In adherence to the Regulation No.144-QĐ/TW, dated 9^th May 2024, by the Politburo on the revolutionary ethical standards for cadres and party members in the new era, the cadres and soldiers of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command continuously cultivate, practise, and embody these standards to meet the unit’s special requirements, tasks, and demanding and immensely honourable responsibilities.

The core political mission of the Command is to ensure the long-term preservation and absolute security of President Ho Chi Minh’s remains while promoting the political and cultural significance of the Mausoleum in the new period. This profound honour and sacred responsibility requires that the party commissioners, commanders, cadres, party members, and staff of the unit consistently exemplify and uphold revolutionary ethics and the noble qualities of the “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”.

With this awareness in mind, and in continuity with the traditional values cultivated and reinforced by generations of cadres and soldiers over nearly half a century, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command in recent years has placed great emphasis on meticulous leadership and directive measures and consistently implemented comprehensive, synchronised, and effective resolutions, conclusions, and regulations of the Party regarding the establishment of a clean, strong Party organisation and the moral qualities of its cadres and members. In keeping with the realities of the situation, the Unit has devised creative and effective methods, translating the ethical standards of cadres and party members, as well as the five core virtues of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”, into specific criteria for the political, ideological, moral, and lifestyle qualities of its cadres, civil servants, employees, and soldiers, based on the principle of being closely aligned with duties, concise, and easy to remember, understand, implement, and evaluate. The unit promotes the model of three exemplary aspects: “thought and reflection; words and speech; and actions and deeds”, alongside movements such as “Unity and Modeling”, the “Four-Good Party Cells, Five-Exemplary Party Members” model, all aligned with the criteria to build the 969 Unit Party Committee as an exemplary organisation within the Military Party and a model unit in military disciplines and regulations across the Army. At every level of leadership, cadres consistently uphold their exemplary role, demonstrating steadfastness, daring to think, speak, act, take responsibility, innovate, and confront challenges, always acting in the collective interest and placing the unit’s interests above all else, while honing their revolutionary ethics and maintaining exemplary character and lifestyle. As a result, cadres, party members, and personnel within the Unit are deeply aware of the significance and necessity of learning and following Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and lifestyle. They proactively overcome difficulties and hardships, continuously enhancing their political resolve, leadership abilities, and combat strength at all levels of Party committees and organisations, particularly at the grassroots level, while adhering to democratic centralism and maintaining internal unity and cohesion. The cadres and soldiers are always ready to accept and excellently fulfil all assigned tasks, ensuring that the noble image and qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” at the Mausoleum continue to shine, earning the trust and admiration of people and soldiers nationwide.

Flag raising ceremony at Ba Dinh Square conducted by soldiers of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command

At present, the Unit faces high demands in the context that the entire Army has seen significant advances, while also contending with the negative influences of the market economy and the fierce opposition of hostile forces. These circumstances call for a heightened emphasis on the education and cultivation of moral qualities and lifestyles, ensuring that cadres, party members, staff, and soldiers become exemplary figures, fully deserving the trust of the Party, the State, and the People. To this end, the Unit 969 Party Committee, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command, has identified the need to thoroughly implement the contents of building the ethical standards of its cadres and party members, with a focus on Politburo Regulation No. 144-QĐ/TW (Regulation 144), through the following key measures:

Firstly, strengthening leadership and direction in implementing, raising awareness, and unifying actions, thereby fostering widespread adherence to the revolutionary ethical standards of cadres and party members throughout the Party Committee. As the Unit entrusted with the sacred duty of “guarding His eternal rest” - the great leader of the Vietnamese nation and a world cultural figure - the cultivation and practice of revolutionary ethics must always be the top priority for its cadres and soldiers. Party committees and organisations at all levels must recognise that the issuance of Regulation 144 is a vital step in supplementing and refining the ethical standards of cadres and party members in this new era, underscoring the Central Party Committee’s special focus on building the Party’s ethical foundation. Based on this understanding, party committees and organisations should concentrate on providing thorough education and dissemination, ensuring that every cadre and party member deeply comprehends the ethical standards outlined. They must also tailor the regulation’s content to suit the specific functions and responsibilities of each agency, unit, and role, providing a practical basis for cadres and party members to cultivate and practise appropriate behaviour both in their work and daily life.

In addition, efforts must be made to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of inspection and supervision, promptly identifying shortcomings or deficiencies in party committees, organisations, cadres, and party members. Corrective measures must be resolutely implemented to address weaknesses in adhering to ethical standards. Moreover, periodic evaluations should be conducted to summarise lessons learned, expand the recognition of exemplary individuals and collectives, and use ethical performance as a crucial criterion for assessing and classifying the quality of party organisations, cadres, and members. This will also serve as a foundation for party committees to prepare personnel for the Party Congress at all levels for the 2025 -2030 term.

Secondly, promoting the role and responsibility of self-cultivation and ethical training among cadres and party members. This is the key to effectively implementing Regulation 144, as President Ho Chí Minh once advised: “The Party’s strength comes from good party cells, and good party cells are made by good party members” and “Revolutionary ethics does not fall from the sky. It develops and strengthens through daily struggle and perseverance, just as a gem shines brighter the more it is polished, and gold becomes purer the more it is refined.” While the regulation is necessary, it is only the initial foundation. The most important task is to integrate the regulation deeply into daily work and life. Thus, every cadre and party member must genuinely absorb and practise ethical standards regularly and naturally, as they would with “daily food and drink,” and rigorously engage in self-reflection and self-correction. In all circumstances, particularly during critical moments and in all positions, cadres and party members of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command must always be aware of their role and responsibility to the Party, the State, and the People. They must demonstrate unwavering political resolve, dedication, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of duty in their work. They should cultivate endurance to overcome challenges, resist material temptations, and avoid being swayed or manipulated by hostile forces seeking to exploit weaknesses for subversive purposes. Medical and technical personnel must maintain absolute secrecy in their work, remain diligent, and face the difficulties of working in a special environment, which includes exposure to chemicals and noise from underground facilities. They must ensure there are no errors or mechanical failures due to negligence, maintaining stable and precise technical specifications. Security and ceremonial forces responsible for honour guard duties, ensuring safety, and protecting visitation ceremonies and events at the Mausoleum and the K9 relic site must consistently uphold a solemn, exemplary, and absolutely secure presence. Above all, they must prioritise and rigorously uphold the ethical standard of respecting the people when welcoming and guiding visitors to the Mausoleum. Every action and deed by cadres and party members must embody the philosophy of being close to the people, respecting the people, and promoting humanity, kindness, civility, and courtesy. This contributes to spreading Ho Chí Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and lifestyle to all levels of society. As a result, the Mausoleum of President Ho Chí Minh not only serves as a “red address” for educating future generations of Vietnamese people about historical and cultural traditions but also stands as the most vivid symbol of how the Unit’s cadres and party members learn and follow the example of Ho Chi Minh.

Finally, creating a conducive environment for cadres and party members to cultivate and enhance their revolutionary ethics. The ethics of each cadre and party member cannot be separated from the influence of the organisation and the working and living environment they are part of. Therefore, to ensure the effective implementation of Regulation 144, the Unit 969 Party Committee has emphasised the continuous effort to build a clean and strong Party organisation, along with a disciplined, exemplary, and rigorous unit that is comprehensively strong, “typical and exemplary.” This involves closely integrating the execution of Regulation 144 with the learning and following of Ho Chi Minh’s example, as well as the five core characteristics of the “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new era. It also involves aligning with regulations on accountability and modeling, and with resolutions and conclusions from the Central Party Committee and the Central Military Party Commission, especially the 4^th Central Resolutions (from the 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th Congresses) on Party building and rectification, alongside various emulation movements and campaigns. Additionally, the role of mass organisations in monitoring and contributing to the process must be fully utilised, creating a unified and comprehensive system for cadres and party members to develop, train, and practise ethical behaviour. This will ensure that revolutionary ethics become a distinctive feature of the cadres and party members of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command, serving as an intrinsic motivation for them to overcome all challenges and temptations, combat the risks of political, moral, and lifestyle degradation, and counter “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”. By doing so, their resilience to negative influences will be enhanced, and they will be better equipped to proactively resist and refute hostile, erroneous viewpoints, thereby safeguarding the ideological foundations of the Party.

Implementing the revolutionary ethical standards for cadres and party members in accordance with Regulation 144 holds immense importance. However, it is a challenging, long-term endeavour that requires determination, persistence, and steadfastness from the Party committees, leadership, and every officer and party member of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command. It must be conducted regularly and continuously, leading to genuine and solid transformation, ensuring that the Unit remains comprehensively strong, “typical and exemplary,” capable of meeting the special political tasks entrusted to it. This commitment aligns with the Unit’s proud tradition of “Loyalty and filial piety, unity and cooperation, self-reliance and resilience, proactivity and creativity.”

Major General DINH QUOC HUNG, Commissar of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Guard Command