Signal Brigade 601, under Military Region 1 (MR1) is responsible for ensuring and maintaining the “backbone” of communication for the Military Region, assisting the Head of MR1’s Command, commanding agencies and units to perform both regular and unexpected military tasks. Being fully aware of the role and importance of its task, in recent years, under the command of the Standing Board of MR1’s Party Committee and Command, the Brigade has comprehensively deployed and successfully fulfilled all assigned tasks. Among them, the task of building a comprehensively strong unit is the main focus and strictly carried out with synchronous policies and solutions, hencebringing about many positive results, notably: 100% of its officers and soldiers have strong political stance, high determination and are ready to accept and successfully complete all tasks; it ensures smooth, steady, timely and absolutely secure communication; the quality of training is constantly improved (100% results of the subjects were good and excellent); remarkable progress has been seen in regularity building and discipline observance that there was no case of severe disciplinary violation; the logistics and technical work have well met the requirements. As a result, it is recognised as a comprehensively strong, “exemplary, typical” unit on a yearly basis.

In order to achieve the above results, first of all, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command have focused on leading and directing the building of a politically strong unit, which serves as a basis and premise for building a comprehensively strong, “exemplary, typical” unit. To make it effective, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command order that Party Committees and commanders of all levels strengthen their leadership and direct the renovation and quality improvement of political and ideological education, focusing on effectively implementing the Project of “Renewing political education in the unit in the new period”, which ensures the diversity of methods, forms and suitability for each subject. Currently, the Brigade focuses on implementing the Central Military Commission’s Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW issued on 28^th December, 2021 on “Promoting the qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”, resolutely fighting against individualism in the new context”, associated with implementing Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW of the Politburo (the 12^th Tenure) issued on 18^th May, 2021 on “Continuing to promote learning and following Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and style” and the campaign entitled “Promoting traditions, devoting talents, deserving to be Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new context with many creative and effective models and methods. By doing so, its officers and soldiers can be imbued with Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, the Party’s guidelines and policies; actively cultivate and practice revolutionary moral qualities, healthy lifestyle. Moreover, they can firmly grasp the requirements and tasks of the Army, MR1, and the Brigade; and always raise vigilance against any conspiracies and plots of “peaceful evolution”, “depoliticisation of the army” of hostile forces; and resolutely prevent and repel internal “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

MR1's Commander checks signal work of the Brigade

To make its officers and soldiers “immune” to the artifices of hostile forces, party committees and commanders at all levels regularly grasp and educate the soldiers to be aware of the role and tasks, advantages and disadvantages of the unit in ensuring communication in the field of military and national defence, etc. Through those actions, the commanders orientate soldiers’ perception, stance and actions; build the appropriate attitude and motivation, the will to overcome difficulties, eagerness to learn, do research and master the process of using and preserving communication equipment. Besides, importance is attached to educating about the heroic tradition of Signal troops, achievements and victories of MR1 and the Brigade via political lectures, internal radio system, theatrical contests, etc. By doing so, they can arouse honour, pride and motivate their officers and soldiers to strive, cultivate, train, uphold their responsibilities, and meet task requirements. Attention has been paid to the material and spiritual well-bring of officers and soldiers; well implement the policies for Military’s families to motivate the soldiers to stay committed and contribute to the building of a politically strong brigade.

In order to meet the requirements of “Being good at traditional signals– Being elite in mobile signals – Mastering modern signals”, the Party Committee and Command of the Brigade attach great importance to leadership and direction to improve the quality of training in accordance with the motto: “basic, practical, solid”. The Brigade orders the party committees and organisations to fully grasp Conclusion No. 60-KL/QUTW issued on 18^th January, 2019 on continuing to implementing the Central Military Commission’s Resolution No. 765-NQ/QUTW, Resolution No. 703-NQ/ĐU issued on 27^th May, 2013 by the Standing Board of MR1’s Party Committee on improving the training quality in the period from 2013 to 2020 and beyond; proactively issue resolutions on commanding training task at each level with appropriate contents, measures, and targets suitable for the abilities of the soldiers. Moreover, they focus on the good preparation of training such as: building a system of training plans and schedules close to task requirements; renovating the training grounds and supplementing sufficient facilities of good quality suitable for the requirements of the subjects; lesson plans and lectures are approved and ratified by regulations. The Brigade organises training for officers about important contents with focus on new and key ones. Select experienced officers to undertake important and difficult contents. As a result, the training quality of the Brigade has been constantly improved; the troops have firmly grasped the techniques and mastered the use of signal equipment. For years in a row, the Brigade has been awarded flags and certificates of merit as “Good training unit” by the Ministry of National Defence and  Military Region 1.

To implement the motto: “Ensuring smooth and steady communication in any circumstances”, the Brigade recognises that improving the standard and capability of combat readiness to meet task requirements is a thorough measure. According to this, the Brigade directs agencies and unit to strictly grasp the orders and directives of the Ministry of National Defence and MR1 on combat readiness; and make the officers and soldiers to be fully aware of their duties, grasp the enemies and always uphold the spirit of vigilance and keeping military secrets. Next, the Brigade reviews, adjusts and supplements the documents of combat readiness and thoroughly practicesdifferent training scenarios. It also observes duty regulations, especially the guard duty at the main signal station, and well settle all situations to ensure smooth communication round the clock, not to be passive and stunned in any circumstances.

Being fully aware that “Discipline is the Military’s strength”, the Brigade focuses on “Creating a dramatic change in regularity building and discipline observance” as stipulated in the Resolution of the Brigade’s Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term. According to this, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command regularly direct agencies and unit to focus on grasping all-level resolution, directives, and regulations on regularity building and discipline observance. They also strengthen legal propaganda, dissemination,and education in the unit, and well implement the model of “One law per week”, “Legal psychological consultation” team in a practical and effective manner. In addition, they regularly maintain strict adherence to daily and weekly rountines, and manage soldiers during breaks and days off. They also do the ideological work well, proactively prevent and deal with any violations; carry out fair and timely rewards as well as punishments. Commanders at all levels have also strengthened inspection and timely handled shortcomings in the implementation of regularity and discipline observance; and they judge the level of task completion of individuals and the units based on the results of law obedience. Therefore, the Brigade has witnessed positive changes in the regularity and discipline observance, which is a highlight in the Brigade’s task of building a comprehensively strong, “exemplary, typical” unit. This helps to improve the overall quality and combat strength of the Brigade.

At the same time, the Brigade’s Party Committee and Command always focus on ensuring sufficient logistics by promoting different movements such as: “Military Logistics follows Uncle Ho’s teachings”, “Building unit that is good at feeding soldiers and managing supplies”, etc. to ensure better life quality of soldiers; and the reserved logistics materials are always sufficient to meet the requirements of regular and unexpected tasks. When it comes to technical assurance, the Brigade pays close attention to the technical area and it is upgraded to meet the high requirements of equipment maintenance and weapon storage; it strictly manages and register statistics in accordance with the Technical Working Regulations. The movement of promoting initiatives, technical improvement, scientific research is particularly promoted to encourage the roles and responsibilities of officers and technical staff in managing, exploiting and using signal equipment and weapons. At the same time, the Brigade maintains effectively “Technical Days”, associated with the Campaign “Managing and exploiting weapons and technical equipment in a good, durable, safe and cost-effective way; and Safe transportation”, which helps to ensure the equipment and weapons for training and combat.

Signal Brigade 601 will draw lessons from practical experiences to research, flexibly and creatively apply in the near future to build a comprehensively strong, “exemplary, typical” unit that meets all the task requirements in the new context.

Colonel NGUYEN BA VINH, Brigade Commander