While visiting Battalion 4 of Engineering Brigade 543, we were truly impressed by the bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment in the unit. The system of internal roads is concretized with clear straight line markings. The verandas of the soldiers' living quarters had neatly stainless steel green tea containers, with beautiful plastic cups available for soldiers to use when they needed a drink. According to Commanding Officer of Battalion 4 Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Dong, the unit’s Party Committee and Chain-of-Command have paid special attention to ensuring the material and spiritual life for troops and focused on overcoming shortcomings, improving the quality of training and combat readiness capability, and adhering to military discipline and state laws.
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A training session of Battalion 4 under Engineering Brigade 543 |
On the training ground of Battalion 4, despite scorching sunshine, officers and soldiers were still diligently training, performing precise and decisive technical maneuvers. Captain Nguyen Hai Long, Head of Company 13 of Battalion 4, clearly issued command. He said that engineering units are not only tasked with clearing bombs, mines, and unexploded ordnance left from the war and building military structures, trenches, and pontoon bridges, but also being the vanguard force in clearing the way, destroying bunkers, barbed wire, and fortifications to create favorable conditions for the infantry unit to advance and take control of the battlefield. Therefore, bunker demolition requires not only troops’ courage, but also precise techniques. The proper wrapping and calculation of the explosive charge are crucial to completing the mission.
At Engineering Brigade 543, the “Determined to win” movement truly serves as a “lever,” helping the Party Committee and chains-of-command at all levels within the unit to overcome all difficulties and well accomplish their tasks. Through the movement, new models, effective methods, and exemplary individuals and deeds have been widely spread. Emulation in training and political and ideological education has been enhanced.
The unit has focused on education to raise troops’ awareness and responsibility, helping understand that although the “combat mission” in peacetime is difficult, arduous, and dangerous, it is an honor and pride of each soldier. Along with that, the unit has paid attention to educating troops about tradition and widely disseminating information about exemplary people to inspire others to build their determination and strive to complete their assigned tasks, contributing to achieving the emulation targets and contents.
For particularly difficult, dangerous, and arduous tasks, the brigade’s chain-of-command has directly attended the launching and monitored and given daily direction. Specific characteristics of the engineering service require commanding officers to “work hands-on,” constantly staying close to the training ground, directly guiding and commanding the soldiers during drilling, blasting, digging, filling, and clearing obstacles, unexploded bombs, and mines.
Through these efforts, over the past 5 years, the unit has formulated many guidelines and measures to effectively implement the “Determined to win” movement, with the spirit of “Wherever there are engineering soldiers, there are emulation activities,” ensuring the participation of all troops. Such emulation movements launched by the brigade as “Building the four best projects” and “No rest until the tunnel is opened” have brought about practical results.
Additionally, the unit has encouraged troops to actively research and develop technical innovations to improve work quality and participate in technical innovation competitions at all levels. Many innovations have effectively been applied to task performance.
Party Committee Secretary and Political Commissar of Engineering Brigade 543 Nguyen Xuan Viet affirmed that the “Determined to win” movement is an important political task within the Party and political work, helping encourage and motivate troops to overcome difficulties and excel in their duties. For its excellent task accomplishment, the brigade was honored with the First-class Fatherland Protection Order by the President in 2019. It was awarded the Emulation Flag by the Prime Minister in 2021 and the Emulation Flag by the Ministry of National Defense in 2020 and 2023.
Written by Dao Duy Tuan
Translated by Tran Hoai