In 2019, the Party Committee and High Command of the Signal Corps determined to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the theme: “Building a sense of respecting people, promoting democracy, taking care of people’s lives following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle” (hereafter the Theme) under the Instruction 74-HD/BTGTW of the Central Propaganda Department and guidance of the General Political Department of Vietnamese People’s Army. This has made a great contribution to well conducting Directive 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (12^th tenure) on accelerating the studying and following of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle. In the meanwhile, this has helped cadres and members of the Party, youth union and women’s union have a deep understanding, positively and proactively develop a working style and spirit of wholeheartedly serving the Motherland and people, greatly making the Corps Party Committee clean and strong in politics, ideology, organization and morality, building a comprehensively strong unit.

Sr. Col. Tran Minh Tam encouraging new recruits of the Brigade 139

With nearly 130 stations across the country, in order to achieve high effectiveness, the Corps Party Committee and High Command set up plans, direct agencies and units to thoroughly and strictly implement the Theme associated with promoting the studying and following of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle, resolutions of the party congress at all levels, the “Determined to win” Emulation Movement, other campaigns in the Army and the Corps, ensuring suitability for specific situations and tasks of each agency and unit. Simultaneously, the result of the Theme’s implementation is set as a criterion for assessing the task performance of each organization, cadre, party member and the mass.

Each party cell, on a monthly basis, spends at least 45 minutes (before or after its periodical meeting) studying each subject. The secretary of the party cell or assigned members take charge of directly introducing the content defined in the plan. Specifically, in the first quarter, the party cell, units and agencies provide cadres, party members, masses with the review of the Theme and the 50-year work of: “Improving revolutionary morality, wiping out individualism”. Cadres, party members and masses need to develop their self-training plans in 2019; meanwhile, make plans for replicating typical examples in studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle. Then, each individual raises awareness of responsibilities and tasks to train themself, to set a moral example and to fight against individualism. In the second quarter, the units focus on studying the theme of celebrating 50 years of President Ho Chi Minh’s Testament; propaganda documents commemorating 129 years of Uncle Ho’s birthday, and “Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on respecting people, promoting democracy and taking care of people’s lives”. The content centers on: basic core values in the Testament, its permanent value, the President’s great contribution to the nation, to the world and to our Party; the glorious achievements of Vietnamese revolution in 50-year Testament implementation; heightening the spirit of cadres, party members, masses in following the Testament and Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle. Then, each member actively fights and rejects wrong distorted arguments of hostile forces; criticizes thoughts and behaviours which go against Uncle Ho’s teachings. Furthermore, the Corps associates the implementation with activities to celebrate 50 years of the President’s Testament; 129 years of Uncle Ho’s birthday and 71 years of his call for patriotic Emulation; relates to the reality of each agency and unit; propose solutions for following Uncle Ho’s example. In the third quarter, the emphasis is placed upon: studying the content of “Ho Chi Minh’s ethics, lifestyle of respecting people, promoting democracy, taking care of people’s lives’ and the theme “the Party policy, task and solution for building the sense of respecting people, promoting democracy, taking care of people’s lives in the current period”; relating to the implementation of the party cell, cadres, party members and masses; proposing solutions for self-training in accordance with President Ho Chi Minh’s ethics and lifestyle. In the fourth quarter, the focal points are to study the theme of 70 years of President’s work titled Mass Mobilization (published in the Truth Newspaper on October 15^th, 1949).  The content focuses on clarifying Uncle Ho’s thoughts on the masses; relating to the reality of agencies and units in carrying out Resolution 25-NQ/TW, dated June 3^rd, 2013 of the Central Executive Committee (11^th Course) on “Strengthening and reforming the Party’s leadership on mass mobilization in the new situation”; discussing solutions for overcoming risks and signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” from within. At the same time, it is necessary to evaluate the result of building advanced models and typical examples in conducting Directive 05 of the party cells in 2019 combined with reviewing the implementation of the 2019 self-training plan of cadres and party members; suggesting solutions and directions in the coming year.

For mass organizations and military councils, based on the content of monthly theme and the direction of superiors, the party cells instruct the youth union, women’s union and military councils to well perform the thorough study and implementation of the Theme in agencies and units, through the meetings of unions, the entire army, cultural and artistic activities, etc. The content centers on Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on “devoting the whole life to serving the country and people”; Party’s guidelines, State’s law and policy on “people as the root”; the implementation of democracy at grassroots level. Simultaneously, training measures are about political thinking, morality, lifestyle; the implementation of assigned tasks and responsibilities; the awareness of discipline obedience; the relationship with people and the sense of respecting people, the spirit of serving the country, the people of Signal troops in order to deserve “Uncle Ho’s soldiers”. Particularly for stations far away from the unit, the Corps Party Committee and High Command direct agencies and units to make use of online meetings and regular cadres’ inspections to combine the study with implementation review of each collective and individual, spontaneously overcoming limitations and shortcomings during the process.

The Corps Party Committee and High Command require agencies and units to elaborate contents and measures in their action plans, which must be suitable for each unit’s characteristics, functions and tasks; to create breakthroughs in dealing with weaknesses for soldiers to study and follow; to set time for the completion and to assign specific tasks. Bringing into full play pioneering efforts and exemplary characters among cadres and Party members, especially those in charge at all levels; adopting the motto “leaders first, then soldiers; inside first, then outside; study and actions follow up”. Key leaders should regularly have talks with soldiers to understand them and promptly forecast their ideological developments for proper solutions. Party cells, particularly the Party secretaries and members select good speeches, stories and writings on Uncle Ho’s morality, style and his viewpoint on “sacrificing all lifetime for the Fatherland and its people” so that cadres, party members and soldiers can thoroughly grasp the focal points of each theme. The Corps Party Committee requires units to always promote their initiative, attaching importance to discussions and practical links for effective follow -up solutions. Simultaneously, it is necessary to closely inspect cadres and Party members’ commitment papers in the Party cells.

At the same time, its Party Committee and High Command order units of all levels to work with the localities in thoroughly grasping and implementing the thematic Resolution and strictly implementing the Resolution of the Central Military Commission on “strengthening and renewing the Military’s mass mobilization in the new situation”; educating to raise soldiers’ awareness and responsibility for “10 oaths of honour” and “12 military rules when working with civilians”; promptly advise the local Party Committee and authorities on effective solutions to political security, social order and safety in the stationed area. Concurrently, units and offices are required to be active and practical in the works of hunger eradication and poverty reduction, coping with the aftermath of natural disasters and movements entitled “the Military joins hands in building the new countryside”, “the Military joins hands for public health”, “gratitude”, “the Day for the poor”, which contribute to spreading the Signal Corps’ beautiful images - “Uncle Ho’s soldiers”, strengthening army - people relationship.

Thanks to appropriate solutions, the movement of studying the Directive 05 has brought deep insights for cadres and soldiers into Ho Chi Minh's thoughts of respecting people, serving people, taking care of people's life, considering them as one of the important contents in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, ethics and lifestyle since early 2019. As a result, the implementation of Directive 05 has become a regular task for organizations and individuals, making Uncle Ho’s ideology, ethics and lifestyle a solid spiritual foundation, and a great motivation to build a "revolutionary, regular, elite and modern Corps", completing the tasks of ensuring communications and defending our country in all situations.

Senior Colonel Tran Minh Tam, Deputy Commissar of the Signal Corps