Clearly recognizing the position and importance of defense and military affairs in the past years, Phuc Tho District, Hanoi has concentrated on guiding and directing the local military and defence tasks with several suitable and effective policies and solutions to build an increasingly firm all-people defense and defensive zone, which has helped maintain political security and social order and safety and create a favorable environment for the District’s fast and  sustainable socio-economic development.

Thoroughly grasping the guidelines and viewpoints of the Party on protection of the country in the new era, in the past years, Phuc Tho District Party Committee and People’s Committee, in addition to the focus on socio-economic development, have paid much attention to directing the performance of local national defense and military affairs with  positive results such as enhanced perception of cadres, party members, and people towards the task of building and defending the Motherland, gradually strengthened all-people defense potentials and posture in association with the people-security posture, improved combined quality and combat strength of the District’s armed forces, and reinforced local political security and social order and safety.

The results are fruited from different factors. First of all, the District has led and directed the implementation of this important work. On the basis of thoroughly grasping the Party's defense viewpoints and guidelines, higher-level directives and resolutions, and advise and proposals of various branches and sectors, among which the District Military Command play a key role. The District Party Committee and People's Committee have issued many resolutions, directives, and plans on leadership and direction of local defense and military affairs in accordance with the local characteristics and conditions. In particular, the District has attached great importance to renovating and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of leadership of the Party committee members, management and administration of the authorities at all levels in the local military and defense work. It has regularly supplemented and perfected mechanisms and regulations on construction and operation of defense zones, combination of socio-economic development with strengthening of national defense and security. Over the past time, the District has developed and effectively deployed the action programs on implementing the Resolution of the 8^th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (the 11^th Session) on the "Strategy for Homeland protection in the new situation", Resolution No.30/2013/NQ-HĐND of the District People's Council, Decision No.186/QĐ-UBND of Hanoi People's Committee on "Building Hanoi defensive area to 2020 and beyond", and other resolutions on the leadership of the local military and defense affairs of the City Party Committee. So far, the District has completed the plan for the district-level military posture, which has been approved by the Hanoi Capital Command, as a basis for budget planning and construction of defense works in accordance with the regulations.  It has closely combined economic development with construction of defensive potentials and posture and enhanced the implementation of dual-use projects. At the same time, the District has also combined the development of socio-economic infrastructure and construction of new rural areas with construction of defense works and maneuver roads serving national defense.

Secretary of Hanoi's Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai attend the enlisting ceremony of Phuc Tho district

The District has promoted the education and training of defense and security knowledge for the target groups and the entire population. Due to the large number of trainees in the District, it has directed the Military Command to conduct a review and develop a list of each type of cadres who participate in training according to decentralization and develop a plan to hold defense and security knowledge courses for Type-4 cadres, religious dignitaries and officials, and heads of clans in the locality. For high school students, the District Military Command has been directed to monitor and inspect the contents of national defense and security education at schools in accordance with the programs. The work of defense and security education for local people, therefore, has been regularly implemented and achieved practical results, which has been widely recognized as a bright example of national defense and security in Hanoi.

Promoting the achievements, the District continues to build and implement the Project on "Promoting the value of independent spirit and self-reliance of Trung Sister’s revolution, Phuc Tho people determine to complete missions". This is one of the highlights to arouse and promote the traditional and historical values and national pride in building the great national unity bloc and determining to build the district strong and civilized.

Besides, the District has regularly attached great importance to building strong local armed forces as the core in implementing local defense and military affairs. Focus has been placed on consolidating the organization and staffing and raising the quality of the operation of the District Military Command to  promote its key role in coordinating and accelerating the implementation of the local military and defense work. For the militia and self-defense forces, the District has directed the Military Command to coordinate with branches, communes, and townships in propagating, mobilizing, and strictly implementing the registration and management of citizens in the age of participating in the militia and self-defense force  with importance attached to the recruitment and building of the mobile militia and service self-defense force. Up to now, 100% of the commune and township military commands have been appointed with sufficient positions in accordance with the regulations to well advise the Party committees and authorities on military and defense affairs and organize training for the subordinates according to the decentralization. For the reserve force, the District has directed the reception of non-commissioned officers and soldiers who have fulfilled their military service and return to their localities. This force, together with technical means, has been registered and closely managed in each geographical area. Coordination has been performed, consolidating and arranging sufficient.

In order to improve the overall quality and combat strength of the armed forces, the District has focused on improving the quality of training and rehearsal, especially with the local army battalion, mobile militia company, and military units. At the same time, it has directed the District Military Command, units, and establishments to actively renew training contents and methods, attach importance to fostering and improvement of training level and capacity for grassroots cadres, and strengthen practical training and night training, among which combat training has been combined with training of natural disaster relief and search and rescue in accordance with the characteristics of the District. The training has been accompanied by defense zone exercises, commune-level defensive combat exercises, and security safeguard practice to improve the level of leadership, coordination, and cooperation and ability to handle incidents close to reality.

The work of recruitment and military service mobilization, an important content among the local defense and military affairs, has been directed to be implemented strictly, legally, publicly, and democratically with high quality. Together with registration and management of citizens at military service age, the District has also directed the military offices of communes and townships to strictly perform the steps and stages in the recruitment process, among which focus has been placed on the involvement of the entire political system and people. Through synchronous measures, the District has always well performed the recruitment work under the motto of "full circle". Since 2010, the District has recruited and called nearly 1,000 citizens to join the army, reaching 100% of the target with increasingly high quality (university and vocational training graduates account for over 43%), which has been highly appreciated by receiving units and Hanoi Capital High Command.

Policy and military rear work has received much attention and care, which helps create confidence in the people and contribute to the construction of a firm "heart and mind posture". Accordingly, the District has directed the Military Command to actively review, guide, approve, and propose to handle policies in accordance with subjects, procedures, and principles. During 5 years (2012 - 2017), the District performed policy payments for nearly 2,250 people, coordinated in medical examination and drug distribution for more than 2,300 beneficiaries, and awarded 5 houses of gratitude to policy families. These activities were highly appreciated and supported.

The leadership and direction of synchronous implementation of the above contents is the basis for the District to well perform the national defense and military affairs to create a stable environment for building Phuc Tho District prosperous in economy and strong in national defense and security and contribute to building and firmly defending the Socialist Vietnam Motherland.

Doan Trung Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Tho District