Grasping the position and importance of the Directive No.788-CT/QUTW issued by the Central Military Commission Standing Committee on implementing the Drive of "Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, deserving to be Uncle Ho's soldiers", during the last five years, Long An Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have focused on leading and directing the implementation of the Drive in a methodical, orderly, and in-depth manner. From the practice, several good models, creative methods, and typical collectives and individuals have been introduced, that have practically contributed to improving the performance of tasks.

Representative of Long An armed forces (first from right) receiving Outstanding Unit Flag presented by the Prime Minister in the 2018 Emulation Drive

Immediately after the Central Military Commission Standing Committee issued Directive No.788, Long An Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have determined that this is a favorable condition for officers and soldiers to promote emulation on ethical and talent training and inherit the tradition of "Infinite loyalty, initiative, creativity, resilient adherence, solidarity, and determination to win" of the provincial Armed Forces and the tradition of "Fearless, resilience, and all people fighting the enemies" of the homeland of Long An, promoting the good qualities of the "Uncle Ho's soldiers". During the implementation of the Drive, agencies and units have combined with the implementation of the Politburo's Directive No.05-CT/TW on "Promoting the learning and following of Ho Chi Minh thought, ethics, and lifestyle"” and Central Resolution 4 (12^th Tenure) on Party building and rectification; prevention and reversion the decline in ideological politics, ethics, and lifestyle and internal manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation"; and the Patriotic emulation movement, Determine-to-win Emulation movement, and other movements and drives.

The Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have directed that, in the implementation of the Drive, special attention should be paid to detecting, fostering, and replicating role models, good people, and good deeds, and it should be considered as an important measure to create a great spiritual motivation for the provincial Armed Forces to improve the overall quality and well fulfill the national defense and military tasks in the province. To do that, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have oriented to select and build pilot units, detect and foster advanced examples, particularly collectives and individuals who are directly in charge of training and combat readiness and working in difficult and complex areas or independent units that are far from the commanding, leadership, and direction. The building and training of role models are carried out comprehensively by agencies and units through various forms and measures. In addition to encouraging individuals and units to actively participate in the implementation of the criteria of "deserving to be Uncle Ho's soldiers", the Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have also created conditions for them to respond to emulation movements, drives, competitions, and sports festivals and challenge in difficult and complex tasks. After each round of emulation, the work of review, summary, and commendation are seriously and objectively implemented, with the right people and achievements. Thereby, the units and individuals who really are typical examples honored by collectives have been selected.

The provincial armed forces practise river-crossing

Annually, on the birthday of Uncle Ho, the Provincial Military Command organizes commendation meetings to replicate role models, that have promoted and improved the quality and efficiency of the Drive. In addition, the Provincial Military Command has compiled and compiled books about the role models, stating the measures and methods of each model, to allocate to units of the provincial Armed Forces and local military emulation block throughout Military Region 7 for reference to study and follow. During five years of implementing the Drive, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have commended 125 collectives and 175 of individuals and proposed the Military Region to commend 12 collectives and 16 individuals and the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee to commend 9 collectives and 12 individuals. Additionally, agencies and units in the provincial Armed Forces have also commended 60 of collectives and 86 of individuals. These role models continue to strongly spread and constantly promote the high values ​​of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new era, ensuring that the provincial Armed Forces successfully complete all assigned tasks.

From the practice of building and replicating advanced examples in implementing Directive No.788 in the Long An province Armed Forces, a number of experience lessons could be drawn as follows:

Firstly, the Party committees and commanders at all levels, especially the presiding officers, should be aware of the important role and the need to build and replicate the role models in the implementation of the Drive. The Drive is a content of Party construction and training of ethical qualities and lifestyles of officials and Party members to promote the self-awareness of all officials and soldiers to strive to fulfill their tasks. The detection and replication of the role models not only meant to motivate and encourage good people and deeds but also created strength and ensured the provincial Armed Forces to fulfill the assigned tasks. The Party committees and the leading officials at all levels, therefore, should have specific guidelines and measures for leadership and direction and pay attention to invest in all aspects so that the detection, fostering, and replication of the role models could achieve the set-out goals and requirements. Practice shows that, if the Party committees and presiding officials have a proper awareness, pay attention to the movements, and have leadership and direction methods that are scientific and close to the base, the movement will be exciting, and more typical collectives and individuals are built, while the units are solidary and developing. The Party committees at all levels should closely and seriously organize the study, grasping, and enhancement of the awareness of officials, Party members, and masses about the meaning and content of being worthy of the "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period to arouse honor and pride and build determination and sense of responsibility in the performance of tasks as a basis for concretizing and applying the content of being worthy of the "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in accordance with the responsibilities and tasks of each soldier.

Long an troops in tactic practice

Secondly, select the right units and individuals to build role models. The practice of direction of the implementation of the Drive among the provincial Armed Forces shows that, in the process of building plots, in addition to the requirements on consolidating and maintaining recognized role models, it is necessary to select from one or two pilot units on each working field and movement. The investment in building the role model should be directed to the units with difficulties and low starting points to properly assess the true nature of the Drive, avoiding spreading without focus and key points. Plans for building the role model should be specific with close and elaborate leadership and guidance. In the process of building, it is necessary to be persistent and create examples as a basis for drawing and dissemination of experience and replication, avoiding perfectionism and hesitation. Units need to derive from requirements and tasks to comment, evaluate, vote, and classify to ensure objectivity and honesty. In order to ensure the advanced examples to reveal and assert themselves in practice, it is necessary to direct and expand them into the key and hard tasks, new jobs, and weak aspects or challenge them in difficult and complex environment that requires high effort and determination.

Finally, promote the propaganda, detection, fostering, building, and replication of role models, effective methods, good people, and good deeds. The propaganda, encouragement, and replication of the role models should be conducted regularly, timely, and on all media, and the role of reporters and cultural institutions of units should be promoted. After each emulation round, agencies and units should well organize the preliminary and final review, experience drawing, rewarding, camping festival, displaying of models, products, and initiatives, and visit and studying of advanced examples, ... etc. It should be considered as an important measure to encourage and replicate advanced examples for everyone to learn and follow. Agencies and units should regularly pay attention to the interests and create conditions for the advanced collectives and individuals to assert themselves in practice and promptly encourage collectives and individuals that have good practices and effective models with specific forms.

The Drive of "Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, deserving to be Uncle Ho's soldiers" not only meets immediate requirements but also has a long-term significance, directly contributing to building a strong armed force. Good implementation of the Drive will make an important contribution to creating strength and ensuring the Armed Forces of Long An province to well fulfill the national defense and military tasks and be worthy of the trust of the Party Committee, the authorities, and people in the area.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Tuan Bao, Commissar of the Provincial Military Command