During the 70 years of construction, supply and combat (November 26, 1950 - November 26, 2020), generations of officers, staffs and soldiers of the Military Region 3 Logistics sector have always imbued and strived to follow Uncle Ho's teaching. This has become a great spiritual motivation for the sector to improve the quality and efficiency of the work, successfully complete all assigned functions and tasks.

When alive, President Ho Chi Minh taught us that: “Supply work is as important as directly fighting the enemy on the front. Our troops only win battle when they are provided with enough guns, clothing and food,… ”. Imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings, since the early days of its establishment, the MR3 Logistics sector overcame many difficulties and shortages, actively created resources, ensured adequate and timely logistics for the armed forces of the Military Region, scored resounding victories in the campaigns of: Road No. 18, Ha Nam Ninh, fighting against the enemy and protecting the rear, etc. In addition, they also participated in supply work to ensure logistics for combat operations on battlefields. During the Winter-Spring Campaign from 1953 to 1954, the Logistics sector of the Military Region, together with the troops and people of the 3^rd Inter-Region 3, mobilised the entire force, transporting tens of thousands of tons of food, weapons and ammunition for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, contributing to the resounding victory.

During the resistance war against the US for national salvation, the Logistics sector of the Military Region both consolidated, built its forces, and carried out production, built up potential, and maintained a solid logistic posture ensuring for the armed forces of the Military Region in fighting, combat readiness and supported the Southern battlefield. During this period, the logistics branch of the Military Region cooperated with the local people to ensure logistics for training over 1.3 million youth to be reinforced for the battlefields; nourish and treat over 241 thousand war invalids and sick soldiers; receive, preserve and allocate more than 60 thousand tons of food, military equipment, weapons and ammunition; transport over 784 thousand tons of goods of all kinds, ... contributing with the troops and people of the country to fulfilling the cause of national liberation and reunification.

MR3 delegates at a conference on logistics sector

In the period of national construction and defence, together with strengthening the organisation and building strong logistics at all levels, the MR3 logistics sector has focused on breakthroughs to improve quality and efficiency of logistics supply in all aspects; strengthen production to improve soldier’s living standard, creating a comprehensive change in logistics of the Military Region. In recent years, in response to the requirements of the military and defence tasks, and building the armed forces of the Military Region in the new situation, the MR3 Logistics sector has thoroughly grasped Uncle Ho’s teaching, stuck to the practice, actively studied, advised and proposed to the Party Committee and the High Command of the Military Region many guidelines and measures to innovate, improve its quality and efficiency. In particular, focus is placed on improving logistics supply for training, combat readiness and irregular missions; promoting production to create food sources, and build potential and logistics posture logistics for defence area, etc.

With the motto of “looking forward, heading down to the base, towards the soldiers”, MR3 Logistics Department has actively directed the renewal of the method of ensuring logistics facilities according to the new mechanism of decentralisation in order to create the initiative for the unit. At the same time, it has strengthened inspection and supervision, closely combined assurance with management, the promotion of thrift, the prevention of wastefulness and wrongdoings in all logistics activities. With a sharp mindset, proactive, dare to think, dare to do and dare to take responsibility spirit, the Logistics Department has researched, advised and proposed to the Party Committee, the High Command of the Military Region to approve the Project of “Renewing the method of creating food and fuel sources for the units”. After nearly 8 years of implementation, the project has affirmed its correctness, bringing great efficiency, creating an important breakthrough in food supply, promoting the positive side of the market economy, the strengths of the units’ operating areas and creating unity, openness and transparency in direction and administration, especially in ensuring and managing soldier’s provision and allowance; overcoming the difficulty in controlling the price and quality of food; improving the efficiency of budget and troop’s living standard, which has been highly appreciated by the General Department of Logistics and replicated in the Army.

“Soldiers can fight the enemy only when they are full and warm”. Imbued with that Uncle Ho's teachings, MR3 Logistics sector put on top the work of   nourishment. In order to stabilise and improve the life of troops in the context of unstable supply and fluctuating prices of food, high risk of unsafe food, ... the Department has strengthened direction, inspection and improved the efficiency of the emulation movement of “Good nourishing units” at all levels. At the same time, it has advised the Military Region to direct units to promote the tradition of “Getting rich, defeating the enemy”, promote “food cultivation and husbandry to increase self-sufficiency, and reduce the people's burden”, suitably with the mission and geographical characteristics. As a result, the movement to increase production of the armed forces of the Military Region has developed strongly and evenly in all types of agencies and units in the direction of “basic, stable and durable”. Many new and effective models for increasing production have been built and multiplied; shifting from wide to deep development, attaching importance to economic efficiency and product quality. To date, most units in the Military Region are able to self-supply from 80% - 100% of the demand for vegetables, meat and fish, practically improving the life of troops; contributing positively to socio-economic development, building logistics potential in place, especially in key areas, border areas and northeast island lines.

In order to improve the quality and effectiveness of military medicine work, the Department directs the units to step up the emulation movement of “Military medical soldiers follow Uncle Ho's teaching”, and “5-good military medical unit”; strengthen communication and education on disease prevention and control, food safety and hygiene, build a hygienic and scientific lifestyle and actively take measures to protect and take care of troop’s health. Over the past years, military medicine at all levels has been paid attention and consolidated; strictly maintained the working regime, managed the health of troops; coordinated with localities in supervising, early detecting and well organising the work of preventive medicine and disease control. Therefore, the rate of strong troop of the Military Region always reaches over 98.8%. In addition, logistics units actively implement the program of combined military-civilian medicine, participate in medical examination and treatment, and provide free medicines for the people, especially in remote and border areas, and northeastern island line, practically build a solid “people’s heart and mind posture”. In early 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the Logistics sector of the Military Region took the initiative in preventing and combating the pandemic and coordinated with localities and units in the area to organise and ensure all aspects for the centralised isolation point, contributing to the good implementation of the Government's directive, preventing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the units and the community.

Moreover, MR3 logistics sector has also actively advised and coordinated with localities to promote socio-economic development in association with building the potential and logistics posture of defence areas. The Department has researched and applied the project of “Constructing logistics bases in defence areas of provinces and cities under Military Region 3 in the cause of national construction and defence” and achieved positive results, forming a widespread, uninterrupted and solid logistics posture in the locality. Attach importance to supplementing and perfecting mechanisms and regulations on construction and operation of logistics in defence areas; mechanism to mobilise on-the-spot resources for defence missions, ...serving as the foundation for logistics assurance for the armed forces of the Military Region in peacetime, ready to meet the mission requirements in wartime.

By regularly studying and following Uncle Ho's teaching, MR3 logistics sector has achieved many excellent achievements, especially in implementing the emulation movement of “Military logistics sector following Uncle Ho's teaching”, and was awarded the Third-class Fatherland Protection Medal by the State and many other noble awards. This is the driving force for cadres and staff of the MR3 logistics sector to continue striving to further improve the quality and efficiency of logistics, contributing to building comprehensively strong armed forces of the Military Region, successfully accomplishing all assigned duties.

Senior Colonel TRAN QUOC TIEN, Logistical Head of the Military Region