Thoroughly grasping President Ho Chi Minh’s viewpoint on building the Vietnam People’s Army "Man above weapon", the General  Department of Technology also holds that as for the work of weapon and equipment management and exploitation, human factor, specifically technical cadres and employees, is the decisive one while facilities (depots, machine, materials, technical equipment) are very important ones. Thus, units of the General Department at levels always attach great importance to building both “red” and expert” technical cadres and employees. Annually, technical cadres and employees all commit themselves to fulfilling the 5 criteria of studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle set by the General Department. In this regard, the top virtue is “being steadfast in ideal, absolutely loyal, serving the Homeland, serving the people”, and the important, typical virtue of the technical sector is “being proactive, creative, dedicated to job, loving and preserving weapons and technical equipment, successfully fulfilling the assigned tasks”. Besides, the General Department attaches great importance to training, organizing training courses and competitions for technical cadres and employees to enhance their professional competence. In spite of difficult conditions when mostly working in remote and isolated areas, with good virtues and professional qualification, all technical cadres and employees keep their mind on their work, considering depot and factory as their home, comrades as their siblings, being resolve to fulfil all the assigned tasks.

A conference on reviewing the implementation of the Campaign No.50 (photo: qdnd.vn)

Studying and following Uncle Ho’s instruction: “You should train the troops to maintain weapons and equipment in good condition, save on every bullet and grain of rice”, in 2016, the General Department Party Committee issued a special resolution on safety work within the General Department until 2020 and beyond. Units at levels; strengthening leadership and direction over carrying out the work of propagation, education, emulation and awarding to raise cadres, soldiers and employees’ awareness of the importance of the Campaign No.50. Units at levels have proactively renovated the content, form and method of propagation and education, applying the staging form, holding knowledge competition, propagation through internal radio broadcast system and media. In this regard, they have paid special attention to educating cadres, soldiers and defence staff on a sense of responsibility towards and the importance of weapon and equipment management and exploitation. Moreover, it is necessary to focus on disseminating and thoroughly grasping the Directive No.96/CT-BQP, dated July 15th 2011, by the Minister of National Defence on weapon and ammunition depot safety; to comply with regulations on maintaining and classifying weapons and ammo; to proactively invest in firefighting equipment for depots and garages. It is also important to check the system of sample schedules and records to be in line with the work of technical management and registration; to apply information technology into managing weapons and technical equipment, technical cadres and employees, plans, training and scientific research; to seriously maintain the regulations on inventory, report and inspection.

Thoroughly acknowledging Uncle Ho’s instruction: “Emulation is patriotic, a patriot must emulate. And persons who emulate are the most patriotic ones”, the General Department of Technology has attached great importance to studying and following “good people doing good deeds” examples and collectives with effective measures in weapon and technical equipment management and exploitation at units of the General Department and units of the whole Army.

In addition to general activities, the General Department has directed its organs and units, particularly specialized departments to follow Uncle Ho’s instructions with practical and concrete actions. Following Uncle Ho’s instruction: “Weapons, ammo, medication, equipment, food are blood of compatriots. It is necessary to save, maintain and protect them, not to waste or keep them as your own properties. When guarding them, it is necessary to keep them tidy and not expose them to the rain and sunlight”, in each depot, station and factory, the Department of Military Weapons has its proper and scientific disposition in accordance with each region, weapon and equipment. Most of its depots have promoted the role of Youth Union and Women’s Union by organizing “Youth Depots”, “Women’s Depots” to encourage their members to arrange weapons tidily and orderly, which help save time and effort, while ensure safety. Following Uncle Ho’s instruction: “Vehicles and petrol are sweat, tears and blood of the people. You must take care of them, love vehicles as your children, treasure petrol as your blood”, since 2013, the Department of Motor Vehicle and Machinery has proposed and implemented the Program to dieselize nearly 1000 military vehicles, which is highly appreciated by the whole Army. The Arms Technical Department has launched the “one day one good deed” movement and stepped up the movement of promoting technical initiatives, accordingly directing the innovation of T54B sample tank, actively studying and proposing innovation of tanks, armoured vehicles, missiles and specialty weapons, meeting the requirements set by the task of national protection in the new situation.

The movement of studying and following Uncle Ho’s instructions at the General Department of Technology has made positive changes in each field of work with various creative, practically effective forms and measures, making contributions to enhancing the technical coefficient, decreasing the degradation of weapons and technical equipment, innovating and degrading weapons and equipment, gradually mastering the technology of maintenance, repair and manufacture of technical accessories and materials, enhancing the efficiency of exploiting and using the existing weapons and technical equipment, particularly new-generation ones. The Units have intensified the movement of scientific research, initiative encouragement, technical innovation, in order to meet urgent demands for weapon and technical equipment management, exploitation and repair as well as new-generation weapon and technical equipment mastering, further improving safety level in weapon and technical equipment exploitation, occupational and traffic safety, fire and explosion prevention and management. Those are the basis for the General Department to continue successfully fulfilling the assigned tasks in the time ahead.

Major General Nguyen Huu Chinh

Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar of the General Department of Technology