Upholding military youth’s vanguard role in Fatherland protection

PANO – The 8^th Military Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Congress is an important political event that will provide directions and guidelines for youth organizations and youth movements across the Army, as well as encourage military youths to learn, train and work harder, contributing to building the Army in standardisation, excellence at war-fighting and step-by-step modernization.

On the occasion, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Politics, Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh answered questions from the People’s Army Newspaper. The interview is as follows:

Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh

Reporter: Could you tell us some major achievements of military youths over the past 5 years?

Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh: Military youths are the main force, directly implementing the Army’s tasks. Over the past years, military youths have inherited and brought into full play the Army’s good traditions. They have tried their best to learn, train and work and at the same time they have been steadfast to the goal of national independence and socialism, loyal to the Party and Fatherland, had close connections with the people and overcame difficulties to successfully fulfil their tasks. At present, military youths are knowledgeable, patriotic and politically aware, trusting in the Party leadership. Most military youths wish to join the Party and to become officers, serving the Army for a long time.    

Reporter: While defining the important role of military youths, what policies and directions have the Central Military Commission, the Defence Ministry and the General Department of Politics drawn up to lead and instruct military youths in the new situation?

Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh: Regarding this issue, the Central Military Commission has launched Action Programme No 231 to implement the Resolution of the 7^th meeting of the Party Central Committee of the 10^th tenure on enhancing the Party leadership of youth work in industrialization and modernization.

In 2012, the Defence Ministry promulgated a programme on military youth development in the 2011-2020 period.

Additionally, Party organizations and political commissars of military units are responsible for directing and leading youth organizations and youth movements in their units. They also hold dialogues between youths and commanders at all levels in order to promote mutual understanding between the leadership and grass-roots.

Reporter: What do you think are the outstanding achievements of military youth organizations and youth movements over the past years?

Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh: Youth organisations and youth movements have reached a number of achievements over the past years. Youth movements became more practical and effective, while youth organizations at all levels were consolidated and made new developments in organization and activities. They became more aware of politics and contributed much to the Party building, force building and military capabilities of their units. Additionally, military youth organizations boost close coordination with local civilian youth organizations.

According to me, the most effective and extensive military youth movement over the past years was the movement “Military youth emulating each other at virtue and skills training, vanguard and creative to deserve the title 'Uncle Ho’s Soldier'”. The movement drew a large number of youths across the Army and it saw thousands of examples of military youths in study, scientific research, combat readiness training and production.

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Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh: The first task is to further renew and improve the ability of leadership for Party organizations, political commissars and commanders at all levels, as well as augment the capacity of political agencies and youth leadership systems of units. From practical activities, youth organizations should be more active and creative in proposing ideas and suggestions to higher levels, so that involved agencies could make appropriate amendments and/or issue additional instructions, resolutions, regulations and policies on youth and youth work, meeting the demand for tasks in the new situation.

Units at all levels should continue to conduct revolutionary morality and political education more effectively for youths, consolidate youths’ confidence, firmness and persistence with the national construction and defence cause.

It is very important and necessary for all levels to launch and effectively carry out the movements “Military youths striving for pinnacles of success” and “Military youths entering science and technology” to encourage youths to bring into play their creativity and elicit their potential, mind and strength to dedicate more to national construction and defence.

The leadership of units should also heighten their responsibility for caring for youths and youth organizations.

Reporter: Thank you very much!