Building an “exemplarily, typically” comprehensively strong unit is a central political task and an important foundation for enhancing the overall quality and combat strength of every military unit. Fully aware of this, the Party Committee and Command of Division 346 (Military Region 1) have been exercising their leadership and direction over this important task via a system of synchronised, appropriate, effective measures.

Division 346 has the honour of being selected by Military Region 1 as a pilot model in building an “exemplarily, typically” comprehensively strong unit. To fulfil this responsibility, the Division’s Party Committee and Command have conducted an all-round review of the Division’s current situation, accurately assessing both strengths and weaknesses of the Division, developing a specialised resolution and action plans, identifying key priorities and breakthroughs with a specific road map, objectives, and targets tailored to the Division’s particularities, selecting subordinate agencies and units as pilot models in each field of work.

Division Command inspects preparatory work for an exercise in 2025

In the process, the Division has promoted decentralisation and delegation of authority, heightening the responsibility of commanders at all levels. It has strengthened inspection, supervision, and periodic review to draw lessons, encourage innovative thinking, and replicate effective, creative approaches. As a result, this important undertaking has brought about marked improvements across every aspect of the Division’s operations. The Division has successfully completed its assigned task of being a pilot model and drawn valuable lessons for its continued application in the years ahead.

Streamlining organisational structure and strengthening political foundation

Grasping and realising higher-level resolutions, decisions, and guidance on force adjustment towards the goal of being “adept, compact, strong”, the Division has reviewed and assessed personnel strength and the quality of officers and soldiers in all affiliates, particularly within its logistics and technical agencies following their merger as the basis for adjusting and balancing personnel between headquarters and support units, ensuring that the right people could be assigned to the right positions, giving priority to staffing units responsible for training and combat readiness.

The Division has intensified efforts to consolidate party, command, and mass organisations, revising the system of leadership regulations and operational procedures. Due attention has been paid to building pure and strong party organisations according to the “four-good” criteria, adhering to the example-setting responsibility of cadres and party members, especially leading officers at all levels under the “seven dares” and “six clear things” spirit. Regimes and routines have been strictly maintained. Inspection and supervision have been strengthened to promptly detect and prevent potential disciplinary violations at grass-roots level, thereby enhancing the leadership capacity and combativeness of party organisations, building a contingent of officers with sufficient political qualities, capabilities, and prestige to meet their mission requirements.

In parallel with these efforts, the Division has continued to renew and improve political and ideological education for its troops in a practical, modern manner. Notably, alongside the vigorous implementation of Directive 2423-CT/QUTW, dated 9 November 2023, by the Standing Board of the Central Military Commission (CMC) on renewing and improving political education in the new period, the Division has disseminated the “two steadfast commitments, two accelerations, two preventions” principle and the “five pillars” motto given by General Secretary, State President, and Secretary of the CMC To Lam among all troops. It has synchronously adopted measures to raise the quality of party and political work, applying information technology and artificial intelligence to produce concise, visual, easily understandable videos and images for communication, bringing into play initiatives such as “digital news”, “digital feedback box”, “law stories”, “accompanying soldiers” Zalo groups, and Facebook pages for communication, information exchange, and coordination with families and localities in troop management and education.

Consequently, 100% of officers and soldiers have shown their firm political resolve, remaining committed to their duties, standing ready to undertake and successfully accomplish all assigned missions. For many consecutive years, the Division’s Party Organisation has successfully and exceptionally fulfilled its tasks.

Building on these achievements, the Division is currently stepping up the study, dissemination, and execution of Directive 07-CT/TW, dated 13 July 2026, by the Politburo on intensifying the study and practice of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality, methodology, and lifestyle in the new stage of development, together with Directive 676-CT/QUTW, dated 20 June 2026, by the CMC Standing Board on strengthening leadership and direction over the promotion of the cultural values of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new era, thereby creating fresh momentum for building a politically strong unit.

Oath-taking ceremony for new soldiers

Excellent training and high combat readiness

Grasping and realising Resolution 19-NQ/ĐU, dated 16 March 2023, by the Military Region Party Committee, correctly assessing the strengths and weaknesses pointed out in previous years, the Division Party Committee has promulgated Resolution 690-NQ/ĐU, dated 28 March 2023, on “improving training quality for the period of 2023 - 2030 and beyond”, clearly defining objectives and targets for each group of personnel and each stage, specifying the responsibilities of party committees and commands at all levels in leadership, direction, staff work, and implementation. In the process, the Division has attached great value to making thorough preparations, ranging from personnel and facilities to training grounds. Particular attention has been paid to improving the competence of officers directly engaged in training and new graduates from military academies via routine refresher courses, the approval of lesson plans in the field, and model training demonstrations.

In the process of training, the Division has vigorously renewed training content and methods in accordance with combat realities, the requirements of modern warfare, and the characteristics of each group of troops. For officers and agency commanders, emphasis has been placed on training them to master operational staff and training staff work, gain a firm grasp of methods of organising and operating exercises at all levels, and have a good command of foreign languages and information technology to meet their task requirements. For soldiers, the Division has focused on traditional history education, improving their individual technical and tactical skills, training them to be proficient in using authorised weapons and equipment. Greater importance has been attached to field training, night training, long-distance manoeuvres, camouflage, deception tactics, counter-electronic warfare, unmanned aerial system prevention, and defence against high-tech weapons. For reservists, in addition to the prescribed training programme, the Division has concentrated on improving the command and management capabilities of Category B cadres to ensure that, upon mobilisation and reinforcement, they could immediately meet their operational requirements.

Furthermore, the Division has increased the frequency of exercises conducted under conditions of limited or urgent preparation time, with scenarios designed to closely reflect operational missions, combat plans, and new issues emerging from recent military conflicts around the world. These exercises aim to bring officers and soldiers closer to actual battlefield conditions and enhance command capability and coordination both among infantry sub-units and between infantry and specialised combat units. The Division has strictly maintained military competitions and tests, while officers at all levels have been required to regularly remain present on training grounds to promptly identify and rectify shortcomings during training. As a result, the Division's training and exercise performance has improved markedly. To date, 100% of its officers have been capable of training work under their assigned responsibilities. On a yearly basis, 100% of the training subjects meet the required standards, with more than 80% rated good or excellent. Many subordinate units have been awarded the title of “excellent training unit”.

To avoid being caught unprepared or surprised in any situation, the Division has strictly maintained combat readiness regulations and increased unscheduled inspections and combat readiness alerts, thus promptly rectifying shortcomings and preventing complacency or any lapse in vigilance. In addition, it has actively coordinated with local authorities in effectively managing and building the reserve force to guarantee mobilisation whenever ordered.

Troops of the Division help the people settle natural disaster consequences in Yen Trach commune, Thai Nguyen province in May 2026

Breakthroughs in regularity building and discipline management combined with the building of a healthy military cultural environment

In implementing Directive 76/CT-BQP, dated 28 April 2026, by the Minister of National Defence on strengthening political education, ideological management, discipline maintenance, and safety assurance across the Vietnam People's Army, the Division has focused on establishing a synchronised and standardised order from headquarters to subordinate units, completely overcoming weaknesses in building “exemplarily, typically” comprehensively strong units. While strictly maintaining daily, weekly routines and military etiquette and closely managing personnel, weapons, and technical equipment, the Division has enhanced both regular and irregular inspections, linking the responsibility of commanding officers with the results in regularity building and discipline management, particularly in remotely stationed and detached units. Special attention has been paid to sensitive periods, such as reception of new soldiers and reservists and demobilisation of soldiers. During these times, the Division has proactively monitored and managed its troops’ ideological situation, strengthening inspections, providing guidance, promoting democratic dialogue, closely working with troop families and localities, thereby preventing disciplinary violations early and from afar.

Additionally, the Division has stepped up the building of a healthy military cultural environment and standardised, green, clean, beautiful barracks, bringing into play the role of cultural institutions, well organising cultural and sport activities to foster unity within itself. It has strictly complied with safety regulations during training, combat readiness, equipment use and management, and traffic participation. Since 2023, the rate of violations of discipline within the Division has always been below 0.2%; there has been no serious violation requiring disciplinary action; the Division has ensured absolute safety.

Comprehensive and reliable logistics and technical support

Building on the achievements and experience already gained, following the reorganisation of logistics and technical agencies at all levels, the Division has supplemented and perfected its combat readiness document system, ensuring adequate logistics and technical supplies for all subordinate units in accordance with the new organisational structure. It has stepped up the standardisation of the Logistics and Technical Branch in tandem with the Campaign entitled “managing and operating weapons and technical equipment effectively, sustainably, safely, economically, ensuring traffic safety” and the emulation movement entitled “Military Logistics Branch follows Uncle Ho’s Teachings”. It has actively applied information technology and digital transformation to logistics and technical management, gradually digitalising records of weapons and equipment, closely managing supplies and vehicles, promoting initiatives and technical innovations in support of training and combat readiness. Attention has been paid to building standardised, bright, green, clean, beautiful barracks, improving troops’ material and spiritual life, creating favourable conditions for troops to devote themselves wholeheartedly to their duties and remain committed to the long-term development of the Division.

Upholding the tradition of “unity, self-reliance, resilience, determination to win”, officers and soldiers of Division 346 will keep improving their “physical fitness”, cultivating their “ethics”, enhancing their “professional competence”, building a pure, strong Party Organisation, and developing an “exemplarily, typically” comprehensively strong Division capable of successfully accomplishing all assigned missions.

Sr. Col. NGUYEN VAN HOA

Commander of Division 346