Over the past years, in parallel with proper execution of training and combat readiness missions, armed forces of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province have always enthusiastically participated in an emulation movement entitled “Military Logistic Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings”, thereby contributing to intensifying the study and following of Uncle Ho’s thought, morality, and lifestyle, and genuinely promoting the quality of logistical work.

Over the past years, fully aware of the significance of logistical work in successfully accomplishing local military-defence missions, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Military Party Committee and Command (hereinafter PMPC and PMC) have taken various directive and leadership measures to reform and enhance the quality of this work with an emphasis on properly implementing emulation movement entitled “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings” as a basis for the provincial armed forces’ execution of Directive. No. 05-CT/TW.

Thoroughly grasping Uncle Ho’s teachings that read “logistic work is as important as fighting on the front line. It requires a sound line and policy to well perform this work”, the PMPC and PMC have concentrated their increased leadership and direction on logistic work, particularly on the implementation of the emulation movement “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings”; enhanced propagation and education work to raise awareness of local military logistic work amongst sectors, branches and cadres and soldiers, thereby facilitating the participation of cadres and soldiers and gaining attention and support from local party committees and administrations in a synergistic effort to successfully carry out this work. From experience drawn from the execution of Directive No. 03-CT/TW by the Politburo (11^th tenure) and the emulation movement “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings”, the PMC has closely adhered to Military Region No. 7 High Command’s guidelines as well as local military-defence mission requirements, and concretized  “one focus – three breakthroughs” and “five goods” criteria^(*) into its logistic criteria and solutions in tune with its forces and stationed areas’ peculiarities whilst promoting the key role of logistic branch, especially Logistic Department under the PMC in giving advice and recommendations on this work. For the sake of high effectiveness in the emulation movement, the PMPC and PMC have directed their affiliates to tightly combine the movement “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings” with the implementation of Resolution No. 623-NQ/QUTW by the Central Military Commission; Resolution No. 1021-NQ/ĐU by the 7^th Military Region Party Committee on logistical work towards 2020 and beyond, patriotic and “Determination to win” emulation movements launched by sectors, branches, and localities.

The PMC’s model of vegetable garden

When alive, President Ho Chi Minh ever taught us “if we are totally self-sufficient in food production, then our troops will be strong. Cadres of the logistical branch must be determined to sufficiently provide soldiers with food and weapons”. Imbued with that teaching, the province’s armed forces have proactively counselled the 7^th Military Region Party Committee and High Command and local party commitees and governments to adopt various innovative solutions to enhance the quality and efficiency of logistic work, matching military-defence missions in the new situation with great emphasis devoted to fostering logistical ability for routine and unexpected tasks; boosting horticultural activities and animal husbandry; improving soldiers’ living standards; and building logistic posture in defensive areas, etc. Perceiving the teaching of “logistic cadres must proactively take the initiative in their work”, the PMC has actively collaborated with provincial sectors and branches in advising the Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council and Committee and localities to speed up socio-economic development in association with the building of people’s widespread and strong logistic posture in defensive areas, especially in Con Dao island district. Thanks to the PMC’s counselling, all-level party committees and administrations have paid due attention to their military logistic work. Accordingly, the Provincial People’s Committee has established a defensive area logistic council and regularly maintained its operations; formulated a Project on building a province-level logistical base; and directed eight provincial districts and towns and cities to finalize the project and invest in essential constructions. The provincial armed forces have proactively worked out and finalized a system of documents pertaining to combat readiness logistic work, particularly those concerning sea and island defensive combat, and precautionary plans for dealing with contingencies, natural catastrophes, and search and rescue activities while playing a core role in making and examining plans for military mobilization; instructing provincial departments, branches, and localities to devise plans for ensuring military logistic needs in line with the province’s mission requirements and economic capabilities. Over the past years, the provincial defensive area logistic potential and posture have been strengthened via synchronous solutions, opportunely meeting routine and unexpected logistical missions with priorities given to armed forces in charge of Con Dao island district.

Following Uncle Ho’s moral example and teachings, the provincial armed forces have spared no effort to surpass all difficulties; promoted the implementation of “three breakthroughs” and “five goods” criteria and of the goal of “improving the quality of building green, clean, and beautiful barracks and ensuring soldiers’ basic necessities” under Directive No. 158/CT-BTL by the 7^th Military Region High Command. Amidst increasingly demanding logistical requirements, mounting prices of basic commodities, and complex weather developments, ect, the PMPC and PMC have taken drastic measures to heighten soldiers’ living standards as evidenced by innovative solutions to ensure logistic work and increased inspection and supervion work. Perceiving Uncle Ho’s teaching that reads “military offices must enhance horticultural activities and animal husbandry to be partially self-sufficient in food and other necessities”, the provincial armed forces have stepped up horticultural activities and animal husbandry and gained encouraging results. The PMC has cooperated with provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in actively carrying out the 24-billion-VND Project on speeding up horticultural activities and animal husbandry in armed forces approved by the Provincial People’s Council. Accordingly, units with the PMC have effectively used investment capital from Project to carry out horticultural activities and animal husbandry in tune with their peculiarities. Many models of horticultural activities and animal husbandry have been unearthed and translated into practice such as model of company-level horticultural activities and animal husbandry on Con Dao island; provincial model of concentration of horticultural activities and animal husbandry. Notably, the PMC has combined horticultural activities and animal husbandry with management and protection of defence lands, environmental preservation, and the building of “green, clean, and beautiful” barracks with great importance attached to scientific and technological applications and food safety. At present, the provincial armed forces’ self-sufficiency rates in vegetable, meat, and fish needs stood at 100%, 80% - 85%, and 35% - 40% respectively; gross receipts from horticultural activities and animal husbandry and services reached from 7 to 8 billion VND per year, thereby creating stable food supplies and contributing to improving cadres and soldiers’ living standards, especially those stationed on Con Dao island.

Inauguration ceremony of social housing for cadres and employees of the province’s armed forces

For military medical work, the provincial armed forces have concentrated on the movement of “building five-good military medical units” in alignment with the implementation of military-civilian medical coordination. Military medical forces at all levels have always proactively done disease prevention and provided health care for cadres and soldiers whilst actively collaborating with local medical agencies in offering health checkups for conscripts and students who apply for military schools; provided free medical examination and treatment and medicines for local people in their stationed areas. Good initial results from conducting health issurance examinations and treatment by the PMC’s clinic have contributed to promoting military-civilian solidarity, and brilliantly brightening up noble image of Uncle Ho’s soldiers in people’s hearts and minds.

The emulation movement of following Uncle Ho’s teachings has enabled the provincial armed forces to reap encouraging results in the work of military transport and preventing wastefulness. The movement of “building and managing green, clean, and beautiful barracks” has been deep-rooted and widespread amongst the provincial offices, branches, and sectors. The PMC has proactively and effectively used various sources of capital, particularly local budget to invest in and upgrade a system of barracks and depots; advised local authorities to invest in building commune-level military command offices whilst motivating cadres and soldiers to responsibly renovate their barracks. To date, almost all units within the PMC have a system of green, clean, and beautiful barracks. The PMC is one of the 7^th Military Region’s top units which take the initiative in ensuring offices and accomodations for active militia in commune-level military command offices.

Thanks to attained results, the PMPC and PMC have directed localities and its affiliates to continuously promote the emulation movement “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s teachings” via concrete and realistic practices, creating further momentum for improving the quality and performance of logistical work, contributing to building the comprehensively strong provincial armed forces, successfully accomplishing all assigned tasks.

Sr Colonel Thai Van Dien, Commissar of the PMC

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(*): five-good emulation movement of the Military Logistics includes good attitude and quality, good provision of health care for soldiers, good fight against corruption; good technical innovations and initiatives for building logistical models; and good administrative reforms.