Promoting the tradition of "Unity, courage, mobility, self-reliance, defeating all enemies", officers and soldiers of the 5th Division have improved the effectiveness of studying and following Uncle Ho's teachings, creating spiritual motivation in building a clean, strong, exemplary Party organisation, comprehensively strong unit "exemplary, typical", excellently completing all assigned tasks.

The 5th Infantry Division is the main unit with full-strength of Military Region 7 with the task of training, combat readiness, participating in preventing and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, incidents, search and rescue, and being ready to perform other tasks. In recent years, together with units in the area, the Division has carried out its tasks in favourable conditions, especially the foundations of discipline, glorious tradition, solidarity and unity. However, due to various reasons, the area where the Division is stationed still faces many difficulties in socio-economic development and problems related to social order and security; the increased acts of sabotage by hostile forces; the difficulties in lives of a number of cadres, soldiers and their families. In addition, the level of qualifications, management, command and training capacity of a number of junior cadres are not adequate; barracks of some agencies and units are under construction and repair; weapons and technical equipment are overused and degraded, etc. In that situation, along with implementing measures to overcome difficulties, comprehensively promoting all aspects of work, especially key political tasks, the Division's Party Committee and Command have focused on leading and directing the improvement of studying and following Uncle Ho's teachings with the spirit of "Solidarity - Democracy - Innovation - Determination to win", motivating officers and soldiers to overcome all difficulties and challenges, and successfully complete assigned tasks.

Approving fighting plan in an exercise

Imbued with Uncle Ho's teaching: "Military without politics is a tree without roots which is useless and harmful", the Division's Party Committee and the command attach great importance to building a politically strong unit and always consider it a prerequisite, core solution, and a decisive factor in the quality of performing all tasks. Accordingly, the Party Committees and commanders of agencies and units, especially units directly performing training and combat readiness tasks, have focused on thoroughly grasping and strictly implementing political and ideological education, including the implementation of the Project "Innovation of political education work at the units in the new period" with creative forms, methods, such as: education on topics, study conferences, dissemination of resolutions, internal broadcasting system, competitions, visits to Traditional Houses, storytelling, forums, seminars, culture, arts, etc. Thanks to that, the awareness, consciousness, responsibility and mettle of cadres and soldiers have constantly and firmly been raised. On that foundation, the Division has promoted the implementation of the Grassroots Democracy Regulations and considers it as "the magic key that can solve all difficulties" according to Uncle Ho’s teachings; thereby, creating an atmosphere of democracy, trust, solidarity, and unity among cadres, soldiers, leaders and commanders at all levels. At the same time, they have implemented the "forecasting, grasping, managing, orienting and resolving thoughts" and psychological measures in resolving thoughts according to the motto: being close to soldiers, understanding soldiers, trusting soldiers in order to proactively grasp, manage and promptly handle any problem, and not allowing negative thoughts that can affect the units’ task performances. In addition, the Division has promoted the studying and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style", the Campaign to promote tradition, contribute talents, be worthy of the title "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period; Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW, dated 28 December 2021 of the Central Military Commission on "Promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", resolutely eliminating individualism in the new situation" in creative and effective ways. Moreover, it has regularly paid attention to soldiers’ material and spiritual lives. It has also implemented the Army's privileged policy on soldiers’ families to motivate officers and soldiers to grow strongly attached to the units and work.

In order to make a breakthrough in improving the quality of training to meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation, the Division has promoted the implementation of Uncle Ho's teaching that "It is better to be practical and thoughtful than to be greedy". Before training, the Division directs the preparation work in all aspects: training to improve the training level of the staff; drafting lesson plans and lectures; consolidating training grounds, models, teaching aids, etc. In training, the motto of "basic, practical, solid" is properly implemented, attaching importance to "synchronous, in-depth, close to combat reality" training. Practical training of subjects is firmly and deeply strengthened. For the staff, the focus is on combat readiness training, Combat Staff Work Regulations, the parades and shooting. Through inspections, the set goals and requirements were achieved. For squads, the focus is on training in infantry combat techniques (with 100% good and excellent results); combat shooting at squad level, comprehensive drills at company and battalion levels and tactical drills with shooting tests at platoon, company and battalion levels, ensuring compliance with technical and tactical principles, etc. Training new soldiers is carried out according to the prescribed programmes (with 100% pass; over 80% good, excellent). In addition to the general military training contents, the arms and branches also conduct training and testing of specialised contents according to plan (with 100% good and excellent results of firearms shooting). Especially, in 2023, Battalion 9 of Regiment 271 was highly appreciated by the Ministry of National Defence and the Head of the Military Region Command for its excellent results when carrying out the shooting drills with the added firepower of the Regiment, Division and technical weapons of joint forces, arms of the Military Region and the Ministry of National Defence. Along with that, the Division has directed the Staff Department to proactively coordinate with agencies, units, localities, especially with the armed forces of Tay Ninh and Binh Duong provinces to review and grasp the local situations, and be ready to handle situations to protect the safety of targets and bases. The Division’s agencies and units have always thoroughly grasped and strictly implemented the instructions and orders of the Military Region Commander on combat readiness; regularly inspected, reviewed, developed, adjusted and promptly supplemented combat plans according to tasks and conducted proficient training; strictly maintained the regime of command, duty, combat duty, ready to successfully handle situations, contributing to effectively implementing Uncle Ho's teaching: "Always be vigilant and ready to fight".

Live firing test of new recruits

While improving regularity building and discipline management, the Division has always kept in mind, studied and followed Uncle Ho's profound advice to the Army: “Undisciplined troops are supposed to lose the battle”. Thanks to that, in recent years, the work of regularity building and discipline management of the Division has seen many positive changes. Every year, 90% - 100% of the Division’s unit's (from company level and above) are rated comprehensively strong "exemplary, typical" units. To achieve those results, the Division has promoted the implementation of working according to responsibilities, acting according to regulations, superiors setting examples for subordinates, agencies setting examples for units, officers setting examples for soldiers. During the implementation process, the Division has required officers and commanders at all levels to continue to thoroughly grasp the instructions on regularity building and discipline management. It has also strengthened education to build soldiers’ awareness of self-discipline in compliance with State laws, military discipline, regimes and units’ regulations. At the same time, the Division has closely taken care of soldiers, strictly maintained the regulations on stationing and guarding; strictly implemented the regime of living, studying and working, strictly managed the strengths and technical equipment; closely combined proactive prevention with strict handling of violations to educate soldiers. Besides, the Division has attached regularity building and discipline management to building a cultural environment, creating "regular, green, clean and beautiful" barracks to encourage soldiers to stay committed to the units.

The effectiveness of training, combat readiness and implementation of assigned sudden tasks depends largely on the work of ensuring logistics and techniques as taught by Uncle Ho: "Providing enough guns and ammunition, enough food and clothing for the troops, then the troops will win the battle". Implementing Uncle Ho’s instructions, the Division regularly leads and directs agencies and units to promote the emulation movement "The Army Logistics follows Uncle Ho's teachings"; in which, the focus is on adjusting the system of logistics documents to be ready for combat; storing logistics material and equipment for regular tasks as well as plans and situations. The Division has promoted production, animal husbandry, converting the structure of crops and livestock appropriately, in order to improve productivity and product quality, contributing to improving the quality of meals for soldiers. At the same time, it has strictly implemented the orders of the Ministry of National Defence and the Commander of Military Region 7 on technical work, promoted the Campaign "Managing and exploiting weapons and technical equipment with durability, safety, economy and traffic safety". The Division has strictly maintained the regime and order of management, preservation, maintenance, storage, inspection, and quality control of weapons and equipment, especially weapons and equipment, techniques that are used to ensure combat missions when situations arise. Moreover, it has strictly implemented regulations on registration, statistical management and periodic inventory. Thanks to that, the weapon guarantee coefficient and weapon technical coefficient always meet the requirement; the work of handling and destroying explosives of all types of ammunition and settlement after use are adequate with absolute safety; station, workshop, firefighting equipment at warehouses and stations are always inspected, preserved, maintained, and supplemented promptly to meet requirements and tasks.

The effectiveness of studying and following Uncle Ho's teachings of the officers and soldiers of the 5th Division is a solid foundation and spiritual motivation to continue improving its overall quality and combat strength in order to build a comprehensively strong and "exemplary and typical" unit to successfully complete all assigned tasks.

Senior Colonel TRAN HOANG GIANG, Political Commissar of the Division