For officers and soldiers working in island units, Tet is the time to be ready for combat, but they are always steadfast because they have a solid rear.
The small house of Ms. Ta Thi Duyen, in Phu Tai village, Thanh Giang commune (Thanh Mien) - wife of Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Ta, Captain of Company 5, Ngoc Vung island battalion, Brigade 242 (Quang Ninh) - is always filled with the laughter of children. Ms. Duyen is busy cleaning the altar to prepare for the ancestral ceremony during Tet. This is usually a man's job, but as a soldier's wife who is often away from home, she can handle all the work.
Ms. Duyen said that every year, he usually has to work during Tet. He only comes home to visit his family before or after Tet. "Every time Tet comes, although I really want my husband to be home with his family, he has to do his duty, so I can only send words of encouragement, hoping that he will take care of his health and work with peace of mind," Ms. Duyen said.
Over the phone, Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Ta said that the calls and New Year wishes from his wife and children were the biggest motivation to help him stay strong at the forefront. "Love from my family is always the most precious thing to me," said Ta.
Just like the rear of other soldiers, this At Ty spring, mother and daughter Pham Thi Hoa, wife of professional military major Le Anh Tuan, staff of the Maintenance Company, Bach Long Vi Island Defense Battalion, under the Bach Long Vi District Military Command (Hai Phong City Military Command) welcomed the new spring without him at home.
After work, Ms. Hoa takes the opportunity to go to the market to buy things and prepare Tet gifts for both her paternal and maternal families. In the small house in Nghien Phan village, Gia Xuyen commune (Hai Duong city), she and her children clean and decorate for Tet. Even though her husband is not at home, she wants Tet to be spacious, full, and neat to make up for her children.
Ms. Hoa said that Mr. Tuan has been working on Bach Long Vi Island for more than 30 years (since 1993). Since getting married, the couple and their children have been apart for a long time. This year, he will also stay on duty with his teammates during Tet.
Calling her husband, Ms. Hoa sent New Year wishes to all officers and soldiers of the unit, hoping that they would always stay healthy and keep their guns steady to protect the beloved islands of the Fatherland.
Talking on the phone, Mr. Le Anh Tuan told his wife: “Although far from family and children, my comrades and I still celebrate Tet in the barracks with all the flavors of the traditional Tet holiday and a warm atmosphere. With my comrades by our side, everyone is like a big family. I wish you and the children a warm and happy Tet, always being a strong rear so that I can rest assured to guard the islands of our homeland.”
Major Pham Xuan Nha, Political Commissar of Bach Long Vi Island Defense Battalion, shared: “For each officer and soldier, family and children at home are always a solid rear for us to feel secure in carrying out our duty of being ready to fight and protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland. At the unit, officers and soldiers also wrap Chung cakes together, decorate peach branches, gather together, share family stories and send best wishes to relatives at home, the Tet atmosphere is filled with the warmth of comradeship and comradeship.”
NGUYEN THANH