The 299th Engineer Brigade, also known as Tan Trao Engineer Corps, was established on 5 August 1965 when the people's resistance war against the US entered its most intense phase. During the 60-year journey of building, fighting, serving in combat and growing up, generations of cadres and soldiers of the Brigade have overcome countless difficulties, hardships and sacrifices, successfully completing the task of ensuring engineering for combat operations on the battlefields and building combat works for national defence and protection, contributing worthily to the glorious feats of the 1^st Army Corps and the tradition of the heroic Engineer Corps. With its outstanding achievements, the Brigade was honoured to be awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the Party and State twice (in1985 and 2015); 02 Third Class Feat Orders; 02 Fatherland Defence Orders (First and Second Class) and several noble awards by the Government, Ministry of National Defence, Corps Command, Engineering Command, etc.

The Brigade was awarded the Excellent Training Flag by the Ministry of National Defence in 2024

In recent years, the Brigade has been assigned to the 12^th Army Corps - the first "elite, compact, strong" Corps of our Army. This is a great honour and pride, but it also sets very high goals and requirements for the Brigade’s development in terms of its mission scale. Fully aware of the honour and responsibility to continue the glorious tradition, the Party Committee and the Brigade Commander have focused on leading and directing the synchronous implementation of measures to build itself to be a comprehensively strong, "exemplary, typical" unit, identifying this as the key factor to successfully complete all assigned tasks.

First of all, focusing on building the Brigade to be politically strong to successfully implement other aspects of work. This is an extremely pivotal issue for a mixed engineering unit because the Brigade must carry out different tasks in several areas; its officers and soldiers often work at high intensity, directly use, transport and handle explosives that might bring potential safety risks. Therefore, the Party Committee and the Brigade Commander regularly disseminate and strictly implement the resolutions, directives, and instructions of the Party, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and the General Department of Politics on building a politically strong unit. Along with focusing on improving the quality of political education, propaganda, dissemination and legal education, the Brigade promotes education and awareness for officers, employees and soldiers about the requirements and tasks of ensuring engineering in the current situation. In particular, clarifying the advantages, difficulties and challenges, especially in training, combat readiness; construction of defence works; clearance of bombs, mines and explosives; prevention and overcoming of consequences of natural disasters, search and rescue, etc. At the same time, promote education on the traditions of the Brigade, the Corps, the tradition of "Opening the way to victory" of the Engineering Corps; on the plots and tricks of "peaceful evolution" of hostile forces; the political security situation, order and social safety in the area. On that basis, build up the will and determination for officers and soldiers to overcome difficulties, uphold the sense of responsibility in performing duties and tasks. On the other hand, the Brigade directs agencies and units to encourage democracy at the grassroots level; proactively grasp and manage the ideological situation and relationships of soldiers, promptly and thoroughly resolve ideological problems right at the grassroots level, helping officers and soldiers feel secure in their work, attached to and devoted to building the unit.

Especially, the Brigade takes care of building strong organisations with the focus on perfecting and improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party committees and Party organisations at all levels; builds clean and strong Party committees and Party cells at all levels in association with building comprehensively strong "exemplary and typical" agencies and units. It also improves the quality and effectiveness of the Emulation Movement to Win in association with implementing Conclusion No. 21-KL/TW, dated 25 October 2021 of the Party Central Committee on promoting building and rectifying the Party and the political system and the Campaign to Promoting tradition, dedicating talents, and being worthy of the title of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" in the new period. With appropriate methods, every year, 100% of Party committees and organisations, over 95% of Party members complete their tasks well and excellently; cadres and party members with strong political will, no degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, ready to take and successfully complete assigned tasks.

Conducting training in river-crossing

Thoroughly grasping and implementing the policy of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence and the Corps Command on building "elite, compact, strong" unit, the Brigade has promoted the improvement of the organisations and staff, focusing on improving the quality of training and combat readiness. Accordingly, the Brigade has reviewed and adjusted forces, means and equipment based on Decision No. 805/QD-TM, dated 8 May 2019 of the Chief of the General Staff, giving priority to units performing combat readiness tasks, building defence works, clearing mines and explosives; directing the merger of logistics and technical agencies so as not to affect their work. At the same time, resolutely implement Resolution No. 1659-NQ/QUTW, dated 20 December 2022 of the Central Military Commission and Resolution No. 33-NQ/DU, dated 15 January 2024 of the Party Committee of the 12th Corps on improving the quality of training in the period of 2023 - 2030 and the following years with synchronous and effective solutions. In particular, focusing on promoting decentralisation of training, clearly defining the responsibilities of Party committees, commanders, and agencies in leading, directing, and advising on implementation. Fully prepare the system of executive documents, lesson plans, training grounds, models, and training tools. Focus on the training and fostering of cadres at all levels, especially cadres directly take part in training and young cadres, etc. During the training process, the Brigade adheres to the motto "basic, practical, solid"; conducts comprehensive, focused, key training, close to the target, area and requirements, tasks, organisations and equipment. For commanders and agencies, the focus is on training to improve the level of command and combat staff, methods of organising and directing, training, drills, etc. For junior officers, the focus is on enhancing methods to improve technical and tactical skills, etc. For squads, the focus is on training for proficiently exploiting and using weapons and equipment; strengthening practical training in deploying to ensure overpasses and ferry overpasses; conduct field training, night training and training in harsh weather conditions. Based on the specific nature of the task, the forces of the units regularly construct defence works; clear mines and explosives; prevent and combat natural disasters, search and rescue, etc. In different areas, the Brigade directs the implementation of the motto "using the construction site as the training ground", combining construction with training, training with construction in accordance with actual conditions, especially specialised training. Thanks to that, the training plan and content are seriously implemented, and the quality of training is constantly improved. Along with that, the Brigade regularly builds and supplements documents and combat readiness plans; strengthens the training, agency command exercises, company and battalion-level field exercises, and participates in exercises, ensuring engineering for joint-service exercises at the Corps level, in order to improve the command capacity of cadres at all levels, the qualifications and professional skills of soldiers, meeting the requirements of ensuring engineering in the war to safeguard the Fatherland.

In addition, the Brigade focuses on the work of regularity building and discipline training and identifies this as a breakthrough. With the goal of "building a beautiful lifestyle and strict discipline", the Brigade directs agencies and units to promote the implementation of working based on responsibilities and acting based on regulations. The Brigade also promotes the vanguard and exemplary role through the words and actions of cadres and party members in setting examples for the masses and subordinates to follow. Agencies and units strictly maintain the regime and routine of living, studying and working, closely manage troops, weapons and equipment, especially in the units tasked with building defence works, clearing bombs, mines and explosives; and time on days off and rest hours. At the same time, it attaches importance to linking the building of regularity and discipline with building a cultural environment, building “regular, bright, green, clean and scenic” barracks, actively preventing social evils from penetrating into the unit. Thanks to that, in recent years, the working regime from agencies to units has become more and more orderly and regular; the compliance with discipline and law of officers and soldiers has changed positively, there is no serious discipline violations; common discipline violations are less than 0.2%, ensuring safety in all aspects.

Leader of the Brigade checks technical work

Along with the above achievements, the Brigade regularly performs well in logistics and technical work. In logistics work, the Brigade always pays attention to ensure full support, especially ensuring food, accommodation, living, and health care for soldiers. Units have effectively promoted the "garden - pond - barn - trellis" production model, diversifying livestock and crops; actively applying modern scientific and technological advances to improve productivity and quality of products, etc. Every year, the Brigade always achieves and exceeds the targets of all aspects of logistics work; 100% of the units are recognised as "Good military kitchen, good military supplies management"; the rate of healthy soldiers is always maintained at over 99%, the soldiers' lives are constantly improved. In terms of technical work, agencies and units in the entire Brigade manage and grasp the quantity and quality of weapons and technical equipment; strictly maintain the maintenance and repair of equipment and vehicles. At the same time, promote the implementation of the Campaign "Manage and use weapons and technical equipment with quality, durability, safety, economy and traffic safety"; actively apply technology to continuously improve the quality of technical assurance for units.

The achievements gained over the 60-year journey of building, fighting, serving in combat and growing up are a valuable legacy and a great spiritual motivation for the 299th Engineer Brigade to uphold, promote, and constantly improve its synergy and combat strength to successfully complete all assigned tasks in the new period.

Senior Colonel DINH TUAN ANH, Brigade Commander