The Air Defence Artillery Regiment 228 – also known as Ham Rong Regiment – an unit under the Air Defence Division 365, Air Defence – Airforce Service, was established on the 21^st March 1958 when our resistance war was  going to a fierce stage. Against the backdrop, the Regiment finalized their organization, develop a strong force through training for weapon mastery, and took a direct part in defending various local targets. Notably, in 1965 – 1975 period, the Regiment excellently defended Ham Rong Bridge, which was a key target in the strategic traffic system connecting the North – the great supplier – with the South – the front of our war at that time, thereby making valuable contributions to the final victory and national reunion. As a reward for its exceptionally great service, the Regiment was conferred with the title Hero of People’s Armed Forces by the Government. Entering the era of national construction and defence, the Regiment focuses on restructuring, training to  improve the level of combat readiness and being ready to take and successfully accomplish all assigned tasks. To deal with various challenges in conducting its missions, especially the degradation and poor integration of weapons and equipment, its Party Committee and leadership have carried out various measures in all working fields, among which, the mission of building a comprehensively strong unit was paid great attention, generating remarkable and positive changes to mission execution. Consequently, increasing improvements have been seen in the political awareness and steadfastness of soldiers; training and combat readiness; logistical and technical work; and disciplining.

To achieve such results, first of all, the leadership of the Regiment attached great importance to making it a politically strong unit, and consider this a primary task for enhancing the overall quality and combat strength. The Regiment usually educates and give necessary information to its soldiers and officers so that they could well understand their missions and combat objects as well as adversaries’ conspiracies and measures, thereby enhancing their cautiousness and awareness and making positive changes to their thought and actions. To improve the political education, the Regiment gave due efforts to the implementation of the Project “Renovating political education methods in military units in the new stage”. Besides, the Democratic Statutes in grassroots units, especially the regular talks between commanders at all levels and soldiers on the political and cultural days were well implemented to answer newly emerged issues among soldiers. As a result, all soldiers and officers have stable and strong attachment to their units. Moreover, the Regiment attached due importance to the emulation in conducting missions along with the movement of learning and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideas, morals and style in accordance with the Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (the 12^th term) as well the Canvass “Promoting traditions, devoting talents to be worthy of Uncle Ho’s soldiers”. Through those activities, officers and soldiers were encouraged to learn, train themselves, enhance their political awareness and responsibilities and be ready to take and well execute any missions.

A conference on leading its task performance of the Regiment's party committee

To make Party’s establishments more effective as the leading organs in each unit, the Party Committee of the Regiment regularly conducted various measures to improve the abilities and leadership of Party committees at all levels as well as the quality of Party members through intensified management and education, improved regular meetings of Party cells and enhanced observation and examination. As a result, the quality of Party organizations and Party members were elevated, which was an important base of a politically strong Regiment.

At the same time, the Regiment focused on improving training activities and combat readiness. Following the Resolution 765-NQ/QUTW dated 20^th December 2012 of the Central Military Commission  and the Resolution 220-NQ/ĐU dated 27^th March 2013 of the Division’s Party Committee on “Improving training quality in the 2013-2020 period and beyond” as well as training plans, orders and demands from superior commanding boards, the Party Committee of the Regiment formulated a specialized resolution on training. In the document, specific activities, objectives and measures, which were designed to fit into its missions, requirements, available plans and local conditions, were determined. Prior to each training season, the Regiment makes all needed preparations, including making plans, holding training courses for officers, preparing training documents and visual aids.

During practice, the Regiment leadership required its organs and units to follow the motto “Basic, Practical, Sustainable, Safe, Economical Training”. Training exercises were conducted in the assumed high-tech combat operations of enemies. They emphasized comprehensive and specialized training activities, which were suitable to each specific group of trainees, practical conditions and their missions. To make them effective, the Regiment directed its units to instruct their soldiers to learn relevant instructions and practice demo before doing with real weapons and equipment. Thanks to these procedures, the Regiment’s annual training results were good, with 100% trainees passed their exams, 85% of them earned fair and good rates and every soldiers who participated in competitions enjoyed good results.

Moreover, regular routines and combat readiness regimes were strictly obeyed and the motto “Four knows” in managing the Regiment’s airspace was seriously followed. All relevant personnel, who were working at different positions, from the Regiment Headquarters to subordinate units, excellently performed their responsibilities when they were on duty. The Direction No. 27/CL-BQP of the Chief of General Staff about proper responses to different air defence scenarios were strictly followed. To well perform this mission, the Regiment focused on ensuring good communication systems, understanding and updating new changes of air and land situations in their areas of operation. The Regiment also revised and improved operation documents at all levels and regularly practice various operation plans as well as plans for preparations for and responses to floods, typhoons, firing, etc.

Along with improving training and combat readiness quality, the Regiment intensified its formality and discipline obedience. The leadership of the Regiment directed subordinate organs and units to learn and implement the Instruction No. 91/CT-BQP dated 22^nd November 2016 of the Minister of Defence on enhanced management and discipline obedience in the military, the Circular No. 192/2016/TT-BQP dated 26^th November 2016 of the Minister of Defence on punishment application and its procedures, formality, statutory limitations and jurisdiction within the Ministry of Defence, the Instruction No. 4589/CT-BTL dated 9^th December 2016 of the Commander of the Service on regularity improvement and discipline maintenance, etc. The Regiment established a steering committee for and enhanced the implementation of the action plan “Formality Building and Discipline Maintenance” and the motto “Three Decreases and Two Nos” while also had the leaders of each organs and units fulfill their responsibilities and lead their units to follow routine discipline and regulations. Consequently, in recent years, the Regiment has enjoyed positive results in this aspect with 100% organs and units free from accidents and punishments.

Moreover, the Regiment provided sufficient technical and logistical supplies for the conduct of its missions. The Party Committee and commanders of the Regiment paid due attention to technical work to ensure qualified weapons and equipment for training, combat readiness, management and defence of its airspace. The Regiment highlighted the implementation of the movement “To well, safely, effectively and economically make use of weapons and equipment and to ensure traffic safety” to improve skills, knowledge and responsibilities of technicians.

In terms of logistics, the Regiment focused on the emulation “Military Logistics to follow Uncle Ho’s teachings” by fostering production, taking account of epidemic prevention and food safety and hygiene. Many breeding and producing methods have been applied, contributing to the improvement of meals, living conditions and soldiers’ health.

Following its tradition “Strong solidarity, firm standing, smart manoeuvre and determination towards wining”, officers and soldiers of Ham Rong Regiment continue to stay united, unified, smart, proactive to build it a comprehensively strong unit, making contributions to the enhancement of the overall quality and combat strength for the accomplishment of any mission.

Lt. Col. Vu Hong Duong, Commander of the Regiment.