International Army Games is an annual multinational military sports event organised by the Russian Federation. Participating in “Safe route” Competition in the framework of the Army Games is a task of utmost significance to the Engineer Corps. This not only contributes to strengthening cooperation and exchange of military, military techniques, and culture among countries but also affirms the courage, intelligence, qualifications, and competencies of Vietnamese Engineering soldiers and manifests the solidarity of the Vietnam People’s Army (the VPA) with other countries’ army.

Thoroughly grasping the Party’s viewpoints and military-defence guidelines, over the past years, along with strengthening the organisation and building “lean and strong” units, the Engineer Corps paid special attention to renewing and enhancing the quality of combat training. In particular, its participation in the International Army Games is seen as the linchpin in improving combined quality and combat strength to ensure that the Corps will always accomplish all assigned tasks and deserve their heroic tradition of “Paving the way for victory”.

Despite difficulties, with high determination, drastic and synchronous measures, Engineer Corps has achieved overall and steady achievements in training and joining the International Army Games. Noticeably, the awareness and responsibility of its cadres and soldiers toward the participation in the Army Games have been raised; the role of party committees and commands at all levels has been promoted; the management and operation of commands and agencies have witnessed positive changes. The soldiers have mastered weapons and equipment, especially modern ones. In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Corps has directed its agencies and units to adjust the amount of time, modes and organisation of training and join the Army Games to ensure the “dual objectives” which are excellent training and effective pandemic prevention. With the united effort of the entire Corps, in 2021, the Vietnam’s Engineering team won the third prize in the “Safe route” competition, the IMR obstacle-clearing crew obtained the “Best IMR team”; and the BAT crew received the “Best crew”. Furthermore, through the experience in training and participating in the International Army Games, the Corps has conducted research and applied appropriate contents to the organisation of the Army-wide Engineering Contest, which was highly appreciated by the Ministry of National Defence.

In addition to the achieved outcomes, the awareness of a minority of several cadres and soldiers about the Army Games is inadequate; meanwhile, administration and training assurance remain inconsistent and untimely. Several comrades’ qualifications, mentality, courage in competition, and experience in dealing with unexpected situations are insufficient.

Commander of the Engineering Corps commends outstanding individuals in Army Games 2021

In order to enhance the participants’ quality in the 2022 International Army Games and the next, the Corps’ Party committee and High Command have accelerated the comprehensive renewal of leadership, direction, administration, preparatory organisation, practice; combined training and participation in the Army Games with combat readiness to make a breakthrough in training engineering contents.

Thoroughly grasping the resolution and directives of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on training, specifically Directive on military and defence work of the VPA’s Chief of the  General Staff and instructions of higher echelons, the Corps’ Party Committee and High Command have strengthened leadership and direction of this important task. Accordingly, the Party Committee has adopted a resolution and identified combat training as the central task and organisation of training, practice, and participation in the Army Games as the focused task that requires specific targets, requirements, and solutions. Especially, through the results and experience drawn from previous competitions, the Corps requires its party committees and commanders to renovate leadership thinking and organisation of the Army Games; attaches importance to the training and responsibility of agencies and units at all levels in advising, directing, practicing, and participating the Army Games. It is necessary to strengthen inspection and actual evaluation of the training results, promptly learn from experience, propose remedies for shortcomings and inadequacies, and strive for the accomplishment of the training and effectiveness in joining the Army Games.

Additionally, the Corps has directed its agencies and units to strengthen political and ideological education, polularise the task, and make tremendous changes in the awareness and responsibility of cadres and soldiers towards this vital task. The entire Corps reach a consensus that joining the Army Games which is one of the central political tasks is not only to train and enhance the courage, intelligence, and qualifications of Combat Engineers but also to strengthen cooperation and exchange of military techniques and culture among countries as well as display the image and solidarity of the VPA with other armies; enhancing the performance in the Army Games is the responsibility of the entire cadres and soldiers.

The International Army Games is a large-scale “playground”, in which, “Safe route” is a difficult competition that requires every cadre and soldier to have proficiency in specialised qualifications, full physical health, and strong determination. Thus, full and intensive preparation in all respects, especially preparation for training and practice is the determinant. Abiding by the Directive of the Minister of National Defence on the participation of the VPA in the 2022 International Army Games, the Corps’ Party Committee and High Command have directed its Staff Agency to coordinate with Political Department, Logistics Department, and Technical Department to carry out preparatory work; establish Organising Board and Training Board; design training and practice plan; select athletes from the units in the Corps; coordinate with Hanoi Capital High Command and Commando Corps to provide equipment and assist the training.

Noticeably, in 2022, the “Safe route” competition was hastily transferred from Russian Federation to Xinjiang, China by the Army Games’ Organising Board with changes in regulations, climate, grounds, etc. Therefore, to enhance the quality and performance at the Army Games, the Corps has directed its functional agencies and Training Board to carry out in-depth research on the regulations of the Army Games’ Organising Board and consult the video of previous years in Russia and China to map out the most appropriate and effective plans, training programmes and strategies. The Corps has attached much importance to the selection of athletes, particularly individuals with good political qualities, health, and professional qualifications in the Corps.

Along with the good preparatory work, the Corps also accelerates the renewal of contents, forms of organisation, and training methods practically and effectively; attaches importance to overall training with focused contents; steps up physical training and task implementation in harsh weather. Accordingly, a combat engineer section should focus on physical training, helicopter landing, crossing suspension bridges, mesh walls, 2-storey house, and fences; hitting targets with shovels; using mine detectors and marking safe paths. TMM-3M2 bridge-laying sections concentrate on practicing, enhancing command competence, and using the controlling device of TMM-3M2 bridge. Combat engineers and drivers should coordinate to support the task and shorten the time for bridging. IMR obstacle-clearing crews and BAT-2 road-laying crews should pay attention to their specialisations.

In line with training specialised techniques, the Corps attaches importance to enhancing physical strength. Korla, Xinjiang in China has a mid-latitude desert climate with thin, arid, and hot air. Thus, to attain high achievements in the Army games, the Corps should increase physical exercises to enhance athletes’ strength, agility, and endurance. At the same time, it is necessary to organise training schedules at noon so that the athletes can acclimatise to the weather conditions in Xinjiang. Their rations should ensure quantity and quality along with the use of tonics and dietary supplements to maintain and enhance their physique. It is also important to abide by measures for pandemic prevention to ensure robustness and satisfy the regulations of the Organising Board.

In line with the aforementioned contents and measures, the Corps should actively mobilise sources to consolidate and upgrade the training field; establish mobility assurance team to promptly repair broken-down vehicles and equipment throughout the training; strictly ensure daily and weekly weapon maintenance and storage. Besides, the Corps should actively organise extracurricular activities including the introduction to Russia, China, and their country, people, traditions, and culture; how to make Vietnamese traditional cuisines, learn communicative Chinese, and participate in marginal activities to popularise the images of Vietnam and the people to international friends.

Through drastic and synchronous measures and the spirit of “Solidarity, strict discipline, merit, and determination to win”, the participation of the Engineer Corps’ Selection Team is hoped to achieve a high rank in the International Army Games and bring the Army glory.

Major General TRAN TRUNG HOA, Commander of Engineer Corps