In peacetime and wartime, Hai Duong soldiers are always present at the border and islands, steadfast and persistent, adding to the good qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers and the people of the East.
The station is home,border is home
Lung Nam Border Post was formerly Nam Nhung People's Armed Police Post, under the Cao Bang Provincial Border Guard Command. Throughout the arduous journey of protecting the border, with sacrifices and losses, the officers and soldiers here always held their guns firmly to protect the people and protect every meter of land of the national fence.
Lieutenant Colonel An Van Dang, 52 years old this year, has worked at the border for 33 years. In 1991, when he was only 19 years old, Dang left his hometown of An Nghiep village, Tu Cuong commune (Thanh Mien) to join the army and has been stationed at the border until now.
After going through all the stations, Lieutenant Colonel An Van Dang returned to Nam Rang Border Control Station (under Lung Nam Border Station) and planned to "settle" here until "the army lets him go home to rest".
Nam Rang Border Control Station manages nearly 24 km of border, with 9 out of 21 hamlets of 2 communes. Lung Nam, Cai Vien is a border village.
Border guards have a saying "yellow flies, dog fleas, Tay Trang wind" to talk about the hardships of soldiers at Tay Trang International Border Gate (Dien Bien) bordering Laos.
- It's not any worse here than Tay Trang. Summer is scorching hot, and in winter, after the soldiers and villagers have "tasted the cold", the cold comes downstream - Lieutenant Colonel An Van Dang said.
The main task of Mr. Dang and his teammates is to manage the border and landmarks, taking turns patrolling every day. In addition, they must always be close to the people to share and encourage them to develop the economy, stay away from social evils and comply with policies.
Each border guard soldier must always play "many roles". Although each person comes from a different hometown, they are not only comrades, but also brothers. Together, they shoulder the noble but silent mission of absolutely protecting the safety of the Fatherland's border area, ready for all sudden and unexpected situations to keep the rear peaceful and happy. For them, "the post is home, the border is homeland, and the people of all ethnic groups are blood brothers".
Difficulties multiply determination
Lieutenant Colonel An Van Dang shared that the most difficult part is the long border, with some locations taking the whole morning to reach the border marker. The terrain of the patrol road is rugged, steep, slippery, and difficult to navigate.
Exactly one year younger than Dang, professional military lieutenant colonel Nguyen Truong Khuong (born in 1974, from Phuc Dien commune, Cam Giang) has 32 years of service and is currently at the De Chu Thang Border Guard Working Group (Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai). Khuong said that in addition to patrolling the border, the group also helps the villagers eliminate backward customs, do business, and raise livestock and grow crops.
In De Chu Thang, 100% of the people are ethnic minorities with special difficulties, many backward customs, and many thatched houses with dilapidated walls. "Many times I wanted to go back to the lowlands, but I felt so sorry for the people. Border guards not only protect the border but also help people stabilize their lives. Although it is difficult, as a border guard, you must have an iron will to overcome any difficulty," said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Truong Khuong.
In 1968, when the war against the US entered its most fierce stage, Mr. Pham Xuan Dinh from Nghia An commune (Ninh Giang) left to defend the Fatherland and was assigned to Thanh Xuyen Battalion.
At the Nam Can International Border Gate, adjacent to the Namkan Border Gate, Din Dan Muang Nong Het village, Xiengkhuang province (Laos), Mr. Dinh and his teammates were tasked with protecting the border from the infiltration of American commandos by land. Some of his teammates remained at the border, some were able to return when the war ended, but the border guards steadfastly held on to the border until the day the country won, and the North and South were reunited.
"Soldiers of all times have to work hard. Hard work tests and trains their character. But when talking about hard work and difficulties, we cannot help but mention border guards," said veteran Pham Xuan Dinh.
In both peacetime and wartime, Hai Duong soldiers are always present in all areas as requested by the army and they are ready to set off at any time at the call of their hearts filled with the noble ideals of Uncle Ho's soldiers.
From remote islands to remote, deserted border areas, the soldiers from Hai Duong, who are only familiar with fertile plains, are always steadfast and determined to stick to the mountains and forests, to the high points to guard the land and sky of the Fatherland.
2024 marks the 65th anniversary of the Border Guard's Traditional Day (1959-2024), the predecessor of the People's Armed Police Force.
In Hai Duong, the Border Guard Traditional Liaison Committee, formerly the Military Council in 1959, was established in 1989 with 5 members. To date, the liaison committee has nearly 2,000 members from liaison committees of 12 districts, towns, and cities and 2 military councils.