Being based and operating in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province where heavy traffic, many industrial zones, and a large number of immigrants are concentrated, Division 9, under the 4th Army Corps, is often influenced by the area situations. Besides the advantages, it is highly prone to problems in security, order and social safety, especially social evils, which have a significant impact on its task performance. Moreover, the implementation of Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated 2 April 2022 of the Central Military Commission on the restructuring of the Vietnam People's Army in the 2021 - 2030 period and beyond, with the dissolution and merger of a number of agencies and units in the Corps and the Division, as well as the difficulties of troops’ families, have been affecting their thought and task performance. Faced with that situation and on the basis of thoroughly grasping the resolutions and directives of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and directly of the Party Committee and Command of the 4th Army Corps on military and defence tasks, the Party Committee and Commandant of the Division have regularly grasped the all-round situation of the area, proactively deployed all aspects of work, aiming to build a clean and strong Party Committee and an all-strong, "exemplary and typical” unit. In particular, strengthening legal education and discipline management has been identified as an important solution to create a solid change in awareness and action in the observance of State law and Military discipline, helping its cadres and soldiers perform well their assigned tasks.

Thoroughly grasping and strictly implementing Directive No. 103/CT-BQP, dated 28 November 2019 of the Ministry of National Defence on "Continuing to strengthen management and education of discipline observance and safety assurance in the Vietnam People's Army"; Directive No. 07/CT-TM, dated 10 March 2020 of the Chief of the General Staff on "Implementing disciplinary year in the Military"; Official Dispatch No. 1598/CT-TH, dated 6 September 2019 of the General Political Department on "Strengthening leadership and direction of education, management, and prevention of serious legal and discipline violations", the Party Committee and Commandant of the Division have carried out many policies and solutions to lead and direct legal education work in association with promoting disciplinary management and regularity building. Its annual, quarterly and monthly leadership resolutions, and those of its affiliates all specify the content of ideological leadership in troop management; correctly assess the actual state of the ideological situation and discipline observance, find out the cause, and propose appropriate policies and measures. Emphasis is placed on promoting legal propaganda, dissemination, and education, to enhance officers and soldiers’ sense of responsibility and self-discipline. Its cadre staff are always exemplary, pioneering, proactive, and closely follow all activities of the soldiers to promptly correct and prevent manifestations of wrongdoings and hesitation to difficulties in discipline compliance.

Troops of the Division study legal books (Photo credit: qdnd.vn)

The Party Committee and Commandant of the Division require its agencies and units to focus on innovating the form, content, and methods of political, ideological, and legal education. Every year, its units carry out all contents and programmes of political education, legal propaganda, dissemination, and education for targeted subjects in accordance with the regulations and instructions of higher echelons. The form of education is carried out in an open manner which is suitable to the characteristics and tasks, and relevant to the psychology and cognitive level of the soldiers. Regarding the content, new and first-year soldiers are briefed about the Military Service Law, Orders and regulations of the Ministry of National Defence, Corps and units on formality construction, disciplining, traffic safety and safety in training; second-year soldiers are educated about Law on Road Traffic, Civil Code, Penal Code, Law on Marriage and Family, etc. The contingent of officers and non-commissioned officers attend specialised command and managerial courses to serve their work. In addition, units regularly meet and coordinate with local party committees and governments and troops’ families in the education and management of troops.

To manage the soldiers effectively, the Party Committee and Commandant of the Division require its subordinate party committees, political commissars, junior commissars, and political offices at all levels to regularly forecast the situation and strictly manage the internal politics; firmly grasp the records, background, family situation as well as relationships of servicemen, especially those who have difficult circumstances, and work in departments prone to violations. When receiving new soldiers, besides coordinating with the localities to select and firmly grasp their profiles and backgrounds, leaders and commanders at all levels must also grasp their qualifications, capabilities, morality, health and relationships to advise and propose the most suitable and effective content, form, and methods of political and legal education.

In order to build a sense of self-discipline for the soldiers, the Party Committee and Commandant of Division require its agencies and units to strengthen management, maintain the order of regularity  building, promote the exemplary role of its cadres and the emulation movements and drives. Its agencies and units strictly maintain study and work regimes; closely combine the tasks of training and combat readiness with the exercise of formal manner and discipline. In addition to the above measures, the Division also directs its agencies and units to coordinate with local party committees, governments, unions and troops’ families to strictly manage troop’s observance of law and Military discipline. Its agencies and units must thoroughly implement the Regulation on Grassroots Democracy, build a humane, serious but not restrictive military legal and cultural environment, and self-disciplined habits and lifestyles for officers and soldiers. The cadres at all levels, especially the presiding ones, must be exemplary in leading a good morality and healthy lifestyle, and truly exemplary in complying with State law, Military discipline, and the unit's regulations. In implementation, the units closely cooperate with the Emulation and Victory movement, movements and campaigns, especially the Campaign to promote traditions, dedicate talents, worthy of the title "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period. The movements of "Youth with discipline exercising"; "Youth pioneering in preventing and combating drug-related crime"; "Battalions and companies completing tasks well, without discipline violation and ensuring absolute safety", have been thoroughly implemented at all levels. In practice, many creative models and methods have been implemented, earning good results in managing, educating, and training youth cadres and members such as: "Week of self-management and self-training of the youth" "Youth union being excellent in training and combat readiness", "Youth union without cadre or member violating discipline and law", "Youth union without smoking", "Equipping life skills for union cadres and members", etc. As a result, the awareness and responsibility to comply with State law and Military discipline of cadres, party members, and youth union members of the Division has seen remarkable changes.

In the coming time, in the face of high requirements of national defence tasks, it is necessary that the Corps in general, the Division, in particular continue to strive to complete their task well. To that end, along with other aspects of work, the Party Committee and Commandant of the Division will focus on leading and directing the enhancement of legal education and discipline management. In particular, importance is attached to consolidating and improving the operating effectiveness of the Council for legal dissemination and education; building and training a team of legal reporters and propagandists with good qualities and capabilities, meeting requirements and tasks. Agencies and units should attach importance to innovating the content, form and methods of legal education; strictly maintain formal regulations; inspect and supervise the observance of State law and Military discipline of its officers and soldiers, thereby making legal education and discipline management increasingly effective.

Senior Colonel NGUYEN HUU THANG, Political Commissar of the Division