs, the Provincial Military Command directs agencies and units to closely coordinate with local authorities and veterans associations in the locality to search for and supplement information about martyrs' tombs. Since 2016, the province has collected and received 76 martyrs' remains for burial at the martyrs’ cemeteries of the province. Continue to digitize records of people with meritorious services; coordinate with the provincial functional agencies to set up a search map, collect the remains of martyrs, make documentary film about the sacrifice of martyrs and people of Ben Tre dying in the resistance wars. Up to now, the province has completed the decoding of unit symbols and transcripts, completed the database for 26,127 martyrs' records and put them into unified management on the website. Every year, military commands at all levels respond to the letter and receive hundreds of martyrs’ families coming to find and visit the martyrs' tombs, providing them with sufficient information and whole-hearted reception which is highly appreciated by the people and local authorities. The province has focused on investment, mobilized resources, socialized construction and embellished several memorials and martyrs' temples. All communes and districts throughout the province have memorials and martyrs' temples.

The work of "Repaying" is the noble morality and culture, the responsibility of the later generation towards those who have devoted themselves to the cause of national liberation. The provincial armed forces always dedicate sacred sentiments and practical deeds to pay tribute to and respect the war invalids and martyrs who sacrificed their blood and fresh for the cause of national liberation and reunification. In addition to the good implementation of the policies of the Party, the State, every year, the Party Committee, the Provincial Military Command have organized and launched the movement of contributing to the "Repaying" Fund throughout its forces.  Since 2017, officers, soldiers and organizations and individuals in the province have contributed nearly 7 billion VND to the "Repaying" Fund and "For the Poor" Fund. From these funds, the provincial armed forces coordinate with functional departments and agencies to organize many practical activities, such as supporting school supplies, scholarships, and transportation for children of policy families; contribute to nurturing the Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, caring for the relatives of the martyrs’ who are elderly and lonely, and the injured and seriously wounded soldiers; donated nearly 200 "Houses of gratitude", "Houses of comrade", etc. On the holidays, New Year, War Invalids - Martyrs July occasions every year, agencies and units pay visits and encourage families of martyrs, wounded and sick soldiers, families with meritorious services to the revolution; coordinate with Hospital 120 of the Logistics Department under the Military Region 9 to provide medical examination and treatment for tens of thousands of policy beneficiaries in the area.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Minh Trieu, Deputy Commander of Military Region 9, presents gifts to policy beneficiaries

Those practical activities have brought about positive effects, contributing to motivating and improving the lives of policy beneficiaries and People with meritorious services to the revolution. However, due to many reasons, both objective and subjective, there still remain limitations that need to be overcome. Therefore, in order to further improve the policy work for the meritorious people, the "Repaying" movement, in the coming time, the provincial armed forces will focus on well implementing the following main contents:

Firstly, continue to promote the propaganda and education about the Party and State's guidelines and policies and the above instructions and resolutions on policy work in general, and the work of war invalids, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution in particular. Closely coordinate with the news agencies and radios to promote the spread of mass media; combine well the measures and forms of propagation to raise the quality and efficiency of this work; promptly inform the guidelines and policies of the Party, the State and the Military, especially new policies to officers, soldiers, and people and policy beneficiaries. At the same time, prevent and repel the manifestations of irresponsibility, harassment and wrongdoings during implementation. This is not only a duty and responsibility, but also a factor to ensure the implementation of social progress and justice, expressing profoundly the superiority and good nature of our regime in order to continue promoting the patriotic tradition and revolutionary heroism in the new era.

Secondly, strengthen the leadership and direction of the party committees and commanders at all levels for the policy of war invalids, martyrs, and the "Repaying" movement. Party committees, commanders, political commissars, and junior commissars at all levels must consider this an important and regular political task. Accordingly, they are to follow closely the above guidelines and policies, local practical situation and practical needs and interests of policy beneficiaries in order to proactively propose suitable and effective guidelines and measures for leadership. Honor and praise the examples of wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, martyrs' families, People with meritorious services who have promoted the will of self-reliance and overcome difficulties to rise up. At the same time, overcoming the formal, unrealistic and wasteful operations leaving negative opinions about the Party and State's guidelines and policies towards policy beneficiaries and People with meritorious services.

Thirdly, flexibly and creatively apply different forms in the work of "Repaying" with practical and effective deeds. The important objective of the work of "Repaying" is to contribute to improving the quality of material and spiritual lives for the beneficiaries. Therefore, agencies and units should firmly grasp the practical needs of the policy beneficiaries; closely coordinate with the Party committees and authorities at all levels, to continue to expand the effective models and practices that have been confirmed in practice; At the same time, research new forms suitable with new requirements and conditions.

Fourthly, improve the quality of the contingent of officers working on policy. Regularly pay attention to training, fostering and strengthening the contingent of officers working on policy at all levels. Agencies and units should enhance the fostering and education to improve ethical qualities, actively send them to specialized training courses to ensure that they have sufficient qualifications, capability and professional ethics, devoted to the work with a clear mind, long-term commitment. Strictly adhere to the working regime of the sector, accelerate administrative reforms, and invest in building and perfecting infrastructure systems, applying information technology in carrying out policy work. Pay attention to the life of the staff working on policy so that they are enthusiastic with their work and well fulfill their assigned duties and tasks.

The results achieved in the implementation of the policy for war invalids, martyrs and the "Repaying" movement show the gratitude and affection of the armed forces of Ben Tre Province to the people in the area. Thereby, contributing to traditional education, fostering patriotism, fighting morale, promoting the quality and tradition of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", building strong political armed forces of the province, improving its overall quality and combat level to meet mission requirements.

Colonel LE VAN HUNG, Political Commissar of Provincial Military Command