The training and combat readiness in the whole Army in general, and in the Armored Corps in particular is considered the most important element that determines the overall quality and combat strength of each unit and the whole Corps. It is also noted as a breakthrough in the Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress that should be thoroughly grasped, and seriously and effectively implemented.

Understanding the importance of training and combat readiness to the Armored force – the main mobile and combat force of the Vietnam Ground Forces, the Corps’ Party Committee and Command have thoroughly grasped and strictly implemented the resolutions and directives of the Party, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence (MND) on the tasks of training and combat readiness, creating a profound change in the combined quality of the overall strength and the fighting power of each agency and unit. As a result, the awareness and responsibility of party committees and commanders at all levels towards this task have been improved; the renewal of contents, programs, plans and methods as well as the education and training management, operation and assurance have witnessed positive changes. Attention has also been paid to closely combining the basic training with practice, exercises, and combat readiness maintenance, and the specialized military training with political education, discipline management and enhanced combat readiness level and capability. Great value has been attached to conducting research and applying science and technology, especially information technology and simulation technology as well as investing in weapons, equipment, vehicles, and training fields. Consequently, in recent years, the Corps’ quality of training and combat readiness has had steady and comprehensive progress. 100% of its officers and soldiers have passed the training test, 75% - 80% of them have achieved credit and distinction. A number of its units have been recognized as "Excellent Training Unit". The Corps has also participated in the exercises such as: the BD-16, MB-17, and DT-17, and been highly appreciated by the State and the MND.

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Khac Nam inspects the training preparation of the Tank Brigade 201

However, there remain limitations in a number of aspects. Several cadres and troops have shown the fearfulness of hardship when conducting while the “achievement disease” during training in a number of units has still existed. The work of counselling, directing, organizing and administering training in a number of agencies, units and schools has yet to be comprehensive; the maneuverability of some sections, especially in hard weather and terrains has been limited. Meanwhile, the task of building the military, consolidating national defence, and protecting the Homeland has set ever higher requirements for the whole Army in general, and the Armored Corps in particular. Therefore, more than ever before, the entire Corps and armored forces in the whole military should continue to thoroughly grasp the resolutions and directives on training and combat readiness, creating important prerequisites for enhancing overall quality and combat strength of the Corps.

First of all, to raise awareness and sense of responsibility of cadres and soldiers for the task of training and combat readiness. To do so, the Corps’ Party Committee and Command have directed party committees, commanders, and commissars  of its units and schools to thoroughly grasp directives and resolutions on training and combat readiness, particularly the Resolution of the Corps’ 10^th Party Congress, the Corps’ Party Committee’s Resolution No. 438-NQ/ĐU, dated 06-01-2013 on "Improving the quality of training for the period of 2013-2020 ..." associated with the project on "Renovation of political education in units in the new period". Grounded on those documents, political and ideological education plans, contents and programs should be adjusted and made to be relevant to the objects and tasks of the units and geographical characteristics.

In order to prepare high quality human resources for the Project of modernizing the armored forces, ensuring the synchronization of both men and materiel, the Corps has determined to comprehensively raise the awareness and responsibility of officers and soldiers for the task of training and combat readiness. Accordingly, units and schools have synchronously and drastically implemented the educational measures, intensively renovating contents and methods to make the work more realistic and effective. The educational contents must comprehensive and help the military personnel firmly grasp the Party’s viewpoint on military and defense work, the tasks of the Military and the Corps, the tradition of "gaining victory whenever deploying forces", and the roadmap, the requirements for modernizing the armored forces in the coming time. At the same time, importance has been attached to making cadres and soldiers aware of conspiracies and tricks of hostile forces, absolutely trust in the available weapons and operational art of the armored forces and the necessity to improve the quality of training and combat readiness. Attention has been paid to flexibly applying the educational measures, combining ideological orientations with the building of the political will, and regular education with the implementation of emulation movements. Significance has been attached to stepping up the implementation of the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (12^th tenure) on the Party building and rectification and the 12^th Politburo’s Directive 05 on studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and style in order to promote the exemplary role of cadres and party members in all tasks, including the task of training and combat readiness.

Secondly, to actively improve the quality of training, focusing on checking and evaluating the results of staff agency on operational training, ensuring that the training work is realistic and effectively, creating a solid foundation to improve the level of combat readiness of the armored forces. The Corps has directed agencies and units to follow the criteria and requirements set by the Resolution No. 765-NQ/TW dated December 20, 2012 by the Central Military Commission, Resolution No. 438-NQ/ĐU on the task of training in the new situation, concentrating on renewing the training preparation. To deal with the shortage of cadres, especially cadres at the detachment level, the Corps’ Party Committee and Command have directed its units and agencies to quickly consolidate the organizational structure, with a focus on new units and those which are going to be formed under the Project to modernize the armored forces. At the same time, due regard has been paid to organizing training courses for cadres and sending cadres to study abroad in order to build up high quality personnel, meeting both short and long term requirements. Along with that, the Corps has ordered units and schools to vigorously renew the training contents and methods in accordance with the guidelines: being good at the Corps’ fighting arts and skillful at other corps’ fighting tactics, especially when soldiers are separated from the tanks. Accordingly, focuses of training should be placed on the weak and new points. Importance should be attached to raising the level of use of various types of signal and electronic means, synchronous equipment on tanks, combat armor in hi-tech and cyber warfare, etc. The training direction, management and administration shall be directed towards: "concentrated, uniform, efficient, and non-overlapping". Direction work must be via orders and directives; management work must be carried out by regulations and discipline; and operation work must be conducted by plans and via inspection and supervision of the staff agencies.

Importance should be attached to renewing inspection and evaluation of the training results in which commanders and campaign-level staff agencies must be inspected first, units will be inspected later. Consideration should be given to closely combining regular and extraordinary inspections both in terms of time and content at the request of the commander so as to formulate scientific working style for cadres and improve the training and combat readiness skills for units, meeting the operational requirements.

Thirdly, to sufficiently and opportunely ensure technical work for training and combat readiness. Thoroughly grasping and implementing the Resolution No. 382/NQ-ĐUQSTƯ and Conclusion No. 763/KL-QUTW by the Central Military Commission on managing the technical work in the new situation, as a technical corps equipped with a large number of weapons and training equipment, especially tanks and armored vehicles, agencies, units, and schools should pay attention to the task of maintaining technical service for training and combat readiness. To the task of training, due regard should be paid to closely combining the development of technical assurance documents and plans with the improvement of weapons and equipment maintenance; maintaining the technical specifications of this group at tk ≥ 0.85. Significance should be attached to opportunely and synchronously ensuring enough amounts of oil, grease and technical equipment. Investment should be made in conducting research and application of innovations and technical improvements in training practice to ensure the requirements of cost saving and improve the efficiency and utility. For the task of combat readiness, attention should be paid to vigorously implementing the project on "Modernizing tanks and armored vehicles in 2017 – 2020 period". Accordingly, units have closely cooperated with the technical agencies in opportunely and sufficiently supplying the number of tanks and armored vehicles, with priority given to cooperating with other corps and services in fighting against subversion and terrorism as well as in conducting search and rescue operations.

The Corps’ technical department has cooperated with units in implementing the Project on modernization, preparing to receive new weapons and equipment, and renewing technical maintenance in a fast, compact and safe manner. In addition, importance should be attached to ensuring sufficient combat reserves, strictly following the procedures of maintaining, preserving, inspecting and managing weapons and equipment. The whole Corps is striving to successfully fulfill the task of technical maintenance for training and exercises, making contribution to raising comprehensive quality and combat readiness capability of the armored forces, meeting the requirements of building the Military and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Khac Nam, Commander of the Corps