Over 47 years of embalming Uncle’s Ho body and 41 years of opening Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum, soldiers guarding the mausoleum have ceaselessly upheld and spread the image of “Uncle Ho soldier” standing beside the mausoleum and built its good tradition of “completely loyal, united, self-reliant, active and creative”. These achievements gained as a result of the fact that the Party Committee and Commanders of the Mausoleum Guard Command have always deeply been aware of their honor and pride of being assigned the special political task of embalming President Ho Chi Minh’s body. Thus, it has carried out a number of solutions to make the virtues of “Uncle Ho soldier” always bright here.

President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (source: VNA)

First, It has always paid attention to building party organizations pure, strong and capable of leading the successful fulfillment of all assigned tasks. Units at all levels have drawn out a number of guidelines and solutions for building party committees and organizations pure and strong. The building of party committees is associated with the building of vanguard and exemplary cadres and party members. Attention is also paid to the building of strong political officers, political organs, and mass organizations. As a result, its internal solidarity and unity are gained, the leadeship skill and combativeness of party organizations and cadres and party members are enhanced. During their mission accomplishment, cadres, soldiers and civilian staffs have shown their loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland and the people.

Second, propagation and education are carried out thoroughly to enhance the responsibility of cadres and soldiers during their task performance. Party committee and the Command of the Mausoleum Guards usually organize activities for their cadres, soldiers and staffs to study Ho Chi Minh’s life and revolutionary cause as well as his teachings, saying and writings; hold exchanges, seminars, forums, ideological orientations, and mission briefings. They have also directed their junior units to organize studying tours for their cadres and soldiers to historical relics, where they can hear stories about Ho Chi Minh’s thought, moral and style and  have a better understanding of his life and build their greater affection for him. The command also runs a website and its system of radio and television to spread propagation about his life and cause; makes documentary films, publishes books, cultural publications and collaborates with presses and televisions to promote their mission.

Third, grasping thoroughly the guideline of independence, self-reliance, activeness and creativeness; overcoming all difficulties and striving to master partly and then the whole of their mission. To keep President Ho Chi Minh’s body in good condition for a long time, medical procedures are conducted in a strict, thorough, careful, and exact manner. Meanwhile, it focuses on improving the quality and effectiveness of collaboration between medical and technical procedures in the studying and application of technology and equipment improvement to ensure that the body is always kept in the best condition. It also maintains and strengthens the relation with its Russian partner; proactive in broadening cooperation with domestic and foreign scientists and centers for scientific researches, paying attention to human resource training and investing in building facility for the 69 Institution to make it a modern, scientific, regular and specified institute. These are the important basis for them to gradually master the medical task of preserving his body.

Fourth, paying attention to improve the skill to assure security, ritual and combat readiness. Attention is paid to the task of maintaining security and regulation,  combat readiness; cooperating closely with other security forces to provide security and safety for people to pay tribute to Uncle Ho, to heroic martyrs and for political and cultural activities within the Mausoleum area, the K9 historical area.

Fifth, making a fundamental and steady change in managing and exercising of discipline, building regularity and conducting military administrative reform. Cadres, soldiers and staffs at the command are selected with high standards and regularly trained in disciplines, regulations, daily and weekly routines. Trainings are conducted in accordance with the guidelines of “basic, practical, and sustainable”, and relevant with the medical and technical requirements; combining training with holding competition, seminar and contest to upgrade the skill level. The movements of “good training, strict disciplining”, “The whole unit adhering to regulations”, “Youth heading to disciplines and ceremony regulations”, etc are carried out seriously and achieved encouraging results, contributing to enhancing training quality and creating the foundation for the command to record the title of “Good training unit”

Sixth, paying attention to material and spiritual lives of cadres, soldiers and civilian staffs. The unit has been active in bringing into play the specific strength of each particular unit, boosting labor and production to improve soldier meals. Kitchen facilities are built in pursuant to unified and regular standards. Soldiers’ meal and health are taken care carefully. Emulation drives, cultural, sport and art events are hold on a regular basis; spiritual and cultural lives are enriched making cadres, soldiers and civilian staffs of the Command more affectionate towards Uncle Ho and responsible for their assigned political mission.

Senior Col. Cao Dinh Kiem

Commissar of the Mausoleum Guard Command