When alive, President Ho Chi Minh used to say that: “In the past, we just had night and forest. Today, we have day, sky and sea. Our coast is long and beautiful, hence we must know how to protect it”. His words are valuable spiritual heritage and the guideline for action of Vietnam People’s Navy in general and the Navy Brigade 146 (Truong Sa Troop) in particular. Moreover, this is an important content in the implementation of the Directive No 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (12th tenure) on furthering studying and following Ho Chi Minh thought, moral and style.
Being imbued with his words, the brigade’s Party Committee has directed its junior levels to build plans, programs for action of each agency and unit with concrete criteria for each individual to strive. During implementation, units has always closely attached it to the implementation of the Movement “Promoting tradition, dedicating talent, deserving to be Uncle Ho soldier – the Naval soldier”, and made it a regular, in-depth and effective action manifested in the daily words and actions of cadres and soldiers.. To improve their awareness, the party committee and commanders of the brigade has led and directed its departments and units to enhance the quality and effectiveness of political and ideological education. In particular, attention has been paid to the thorough implementation of the motto “3 build and 3 prevent” and fostering the Determine to Win Emulation Movement, disseminating and multiplying role models, the examples of “good people doing good deeds” and collectives and individuals with good and creative working methods. Besides, criticizing wrongful thought and actions; stimulating and encouraging cadres and soldiers to promote their talent and intellect to overcome difficulties and challenges successfully accomplishing their assigned tasks. Following Uncle Ho’s words is not only affection but also the responsibility of the Spratly troops for the Party and our beloved Uncle Ho. It has infused all thinking and action of cadres and party members of the unit.
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| Vegetable raised by Spratly troops on the Archipelago |
Not only limit in their awareness, the implementation of Uncle Ho’s words is also concreted in training and combat readiness of the Spratly troops. Closely following the motto “basic, practical, steady” in training, the party committee and commanders of the brigade have directed units on the islands to focus on the inclusive and in-depth training which is relevant to the object of combat, and the available strength, weapons and equipment.; closely combining military, technical and tactical training with exercise for combat collaboration and addressing emerging situations in a way that is relevant to combat plan and combat object on the sea and islands. Implementing the training breakthrough of “basic, mastering weapon and technical equipment, follow the safety precaution”, islands troops have carefully conducted planning , organized courses to improve capability for instructors, approved the training plans. Furthermore, they have promoted intellect of officers and soldiers to proactively overcome difficulties, making use of the on-spot materials to study, innovate, invent and supplement training models, training fields in serve for the task of training and combat readiness. They have also paid attention to combining professional training with physical training to enhance the fitness, tolerance and mobility of soldiers; increasing night training , practicing different island protection plans, particularly in complicated situations, when the enemy uses high-tech weapons; linking theory with reality when patrolling, protecting sea and island sovereignty, conducting search and rescue, disaster prevention and control. By synchronously implementing solutions in training, officers and soldiers of the brigade have mastered tactics and weapons, with high determination to successfully fulfill the assigned tasks in any circumstances.
Imbued with Uncle Ho’s words, the Spratly troops always bear in mind that “Island is their home and the surrounding sea is their hometown”. The training for combat readiness is seriously led and implemented by party committees and commanders. Units seriously maintain state of combat readiness in accordance with the Order of the Commander of the Service;regularly supplement combat plans; conduct training to thoroughly master different combat plans; proactively conduct patrolling to manage the developments of the air and maritime situations; appropriately settle emerging situations; timely report to the commander and propose methods of dealing, preventing, banishing, and addressing with foreign ships violating the country’s sea and island sovereignty.
The task of practicing thrift and countering wastefulness is considered the most essential content in studying and following Uncle Ho’s words. Officers and soldiers on Spratly Archipelago always acknowledge that whatever position they may hold, they must practice thrift and make it a concrete, essential and daily routine, particularly in the task of assuring sufficient materials, equipment for training and combat readiness. Units have actively overcome difficulties, promoted their self reliance in maintaing weapon and equipment, meeting the mission of training and combat readiness.
Following Uncle Ho’s words that “good mass mobilization makes everything success”, with their high sense of responsibility and concrete actions, Spratly troops always assist fishermen in their fishing activities around the archipelago. In 2016, clinics on the islands provided medical examination and gave free medicines for thousands of fishermen, people and builders; carried out emergency treatment for 47 fishermen, people and workers who were seriously ill or wounded. In addition, officers and soldiers on the islands also pays visit and present gifts for fishermen and people on Tet occasion every year. With those heartfelt activities, Spratley troops have earned the confidence of the fishermen and become their steady fulcrum to go fishing offshore, making contribution to the consolidation of the defense and security posture on the sea; effectively preventing and countering plots and schemes of foreign forces attempting to violate the country’s sea and island sovereignty.
Promoting the tradition of “being brave in fighting, unified and actively overcoming hardship to firmly safeguard national sovereignty”, officers and soldiers on the Spratly Archipelago will continue to implement effectively the Directive No.05-CT/TW of the Politburo (12th tenure) with concrete and practical activities, contributing to the improvement of defensive capability and living environment on the islands , … in order to firmly protect the country’s sacred sovereignty over the seas and islands to deserve people’s love and belief as this saying goes “The whole country for Truong Sa and Truong Sa for the whole country”.
Senior Colonel Bui Dinh Duong
Deputy commander of the 146 brigade