The 377^th Air Defence Division under the Air Defence - Air Force is tasked with training, combat readiness, management and protection of the important airspace of the Fatherland. During its task performance, the Division faces many difficulties, especially high task requirements, extreme weather and climate, large area of operation, i.e. radar stations on remote islands, prolong Covid-19 prevention and combat,  impacts from the negative side of the market economy and the fierce opposition of hostile forces, especially in the ideological and cultural fields with many sophisticated tricks and forms. These has negatively impacted the perception, psychology and ideology of its soldiers. Being well aware of this issue, the Division determines that political and ideological education for cadres and soldiers is a key task of Party committees, political commissars, junior commissars and commanders at all levels. Therefore, the work of political and ideological education for officers and soldiers at the Division is always paid due attention and seriously implemented by Party committees, political commissars, junior commissars and commanders at all levels, hence earning many progressive results. Notably:

Every year, the Division founds political teaching groups according to Decision No. 438/QD-CT, dated March 21, 2016 of the General Political Department on Regulations on political education for the Military and Self-Defence Forces. Besides, it holds training courses to improve training level and methods, working methods, and methods of conducting party and political work for cadres at all levels. Party committees at all levels regularly attach importance to propaganda, education, and awareness raising for cadres and party members about Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the Party's lines and policies; traditions of the Military, the Service and the units. Along with thoroughly studying and grasping the directives and resolutions of the Party and Central Military Commission and the annual political educational topics, the Division directs its units to strictly implement the Party Day and Legal Day every month; quarterly brief leadership resolutions of the Party and Party committees at all levels to 100% of its cadres, party members and the masses with suitable and creative methods and forms.

Political education at Battalion 118, Regiment 274

Along with promoting the learning and following of Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style, especially the content of "Upholding the sense of responsibility, countering individualism" and Decree No. 847-NQ/TW, dated December 28, 2021 of the Central Military Commission on promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers", resolutely fighting individualism in the new situation, the Division Party Committee also launched an extensive political drive with the spirit of serious "self-examination" and "self-correction". During the implementation process, its units have closely linked with the good implementation of the Campaign of Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, deserving "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" in the new period and the Party's resolutions on the current Party building and rectification work.

As the Division's units operate scatteredly in 05 provinces and Truong Sa Islands, the Party Committee and command of the Division directs all levels of Party committees, branches, commanders, political commissars, and junior commissars to proactively inform and orient ideology and political awareness for cadres and soldiers on sensitive and complicated issues in the East Sea, regional and global situations, so as to make them think and act properly. At the same time, officers of the Division are required to grasp the ideological situation of the soldiers, closely share thoughts and feelings, democratically receive feedbacks, critiques, and thoroughly handle legitimate opinions, recommendations and aspirations troops, and pay attention to ensuring good policies for the rear of troops. With the synchronous implementation of the above solutions, 100% of officers and soldiers stay enthusiastic and committed to their work. They are always well aware of their responsibilities, ready to accept and complete all tasks, making an important contribution to the division's completion of routine and unscheduled tasks, in which, the main political one is combat readiness, firmly management and protection of the assigned airspace.

From its results achieved, the 377^th Air Defence Division has drawn some lessons for further improving the quality and effectiveness of political and ideological education for officers and soldiers in the next time as follow:

Firstly, strengthen the education of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, guidelines and policies of the Party, tasks of the Army, the Service and the units in the new situation for cadres and soldiers. This helps nurturing Marxist-Leninist worldview, scientific methodology, communist belief, stance of the working class, and political bravery of a revolutionary soldier. In the implementation, units need to associate political and ideological education with revolutionary moral education for their soldiers, especially living, working and studying Uncle Ho's example by practical and concrete actions relevant to their duties and responsibilities together with the implementation of the Campaign of Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, deserving "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" and the Air Defence - Air Force soldier; fighting against all manifestations of deterioration in political ideology, morality and lifestyle in the face of the negative impact of the market economy and the conspiracies and tricks of hostile forces.

Secondly, regularly provide timely information and make sound orientation of awareness, thought and action on complex and sensitive socio-political issues in the country, the region and the world for cadres and soldiers. In order to fulfill this content, party committees, commanders, political commissars and junior commissars at all levels should be sensitive to actively prevent any negative impacts of social life that may infiltrate into the unit; promptly solve problems in awareness and fight against deviant tendencies to maintain the Party's ideological ground in the unit in all situations.

Thirdly, thoroughly brief the Party's resolutions to generate ideological unity, and promote appropriate actions among cadres, party members and the masses in unit. Accordingly, Party Committees at all levels, especially the Party cells, should renew the making of resolutions to make them concise, comprehensible, memorable and achievable; urge and inspect the implementation of the resolution; review the effectiveness and efficiency of the resolution in the practical operation of the unit. In the current situation, the resolution of the Party Committee must pay special attention to improving the political steadfastness and working capacity of officers and party members in the unit. In order to communicate the Party's resolutions effectively, it is required that political cadres effectively leverage cultural institutions in their units with many vivid forms to make their cadres and soldiers deeply understand the ideas and contents of the resolutions.

Fourthly, attach importance to grasping public opinion to understand the thoughts and aspirations of the masses in the unit; resolutely fight and criticise wrong views, incorrect and inadequate perceptions; counter non-cultural products in the unit. This measure ensures that the Party organisation's resolutions promptly meet the requirements of the situation and tasks of the unit, creating a close bond between the Party and the masses, between cadres with subordinate soldiers. Only by doing this, will the resolutions of the party organisation, the work plans of the political commissars, politicians and commanders be really valuable and meaningful in the actual operation of the unit.

Finally, attach importance to the education of revolutionary traditions of the Party, the nation, the Army, the Service and the units for all cadres, party members, the masses, especially the youth, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. In particular, it is necessary to resolutely oppose all expressions of disregard for traditional education in the current complicated situation, especially when the fierce opposition of hostile forces may lead to faded ideals, eroded will and bad responsibility. This is a loophole for the enemy to propagate and distort the glorious tradition of the nation, the Party, the Army and the units.

Senior Colonel HAN ANH TRUYEN, Political Commissar of the Division