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Monday, January 30, 2023, 09:41 (GMT+7)
Building the Standing Militia Squadron in Da Nang: Initial results and solutions

Building the Standing Militia Squadron is a vital measure to leverage the overall power of forces and entire people to realise the mission of protecting national sovereignty over waters and islands in the new situation. Nevertheless, this is a new content, which may cause difficulties and inadequacies. On clearly perceiving this reality, Da Nang City Military Command Party Committee and the Municipal Military Command have concentrated on leading execution of this task through many synchronous, suitable solutions and gained initial important results.

Given its position of strategic importance within the defensive posture of the 5th Military Region and the entire country, Da Nang is chosen to implement the 1st phase of the Project No. 10609/DA-BQP, dated 24 September 2018, of the Ministry of National Defence (MND) on “Building the standing militia squadron into a force participating in safeguarding sovereignty over waters and islands in the new situation”. After more than three years’ implementation, under the leadership of the Military Region Party Committee and Command, directly the Municipal Party Committee and People’s Committee, as well as collaboration of departments, commissions, agencies, organisations, and localities, Da Nang City Military Command’s building of the standing militia squadron has achieved important outcomes. The review, selection, organisation, and staffing of the squadron and crews have been carried out scientifically, closely, in accordance with procedures, meeting the targets set by the higher echelons, and ensuring good quality. Organisation and preparations are carried out comprehensively, sequentially, and strictly follow the road map. The reception and allocation of cadres, non-commissioned officers, vessels, weapons, and equipment transferred by the 3rd Naval Region according to decisions of the MND and General Staff are strictly implemented. The City Military Command has proposed and collaborated with the Department of Transport, the Maritime Administration of Da Nang, and the 3rd Naval Region Command to survey a deployed position of the Squadron and safe havens for its vessels in case of storms. The City Military Command attaches special importance to the Squadron’s training, conduct of exercises, and maintenance of regular activities. Results of drills, especially live-fire tests on land or at sea and participation in exercises held by the 3rd Naval Region Command and Quang Nam Province are all graded good. Through these activities, the corps of cadres are trained in command and control of vessels, the militiamen gradually adapt to work in different positions, and the vessels are well protected. Additionally, the Squadron prepares all the documents relating to combat training and readiness; ensures uninterrupted communications; establishes security measures at its onshore station and on the vessels. It also seriously maintains regulations on the duties of combat guarding; promotes good order and discipline. The system of Party organisations and mass organisations are properly established and strengthened. Activities relating to party work and political work are conducted regularly and effectively.

The standing militia squadron participates in a drill to protect sea and island in 2021

Some lessons can be drawn from the recent building of the Standing Militia Squadron. They are also solutions that have been adopted and will be further leveraged effectively in the coming time.

First, it is necessary to strengthen party committees’ and authorities’ close leadership; bring into play the overall power of forces, especially the close instruction of the Military Region Party Committee and Command, the City Party Committee, and People’s Committee; timely issue a system of documents to guide implementation; leverage the serious participation and responsibility of the City’s departments and agencies as well as the leading role of military commands at all levels in advising local party committees and authorities, monitoring, administering, collaborating, and inspecting execution. Given its functions and missions, the City Military Command always tracks the missions and realities of building the Squadron, which enables it to advise the City People’s Committee on trickly implementing higher echelons’ documents and instructions; assigning localities the targets of force selection; allocating sufficient funding for building, training, and operations; promoting examination to timely identify and correct shortcomings as well as resolve difficulties arising during the building, training, and operations of the Squadron.

Second, political, ideological education is to be carried out regularly with a view to enhancing cadres’ and soldiers’ awareness and responsibility for this work. Attention is paid to propagation of the MND’s Project No. 10609/DA-BQP of 24 September 2018, the Establishment Decision of the Military Region Command, tasks assigned by the City Military Party Committee’s Standing Board, and higher echelons’ directive, resolutions, and instructions on military, defence missions and protection of sovereignty over waters and islands in the new situation. There needs to promote propagation with the aim of facilitating cadres’ and soldiers’ thorough understanding of their duties, missions, and immediate tasks; encourage them to establish sound motives, willpower, and sense of responsibility during task execution; regularly grasp feelings and aspirations of cadres and soldiers to timely address problems and create favourable conditions for them to work and devote to the building of the Squadron.

Third, importance should be attached to force development, training, maintenance, and enhancement of the Squadron’s quality of operations. To have a robust force, the City Military Command requests good selection of manpower, creation of coming human resources, and proactive planning of the reserve. Functional agencies regularly review and evaluate quality of the militiamen; correctly assess their abilities, skills, responsibility, and sense of discipline; staff the Squadron and vessels as regulated. On identifying human resources as the key factor of this work, the City Military Command has closely followed the higher echelons’ regulations and proactively selected resources for positions. It has also developed the training materials; well prepared training infrastructure; conducted onshore training according to the motto of “basicness, practicality, and quality”; worked with the 3rd Naval Region to hand over forces and vessels for units in charge of conducting training at sea. In addition, the Command has made every preparation and proactively collaborated with functional departments of the MND, the Military Region, and the 3rd Naval Region Command to receive people and vessels of the Squadron after their participation in duties of combat guarding, patrols to protect the waters, and execution of planned operations, successfully completing assigned tasks and ensuring absolute safety.

Fourth, it is important to closely follow regulations and instructions in order to well carry out support work and policy work with the Squadron. Regarding newly established units, support work, including construction of barracks, technical support, and policies on cadres and soldiers, is a crucial matter. On perceiving the importance of this work, the City Military Command has taken initiative in working with the 3rd Naval Region Command to arrange temporary residences; together with departments, agencies, and localities, proposed places for the Command to build the barracks; presented other investment proposals to the City People’s Committee and People’s Council for consideration, ensuring sufficient conditions for the operation of the Squadron; collaborated with prestigious fuel enterprises to have a stable supply in any situations.

The technical support for the operation of the Squadron always receives special attention in each phase and step in accordance with principles, processes, and instructions from the MND and Military Region. The reception, registry, management, arrangement, and storage of weapons, equipment, ammunition, fishing nets are carried out in accordance with the staffing of each vessel. Professional agencies intensify inspection to timely detect and settle emerging problems.

Moreover, cadres’ and soldiers’ material and spiritual life is always cared for as provided by the Law on Militia and Self-Defence Force and the MND’s Project, which serves to reassure and inspire them to undertake this vital task. Accordingly, given its role as the standing agency in charge of helping the City People’s Committee to track and adminster this task, the City Military Command has taken the lead and collaborated with relevant departments and branches to advise the City People’s Committee to submit many policies on cadres and soldiers of the Squadron to the People’s Council for adoption.

Senior Colonel NGUYEN VAN HOAMember of the City Party Committee’s Standing Board, Chief of the City Military Command

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