Due to the urgent requirements of safeguarding the Fatherland, on 14 March 1979, Artillery Brigade 454 in Quang Ninh Special Region (currently belongs to Military Region 3) was founded on the foundation of Artillery Regiment 572B (under Military Region 5). Throughout 45 years of constructing, fighting, and maturing, generations of cadres and soldiers of the Brigade have overcome a myriad of difficulties to accomplish all assigned tasks as well as cement the tradition of “Good solidarity, rapid manoeuvre, excellent training, and proficient in shooting”, which contributes to the glorious achievements of the armed forces of Military Region 3 during the cause of national construction and defence. For these achievements, the Brigade has been awarded 2 Victory Medals (including Second Class and Third Class Medals); a Third Class Fatherland Defence Medal and numerous noble rewards.

In recent years, due to the tasks of safeguarding the Fatherland and building the armed forces of the Military Region in the current situation, the goals and requirements set for the Brigade become more and more demanding. To accomplish all assigned tasks and deserve the major ground force of the Military Region, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command have led and directed the comprehensive implementation of all working aspects with multiple measures and breakthroughs to determine to build an all-strong, “exemplary and typical” unit, thereby drawing practical experience.

Sr. Col. Doan Hoai Nam, Deputy Political Chief of Military Region 3 presents "Good Training Unit" Flag to the Brigade

First and foremost, the Brigade has concentrated on building a politically strong unit. This constitutes a linchpin to attain all-strong, “exemplary and typical” standards. Thoroughly grasping and implementing the principle of “Preparation of manpower is followed by that of weapons”, the Brigade has concentrated on accelerating political and ideological education with a focus placed on the implementation of the Project on “Renovating political education at units in the new period”. Executing various tasks with high intensity, the Brigade has actively renovated the methods of flexibly organising education and combined concentrated education with task-based education. The Brigade has regularly updated, opted, and adjusted new contents so that they become concise, memorable, comprehensible, and closely related to the tasks of the Brigade to facilitate dissemination and education. Currently, the Brigade is paying attention to the implementation of Directive No. 2423-CT/QUTW issued on 09 November 2023 by the Central Military Commission on “Renovating and enhancing the quality of political education in the new period”; attaching importance to widespread dissemination and thorough understanding for cadres and soldiers to grasp the tasks of the unit and the Military Region, the contents of the Resolution of the 8^th Plenum of the 13^th Party Central Committee on the Strategy to safeguard the Fatherland in the New situation, etc. so that all service members can be fully aware of the Party’s guidelines and the State's policies and laws on building the Army, safeguarding the Fatherland as well as new requirements in task implementation, especially training and combat readiness.

Additionally, the Brigade has regularly consolidated and improved its leadership and combat power of party committees and organisation; built transparent, strong, and typical Party Committees and committee levels and party cells in association with the building of all-strong, “exemplary and typical” agencies and units. The focus has been on the effective implementation of Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW issued on 18 May 2021 by the Politburo on continuing the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW on stepping up studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics, and manners in association with the Campaign for promoting traditions and devoting talents to deserve “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” title in the current context. Timely commendations and rewards have been given to exemplary and excellent individuals and units to encourage cadres and soldiers to strive for excellence, self-improvement, and training. As a result, since 2018 the Brigade’s Party Committee has accomplished annual political awareness assessments; all cadres and soldiers show their work commitment with determination to fulfil their duties and contribution to developing the unit.

To bring into full play the tradition of the heroic Artillery Corps with the motto “Iron feet, solid shoulders, effective combat, and accurate firing”, the Brigade has stepped up making breakthroughs in organisation and structure and enhancing training quality and combat readiness. Thoroughly grasping and implementing the principles of building an “agile, lean, and strong” Army and “five adjustments of force organisation” as well as the documents and instructions of higher echelons, particularly Decision No. 699/QĐ-TM issued on 08 May 2019 by the Chief of Staff on the organisation and structure of the artillery brigades in peacetime under the military region and military corps, the Division has concentrated on leading and directing measures for adjustments and organisational consolidation. During the implementation process, the Brigade has combined ideological work, organisational work, and policy work to maintain internal unity and avoid adverse impacts on task implementation, thoughts, and lives of cadres and soldiers.

Sr. Col. Nguyen Huu Phuoc, Chief of Staff and Vice Commander of Artillery Corps checks training work of the Brigade

In parallel with organisational consolidation, the Brigade has accelerated the renewal and improvement of training quality. On the foundation of thoroughly grasping Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW by the Central Military Commission and specialised resolutions of the Military Region on training, the Brigade’s Party Committee has formulated Resolution No. 56-NQ/ĐU issued on 27 April 2023 on improving training quality in the 2023-2030 period and the next with specific objectives and measures. To make a seismic shift in training, the Brigade has accelerated innovations in leadership, direction, management, and administration of training at all levels; and stringently maintained decentralisation in advising, directing, and organising the training. Implementing the principle of being “Fundamental, practical, and steadfast”, the Brigade has actively renovated contents and forms of organising training methods in accordance with allocated weapons and equipment, the development of artillery combat tactics and the Military Region’s defence tactics in the war for safeguarding the Fatherland. During the training process, the Brigade has emphasised comprehensive but in-depth training for all units with focus points and compatibility with the current force structure and equipment. In particular, the brigade advocates tactical training as the centre, technique training as the foundation, and training cadres as the linchpin. To bring into play the tradition of “excellent training and effective firing”, the Brigade has specified “Excellent artillery training unit” standards for each force (artillery, reconnaissance, accounting, and signal) to lay a foundation for the training. Simultaneously, attention has been paid to renovating contents and methods of physical training to extend the endurance and stamina of the service members as well as forging their courage and adaptability to decisively and effectively address various situations. For great effectiveness, the Brigade has strictly maintained the regimes and applied regularity in all training activities; emphasised the combination of basic training with advanced training, training with practice, combined training at the company and battalion levels, and exercises at all levels; placed a focus on practice; intensified night training and field trips in complex weather conditions. In particular, to meet the requirements of the people’s wars to safeguard the Fatherland (if any) in modern warfare, the Brigade has attached importance to enhancing manoeuvrability, displacement of battlefields, river crossing training, rapid deployment, and withdrawal of artillery; improved the effectiveness of coordination and cooperation between forces to shorten preparation time for firing. With appropriate and effective measures, the training quality of the Brigade has been improved. In 2023, the Brigade accomplished the Military Region’s live-fire defence exercise.

Together with training, the Brigade has stringently maintained combat readiness and organised forces and components at all levels as stipulated to ensure a sufficient quantity of troops, weapons, equipment, and seamless and secret communication. The Brigade has also reviewed, supplemented, and perfected combat documents at all levels in accordance with the evolution of situations, determination, and defensive plans of the Military Region. Coordination with local party committees, authorities, and armed forces has been required to promptly and effectively respond to incidents, natural disasters, and search-and-rescue operations in all situations.

The building of regularity, full compliance with discipline, and safety assurance is a pivotal content emphasised by the Brigade’s Party Committee and command. Accordingly, along with raising all service members’ awareness and responsibility in observing the State’s law and military discipline, the Brigade has required its agencies and units to intensify measures to keep abreast of the social relationships of all service members, especially soldiers, officers, and  NCO whose families are in difficulties. During the implementation process, the Brigade has emphasised the roles and responsibilities of presiding cadres of agencies and units in performing the “four-together” regime with soldiers; strictly maintained Democratic Regulations; actively renovated the organisation of Political and Cultural Days in a specific, practical manner. Agencies and units have closely integrated discipline building and discipline training with promoting the Determined-to-Win movement through specific, practical models and activities to encourage and motivate cadres and soldiers in the process of “self-education” and “self-training”. Thanks to these efforts, since 2018, the Brigade has not recorded any serious violations with the rate of normal disciplinary violations below 0.2%.

As a unit under the Artillery Corps, the Brigade utilises various categories of weapons and military hardware and manoeuvers across complex terrains. Therefore, the Brigade has paid constant attention to logistic and technical work. Importance has been attached to managing and maintaining reserve materials and logistic-technical equipment for tasks and forces engaging in combat readiness and exercises; enhancing the quality and effectiveness of regular logistic assurance to improve all service members’ lives and health. The Brigade has also directed the Technical sector and units to accelerate the implementation of the Campaign for “Effective, enduring, safe, and economical management and use of weapons and equipment and Traffic safety”; stringently maintained the regimes and regulations for maintenance and “Technical Day” to review the technical conditions of weapons and vehicles before, while, and after every task. Another point that has been paid due attention to is the application of technology in researching and promoting technical initiatives and innovations to cater for training, combat readiness, and other unscheduled tasks.

In response to the 45^th anniversary of Tradition Day and the reception of the Second-class Fatherland Protection Medal, the cadres and soldiers at Artillery Brigade 454 will continue to “strengthen physical fitness, cultivate ethics, and train talents”, build an all-strong, “exemplary and typical” unit, improve the synergy and combat power, and proceed with the traditions to accomplished all assigned tasks with the armed forces of the Military Region.

Senior Colonel TRAN XUAN CHIEN, Commander of Artillery Brigade 454