Training and combat readiness are a central and regular task, and a breakthrough contributing to improving the overall quality and combat strength of the Army. Thoroughly grasping that spirit, the Party Committee and High Command of the Engineer Corps focus on leading, directing and implementing this important task with practical, synchronous solutions and obtained positive results.

Over the past 75 years of construction, combat, and growth, the Engineer Corps has continuously grown, successfully completed its assigned tasks, built up the tradition of “Paving the way to victory”, making an important contribution to glorious achievements of the Army and the cause of building and defending the Homeland.

Over the past years, the task of building the Army, building and defending the Fatherland has undergone new developments, posing heavy task and higher requirements for engineer troops. Meanwhile, their existing equipment and means have yet to keep pace with the development trend; many activities must be carried out in complex conditions with high risk of unsafety, subject to adverse impacts of weather, climate, etc. In order to meet the requirements and tasks, the Party Committee and the High Command of the Corps always attach great importance to improving the overall quality, combat strength, and constantly promoting the tradition of "Paving the way to victory" in the new conditions; in which, improving the quality of training has been determined as a breakthrough. From the results achieved, in 2021, the entire Corps will make a breakthrough in improving the quality of night training, drills, domestic and international contests and sports festivals; training of combat readiness plans; in-depth professional training for the detachments performing part-time tasks, such as: flood and storm prevention and combat, search and rescue; prevention and fight against fire, explosion, forest fire; detecting and handling bombs, mines, explosives, counter-terrorism, etc. At the same time, to train the Engineering Team to participate in the United Nations Peacekeeping operations; the ASEAN Rescue Team for performing its tasks when required; prepare for and participate in the International Military Sports Festival specialised in engineering, etc.

Participating in the Anti-terrorism Drill 2020

First of all, the Corps strengthens the leadership and direction of the Party committees and commanders at all levels for training and combat readiness. The Party Committee and the High Command of the Corps require agencies and units to continue to thoroughly grasp, strictly comply with resolutions, directives and orders of their superiors on training and combat readiness. On that basis, the committees at all levels issued thematic resolutions to lead the training and development of implementation plans with targets and measures relevant to functions and tasks. In order to "create a strong change in the quality of training and combat readiness" in the spirit of the Resolution of the 14^th Congress of the Corps’ Party, the Corps continues to renew its leadership and management over training; strengthen decentralisation and empowerment to clearly define the responsibilities of agencies and commanders at all levels in advising, directing and carrying out training tasks. At the same time, promoting party work, political work to raise awareness, responsibility, build strong will and determination for cadres and soldiers for the task of training and combat readiness. Along with that, the Corps strengthens check, inspection and review of the training results in order to evaluate the reality of the training and maintain the training experience at all levels, promptly overcome the weak points and inadequate responsibility.

Second, continue to have comprehensive renewals in training to suit with the reality. Along with the development of the mission, the engineer force is increasingly equipped with many new and modern technical facilities, so the comprehensive renewal of training is both an inevitable task and an urgent requirement. In order to perform this task well, the Corps advises, proposes to the Ministry of National Defence to perfect the specialised training program for the engineer force of the entire Military in compliance with the reality; coordinates with functional agencies to focus on leading, directing, commanding and guiding units to renovate the work of planning and conducting high-quality specialised training. In the immediate future, to concentrate on holding training courses on search and rescue for the concurrent Engineering battalions of units and training on reconnaissance and counter-amphibious landing obstacle arrangement for the engineer forces of related units, meeting both immediate and long-term requirements. Adhering to the motto of "basic, practical, solid", the Corps instructs the units to conduct synchronous, specialised and relevant training, meeting the requirements of the mission with a focus on training to meet the increasing requirements of combat readiness, construction, search and rescue, UXO clearance, terrorism prevention, disaster response skills, participation in the United Nations peacekeeping, etc. In order to make it highly effective, the Corps focuses on breakthroughs and innovation in organising training methods for cadres, especially those at the division level; attaches importance to the training in exploiting, using and mastering new and special equipment, with priority given to modern equipment; increase practice, night training, physical training, improve the level and ability to perform tasks in difficult and complex conditions.

Moreover, the Corps conducts the exercises thoroughly with high quality; directs and strengthens the application of information technology and simulation technology and hold drills in urgent conditions. To make training relevant to reality, the Corps continues to innovate the content, training methods and exercises in a practical and effective manner; actively participates in the joint exercises and international humanitarian, search and rescue drills; directs units to attach importance to improving the quality of tactical exercises at the battalion and company levels; maintains the quality of contests and festivals; builds sport teams to participate in military and international sport festivals. It aims that every year 100% of the engineer battalions and companies are rated as good training units, and many engineer brigades will be recognised by the Ministry of National Defence as well-trained units. In response to the new requirements and tasks, the Corps focuses on training the maneuverability for combat readiness, the capability for disaster prevention and control, search and rescue; the capability of the Engineering Team to participate in the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations, and the ASEAN Rescue Team to ensure that they are capable of performing international missions.

The Corps instructs its schools to continue to renew their processes, methods, programs to improve the quality of education, training, and scientific research in accordance with the reality of training, combat readiness and combat missions in peacetime of the Corps. Importance is attached to training the level and manner of command and management, soft skills, foreign language skills for cadres and cadets; gradually build the schools towards the model of "Smart school, approaching the Fourth Industrial Revolution" and perform well the task of training engineer officers for Laos and Cambodian militaries, contributing to good performance defence foreign affairs.

Thirdly, maintaining and improving the level and ability of combat readiness, meeting the requirements for engineering of the entire army and performing well the “combat task in peacetime". Accordingly, the Corps directs its agencies and units to promote education to raise awareness of combat readiness for officers and soldiers; regularly maintain the regime of combat readiness at all levels, and the synchronicity of people, weapons, equipment and other aspects in order not to be made passive and surprised in all situations. Proactively formulate, supplement and complete the system of operational documents, especially plans for strategic operations, participation in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, post-war mine actions. At the same time, increase the practice according to plans, focusing on improving the maneuverability of the engineer detachment. To maintain its high level of combat readiness, the Corps continues to coordinate with military regions, corps, and localities to deploy task forces for researching and preparing battlefields in strategic directions; building a solid engineering posture, especially the engineer reserve forces, the systems of maneuver routes, combat works, etc., for all situations.

Together with the above solutions, the Corps continues to implement the full and synchronous assurance of weapons, technical equipment and facilities for agencies and units; make proposals for the procurement and production of new and special equipment, while designing and investing in the construction of standardised and highly applicable professional training fields, etc., contributing to improving the quality of training and combat readiness of the Engineering Corps, meeting the requirements of Military construction and Fatherland protection.

Major General TRAN TRUNG HOA, Commander of the Corps