Theory and Practice

Ideological work in troop management cadres at Corps 4

9/30/2022 7:36:54 AM

Ideological work which plays a pivotal role in party work and political work at units directly contributes to improving political awareness, cementing political stance and viewpoints, cultivating and developing the lofty qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”. Effective implementation of ideological work is a fundamental measure for managing servicemen which ensures the uniformity of thoughts, and actions, full compliance with the State’s law, and Military discipline to successfully deal with difficulties and accomplish all assigned tasks. This is of utmost significance to Corp 4 – the regular Corps, whose tasks are conducted in a large area with rapid industrialisation and urbanisation and impacted by economic, political, and social situations, especially social evils, the disadvantages of the market economy, and the sabotage of hostile forces. Meanwhile, the Corps’ contingent of cadres is assembled from numerous regions; non-commissioned officers and soldiers are from the Southeastern and Southwestern regions with distinct cultural characteristics and lifestyles, etc. Being fully aware of that, the Corps’ Political branch has advised the Party Committee, High Command, party committees, and command at all levels to direct agencies and units to enhance the quality of ideological work in managing soldiers which is seen as the focus and premise to improve the combat strength of the Corps.

Fully grasping and stringently implementing higher echelons’ directives and resolutions on political and ideological work, the Political Department has proactively advised the Standing Committee of the Corps’ Party Committee to enact Thematic Resolution on Political and ideological education in the new situation”. This crucial measure aims to create a breakthrough in the quality of ideological work within the Corps. Party committees of the Corps’ agencies and units have proactively designed thematic resolutions to lead the implementation of this work with multiple contents and measures; in which, the emphasis is placed on the position and importance of renewing and improving the effectiveness of ideological work in managing soldiers, pointing out the roles and responsibilities of committee members and presiding cadres in leading and directing the implementation. In annual and monthly resolutions, party committees at all levels thoroughly review the results of managing ideological work and discipline and promptly supplement appropriate contents and measures to fit the situations, tasks, and awareness of cadres and soldiers. As the standing committee tasked with advising party committees and commands to well perform ideological work, Political agencies at all levels have proactively formulated plans and determined subjects, contents, and time for the implantation. Each unit has surveyed and reviewed the ideological situation, compliance with the State’s law and Military discipline, regulations as well as the soldiers’ inner thoughts and aspirations. At the same time, after-action reviews have been organised to detect emerging issues.

Leaders of the Corps check the political education work at the unit

To well implement ideological orientation, the Department has directed and instructed agencies and units to concentrate on enhancing the quality of political education and task dissemination, forging revolutionary ethics, lifestyles, a sense of vigilance and discipline, and iron will to surmount difficulties and hardships. In addition to performing political education programmes, units have closely combined basic and regular education with traditional education, education through practical training, combat readiness, mobilisation, and education through setting examples of cadres and party members. The units have also attached importance to flexibly applied forms of education to facilitate learning. In order that ideological work functions fully, and achieves practical effectiveness, the Department has directed its agencies and units to invest in models, diagrams, and tables for political lessons, and effectively utilise cultural institutions to create a wholesome playground for cadres and soldiers, especially on weekends, and holidays. At the same time, the “Legal and Psychological Consultancy Team” has been well maintained, thereby developing a rapport between cadres and soldiers and assisting party committees and commanders to evaluate, forecast, read soldiers’ inner thoughts and aspirations, and deal with their issues and queries. In addition to activities, such as reading newspapers, briefing news, culture - arts, and sports, units have also organised activities well, such as team birthdays, contests, and game shows on television to create a wholesome playground for soldiers.

During the implementation of ideological work, party committees and commanders have always attached importance to flexibly applied approaches to managing, forecasting, and handling ideological issues as stipulated. Accordingly, party committees and commanders at all levels have concentrated on keeping complete track of awareness, situation, families, social relationships, and the results of performing the responsibilities and tasks of soldiers. When receiving new soldiers, in addition to coordinating with local authorities to select and firmly grasp their profile, leaders and commanders at all levels must grasp soldiers’ qualifications, competencies, ethics, health, and relationships through the reviews of their families and local authorities. At the same time, commanders must compare with soldiers’ “self-report” to employ appropriate measures to manage their thoughts. Additionally, units have appointed specific committee members and the mass to live and study with soldiers to grasp, orient, and tackle their thoughts. The management must be comprehensive and focus on hobbies, aptitudes, political awareness, attitude, responsibilities toward their units, motivation for training, sense of discipline, ethics, and lifestyles. Units have attached importance to measures for managing thoughts through three-soldier meetings and relationships in the units and society. Especially, ideological work has also been conducted on Political, spiritual, and cultural days, Legal days, and dialogues so that leaders and commanders can openly exchange with soldiers. As a result, a broad consensus can be reached within units, which contributes to cementing the rapport between cadres and soldiers and assisting leaders and commanders to identify, evaluate, forecast, and handle arising ideological issues. Besides, the Department has also directed and instructed the units in the Corps to regularly meet local party committees and authorities to inform the state of the units as well as the learning and training results of each soldier so that leaders and commanders can grasp, manage, and tackle soldiers’ thoughts.

Noticeably, the units have attached ideological work to maintaining regularity, discipline and accelerating Determine to win Emulation movements; and effectively implemented mass mobilisation to create synergy so that ideological work can achieve high effectiveness. In line with strict maintenance of the regimes, agencies and units have attached importance to developing healthy collective spirit and solidarity; combining ideological work with training and self-discipline; promoting the building of regularity and implementing the Democracy Regulation at grass-roots levels; creating consensus in awareness, building internal unity, and promptly emerging issues. Besides, the Department has concentrated on directing its agencies and units to renew working manners, and methods; promptly correct all violations; and observe the State’s law, Military Discipline, and the unit’s regulations. Emulation work maintained in each agency and unit becomes a springboard for the units to fulfill their tasks and also a measure to manage and conduct ideological work. The contents and criteria of breakthrough emulation focused on weaknesses, key and unscheduled tasks. Units at all levels have comprehensively and objectively conducted the duplication of typical models, evaluation, and commendation. Each agency and unit has focused on building a wholesome military cultural environment, closely associated with the implementation of conclusion No. 01-KL/TW issued on May 18th,2021 by the Politburo on continuing to “Accelerate studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and manners” and the Resolution of the 12th and 13th Party Central Committee on strengthening Party Building and rectification; driving back degradation of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyles, manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”, and the Campaign of Promoting tradition, devoting talents to deserve to be “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new period so that cadres and soldiers can bring into play their work commitment to learning and training.

Thanks to appropriate policies and creative measures, ideological work has contributed to building and improving political courage, will, confidence, and responsibility for cadres and soldiers in performing the Corps’ political tasks. At the same time, ideological work provides soldiers immunity from the conspiracies and sabotage of hostile forces to safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation. This is one of the pivotal measures contributing to building transparent and strong party organisations and all-strong, “exemplary and typical” units so that Military Corps 4 can accomplish all assigned missions.

Senior Colonel, Doctor NGUYEN TRAN LONG, Chief of the Political Department of  Corps 4