Deeply aware of the significance of training and combat readiness, for the past time, Brigade 242 of Military Region 3 has deployed synchronous and appropriate measures and achieved practical achievements. Most notably, all of its targets and tasks in training and combat readiness have been completed and exceeded the set plan; the content and methods of conducting training have been innovated, and training quality has been constantly improved; 100% of the training contents and testing of the subjects are classified as good and excellent. For many years, it has been honourably awarded the "Excellent Training Unit" flag by the Ministry of National Defence. This is an important basis for the Brigade to improve its overall quality, combat strength, and firmly protect the seas and islands in the Northeast region of the Fatherland.

Leader of the Brigade checks explosive training at Battalion 162

The above results are attributed to, first of all, the fact that the Brigade has always strengthened the leadership and direction of Party committees and commanders at all levels in training and combat readiness. As the Brigade undertake tasks on islands far from the mainland, over a wide area with difficulties in transportation and in real life and increasingly higher requirements and tasks of protecting sea and island sovereignty, etc., in order to successfully complete the assigned tasks, the Party Committee and Commander of the Brigade directed Party committees and commanders at all levels to thoroughly grasp the resolutions and directives of superiors on training and combat readiness, directly Resolution No. 396-NQ/DU, dated 23 March 2023 of the Party Committee of Military Region 3 on improving the quality of training in the period 2023 - 2030 and the following years. On this basis, they are to issue their specialised leadership resolution, clearly identify policies and measures for leadership and direction to comprehensively innovate training and combat readiness, focusing on innovating the content and methods of training and drills; mobilise resources for training; combine training with combat readiness closely. To make it highly effective, during the implementation, the Brigade requires its agencies and units to strengthen their leadership and direction in a comprehensive manner, with foci and breakthroughs to overcome weaknesses. Besides, it focuses on innovating the training management and operation mechanism through building and strictly managing training plans; strengthen decentralisation and empowerment; promotes the role and responsibility of commanders at all levels and agencies in directing, guiding, inspecting, supervising, grasping the situation, advising and proposing to the Party Committee and Commanders of the Brigade commanders measures to lead, direct, manage, and operate training close to the target and tasks.

Moreover, the Brigade directed Party committees and commanders at all levels to step up the implementation of Directive No. 2423-CT/QUTW, dated 9 November 2023 of the Central Military Commission’s Standing Committee "On innovation and improvement of the quality of political education in the new period", fostering the soldiers' will and determination, regardless of difficulties and hardships in performing their tasks. In particular, the Brigade promoted emulation activities in training and combat readiness, especially the campaign of studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style and the Campaign of promoting tradition, dedicating talents, and deserving the title "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" in the new period, etc. As a result, the awareness and responsibility of Party committees and commanders at all levels and officers and soldiers for the task of training and combat readiness have been constantly improved, contributing significantly to the way the Brigade overcoming all difficulties and successfully completing its assigned tasks.

Realising the importance of preparation that directly decides the quality of training, the Brigade has always made careful preparation proactively, such as: perfecting its structure and staffing; conducting training for its cadres; developing training content, programmes, and plans; preparing facilities, training grounds, etc. Accordingly, before training, it reviews and adjusts the training framework to suit the task requirements of each unit with priority being given to units training new recruits, units in combat readiness, and those performing tasks on the islands. At the same time, it opens refresher courses to improve the training level of its cadres at all levels. Together with preparations in personnel, the Brigade regularly directs its units to prepare facilities carefully for training. Accordingly, the teaching aids, training grounds, lesson plans, etc. have been prepared in a unified, standardised and modern direction. It agencies and units also promote initiatives, technical improvements and actively apply scientific and technological achievements in the research and making of teaching aids.

Motar training on island

In training, the Brigade adheres to the motto of "basic, practical, and solid", attaches importance to training according to plans, areas, and combat objects, takes tactical training as the centre, techniques as the foundation, and cadre training as the key step; focuses on training to improve the ability to master weapons and technical equipment, especially new ones; strengthens night training, practical training, training in the conditions of complex weather, and the enemy uses high-tech weapons, and in short preparation time. Based on the specific tasks of the units in charge of the sea and island defence, the Brigade attaches importance to innovating the training content, form, and methods for each object. It actively innovates methods, seriously adhering to the training procedures with emphasis being placed on synchronous and in-depth training close to each force component and combat plan of sea and island defence. Notably, it actively proposed to the MR3 deploy cadres from onshore agencies and units to work on the islands on a periodic basis to train and improve their all-round capacity, decisiveness, and sensitiveness in handling situations. At the end of each training period, it holds competitions, sports events, and drills in a serious manner to improve the organiational and command capacity of cadres, the level of coordination between squads to meet mission requirements in all situations.

Together with improving the quality of training, the Brigade pays special attention to improving combat readiness, considering this an important measure that decides the level of mission completion of units. Based on its responsibilities, it regularly informs and strictly implements the instructions, orders and regulations of superiors on combat readiness work. To achieve high efficiency, along with strengthening education to raise awareness of the position and importance of this work for officers and soldiers, it attaches importance to building and perfecting the system of documents and plans relating to combat readiness task. At the same time, it regularly promotes the construction and consolidation of the system of fortifications on the islands in the interconnected and solid direction; strictly maintain the regimes, not to be made passive and surprised in any situation. Based on the practical situation and assigned tasks, it closely coordinated with the Quang Ninh Provincial Military Command, Radar Regiment 295 of Air Defence Division 363, radar stations of Naval Region 1, Border Guard stations, etc. to conduct reconnaissance, grasp the situation, and predict targets to promptly supplement plans and complete joint combat plans to counter enemy’s fire and landings from air and sea directions. Besides, it closely coordinates with the Party Committees and governments of Van Don and Co To districts to promptly mobilise forces and means in disaster relief, minimising loss of property to the State and the people.

Along with the above solutions, the Brigade attaches great importance to supply work for training and combat readiness, especially technical assurance. As the Brigade operates different types of weapons and equipment, while the environment and climate of the sea and islands adversely affect the work of preservation. To overcome this problem, its directs its agencies and units to seriously grasp and effectively implement resolutions and directives from higher echelons on technical tasks in the new period, focusing on the Campaign 50 on "Managing and exploiting weapons and technical equipment well, durably, safely, economically and traffic safety"; maintains and strictly implements the regime and order of technical work; regularly monitors, inspects, checks, analyses, and finds out the causes of failures to quickly propose effective solutions, ensuring that weapons and equipment are always kept synchronised and stable. As a result, the usable coefficient of its weapons and equipment always reaches from 0.9 to 1, serving well the tasks of training and combat readiness.

Those above results are the basis and motivation for the officers and soldiers of Brigade 242 to continue to strive to improve its overall quality and combat strength, capable of defending firmly the Northeastern seas and islands of the country.

Senior Colonel PHAM TUAN ANH, Brigade Commander