Building a "strong and widespread" militia and self-defence force is the strategic policy of the Party and the State. In response to the requirements of strengthening national defence, security, and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation, the Militia and Self-Defence Department has been synchronously implementing solutions to effectively perform its function of advising and directing the strategy of militia and self-defence work.

Implementing the Party's policy of all-people, comprehensive, long-term, self-reliant resistance, relying mainly on one's own strength, on 12 February 1947, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 16/SL, establishing the National Militia Department (the predecessor of today's Militia and Self-Defence Department). This is a milestone marking the birth of a specialised agency in charge of advising, directing, and guiding the nationwide implementation of militia and self-defence work. During the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, the Militia and Self-Defence Department always closely followed the practical situation and the Party's policy of building armed forces, actively studied and performed well the function of advising and directing the strategy of militia and self-defence work, making an important contribution to the building of the people's armed forces, developing guerrilla warfare and local people's warfare, making the victory in the cause of national liberation and unification.

Self defence force conducts training

After the country’s reunification, the Department advised and directed both the consolidation of the organisation and staff, and the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of the militia and self-defence forces. Implemented the building of the militia and self-defence forces in the direction of "strong and widespread"; focused on building and consolidating the militia and self-defence forces in the border areas, islands, large cities and industrial zone. Together, it directed and organised the militia and self-defence forces to coordinate with other forces to sweep away the remaining enemy troops; build fortresses on the border defence line; coordinate combat, serve combat and production labour, contributing to firmly protecting the sovereignty of the southwestern and northern borders of the Fatherland, etc.

Entering the period of national renewal, the Department continues to advise and direct the successful implementation of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on militia and self-defence work, and national defence work in central and local ministries and branches. In recent years, the Department has researched and proposed to the General Staff and the Ministry of National Defence to advise the Party and the State to develop and promulgate the Law on Militia and Self-Defence Forces and a system of legal documents on militia and self-defence forces, creating an important legal corridor for unified organisation and implementation nationwide. At the same time, proactively directing and guiding to create breakthroughs in the organisation, training and operation of militia and self-defence forces; building a “strong and widespread” militia and self-defence force, acting as the core in performing defence and security tasks in localities, practically contributing to building a strong national defence and a strong national defence posture, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation.

In the coming time, along with the complicated developments of the world and regional situation; besides opportunities and chances, our country is facing many difficulties and challenges in both traditional and non-traditional security, as well as the increasing sabotage of hostile forces, aiming to create political and social instability. Meanwhile, the task of building the Army, strengthening national defence, security, and safeguarding the Fatherland has a new development step, posing very high requirements for militia and self-defence work. To be worthy of being the leading agency of the Army in advising and directing the work of the militia and self-defence forces, and to successfully perform the assigned functions and tasks, the Department of Militia and Self-Defence Forces continues to comprehensively implement all aspects of work, with synchronous solutions to improve its work’s quality, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation; in which, the focuses are on the following contents:

First, actively research and propose to the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence to advise the Party and the State to promulgate and implement synchronously, promptly and effectively policies and guidelines on militia and self-defence work. This is a strategic task in the coming time. So, along with thoroughly grasping, directing and guiding the effective implementation of policies and guidelines on militia and self-defence work, the Department will focus on improving the quality of research, advising on the development, adjustment, supplementation and completion of the system of legal documents on militia and self-defence, meeting the requirements of strengthening national defence, security and safeguarding the Fatherland. To effectively implement this content, the Department continues to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to promote the work of reviewing, researching, and summarising the practice of organising and implementing militia and self-defence work in military regions, ministries, central and local branches, especially in advising on the development of legal documents to suit the development of practice, creating a synchronous legal corridor, as a basis for effectively implementing this important work. At the same time, continue to direct the implementation of projects on militia and self-defence. The focus is on the projects: "Force deployment, training, operation, regimes and policies for militia and self-defence forces in the period of 2021 - 2025 and the following years"; "Building a standing militia fleet to participate in protecting sovereignty over seas and islands in the new situation" phase 2; “Building and improving the operational efficiency of military commands and militia forces at the border, coastal and island commune levels to meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation”,... contributing to building a “strong and widespread” militia and self-defence force.

The militia join hands in disaster relief

Second, continue to advise, direct, guide and improve the quality of building and training militia and self-defence forces. As the leading agency in this important field, the Department will promote the synchronous implementation of measures to improve the quality of building and training militia and self-defence forces nationwide. In particular, it will focus on advising, directing and guiding central and local ministries, branches to well perform the task of building militia and self-defence forces according to the motto “strong and widespread”, ensuring a strict, public and democratic process; link the building of militia and self-defence forces with the building of political bases and defence zones, in accordance with the characteristics of each locality, agency, organisation and unit; build new models, such as: comprehensively strong "exemplary, typical" militia units; standing militia squadrons participating in protecting sea and island sovereignty in the new situation; standing militia units; maritime militia; mobile militia; artillery and air defence militia; standing militia posts on land borders, etc. Build and supplement militia forces for information warfare, cyber warfare, sniper teams, and suppression of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); self-defence units in various types of enterprises inside and outside the Army, closely following mission requirements and in line with reality. Continue to research and summarise the building of self-defence forces in organisations and enterprises with foreign elements. In particular, advise and direct the effective implementation of creating training sources and building a contingent of military cadres at the grassroots level; Consolidate and improve the operational efficiency of commune-level military party cells, military commands in communes, wards, agencies and organisations, because these are the core forces in commanding, managing and training militia and self-defence forces at the grassroots level. In the context of many central and local ministries, branches and sectors implementing streamlining and downsizing their apparatus according to the Party's policy, the Department actively monitors the situation to advise, propose and direct and guide the arrangement and consolidation of military agencies and militia and self-defence forces, ensuring compliance with current legal regulations. Direct military agencies at all levels to advise local Party committees to promote party development work in militia and self-defence forces, especially in key areas, remote areas, and in foreign-invested enterprises to continuously improve the political quality of this force.

Along with that, the Department strengthens the direction and guidance of central and local ministries, branches to focus on improving the quality of militia and self-defence training according to the motto "basic, practical, quality", suitable for each subject and locality. Closely combine military training with political and legal education, education on the traditions of the militia and self-defence force, the traditions of central and local ministries, branches, etc. to ensure that this force has comprehensive quality, first of all, political quality, truly a political force, a fighting force absolutely loyal and trustworthy to the Party, State, People and the socialist regime. In particular, focus on training the militia and self-defence force to grasp its functions and tasks, proficiently use existing weapons, equipment, and support tools, master infantry combat techniques, and on-site combat plans; methods and contents of coordination with the Police and other forces in the area in patrolling, controlling, handling defence and security situations, etc. In particular, to promote the role of the militia and self-defence forces in localities and bases, the Department continues to direct the strengthening of training and fostering of mass mobilisation, natural disaster prevention and control, rescue, etc. At the same time, coordinate and direct local military agencies at all levels to improve the quality of competitions and sports events in the militia and self-defence forces, participate in defence zone drills, especially coordinate drills with military units in the area, etc. thereby practically training and improving the level and capacity to perform tasks for this force.

Third, promote the building of a comprehensively strong Department that is "exemplary and typical", equal to the requirements and tasks. Accordingly, the Party Committee and the Department's command continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the resolutions and directives of the Party, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence on Party building work. Regularly consolidate, improve, foster, and improve the comprehensive leadership capacity and combat strength of Party committees and Party cells at all levels, especially the capacity to advise, propose, guide, and organise the implementation of militia and self-defence work, build militia and self-defence forces, and other important aspects of work. In the immediate future, focus on leading and directing the preparation and successful organisation of the Party cell congresses for the 2025-2027 term and the Department's Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term. Regularly innovate and improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of Party inspection, supervision, and discipline work; proactively fight against signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, "self-evolution", "self-transformation", strictly handle Party organisations and Party members who violate discipline, ensuring objectivity, fairness, accuracy and timeliness.

Along with that, the Department focuses on perfecting the organisation and staff, ensuring "elite, compact, strong", building a team of cadres and employees, especially young cadres, with strong political will, good moral qualities, comprehensive knowledge, practical understanding, strategic thinking, sharpness, scientific working style, ability to detect problems, accurately forecast the situation to advise and propose accurately, correctly, promptly and effectively, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation.

Lieutenant General PHAM QUANG NGAN, Director of the Department of Militia and Self-Defence Forces