Exemplary veterans in Tan Trai

Veteran donates over 200m² of land for road construction.

In his spacious house in Tan Trai village, Duc Chau commune, former soldier Nguyen Hong Lien (born in 1958) cherishes and values ​​war relics, Certificates of Commendation from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Association of Volunteer Soldiers - Military Experts who assisted Laos.

For him, it was not just a memento of a time on the battlefield, but also a reminder of the responsibilities of a soldier returning to civilian life, amidst years of peace.

Taking a sip of warm tea, Mr. Ho Dinh Son, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Tan Trai village, shared about his comrade: “The people of Tan Trai still call him the ‘multi-talented veteran’ because for many years, he has been a member of the Fatherland Front Committee of the commune, Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Tan Trai Parish, and Vice Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Ben Den Parish. In every role, he has been dedicated, responsible, and put the common good first.”

That dedication was evident in him from his youth. In 1977, while serving as the Youth Union Secretary of his village, Mr. Nguyen Hong Lien volunteered to join the army. He served in battlefields such as the northern border and international missions in Cambodia and Laos. In 1982, he was discharged from the army and returned to his hometown with the discipline of a soldier and a spirit of not being afraid of hardship.

Returning to civilian life, Mr. Lien continued to be involved in grassroots movements. He was trusted by the villagers and elected as the village militia leader, then became an active member of the farmers' association, actively participating in Front work from 1996 to the present.

In 2021, when the local authorities implemented a resolution to expand village roads, the section passing by Mr. Lien's house, despite being in the center of the hamlet, was less than 1.5 meters wide, making travel extremely difficult. To gain consensus, Mr. Lien was the first to donate nearly 100 square meters of his family's land adjacent to the road. After donating the land, he continued to persistently persuade each household in the hamlet to give up a portion of their land, working together for the long-term benefit. As a result, the previously narrow village road has become wide and spacious, giving the residential area a new look.

In 2022, when the inter-village and inter-commune road expansion project was implemented, Mr. Lien continued to voluntarily participate in supervising the construction. Specifically, for the section of road passing through his family's farm, located adjacent to the expansion area, Mr. Lien unhesitatingly donated an additional 130m² of land to ensure the project met the local planning criteria.

Pointing to the straight road today, Mr. Lien confided: "Before, this road was very narrow, even ox carts had difficulty navigating it. Now that it's widened, transportation is convenient, goods circulate easily, and agricultural products are sold much faster. In this day and age, land is as precious as gold, but if everyone only thinks of themselves, it will be difficult for our homeland to develop. Therefore, I encouraged my children and grandchildren first, then my neighbors, to contribute together for the common good."

Tan Trai village currently has 252 households, of which more than 100 are Catholics belonging to Tan Trai sub-parish and Ben Den parish. As Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Tan Trai sub-parish and Vice Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Ben Den parish, veteran Nguyen Hong Lien has consistently encouraged both Catholic and non-Catholic residents to work together and build their homeland.

Through these concrete and practical actions, the appearance of Tan Trai village is increasingly improving. In everyday life, veteran Nguyen Hong Lien quietly continues to uphold the qualities of a soldier from the past to contribute to the development of his homeland.

Spreading the spirit of Uncle Ho's soldiers.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Duc Chau commune, in Tan Trai village, besides veteran Nguyen Hong Lien, there are many other veterans who are quietly contributing to the general movement through meaningful actions.

For example, veteran Tran Van Bau (born in 1960) voluntarily donated about 30m² of land to expand the road. Similarly, veteran Ngo Sy Hai (born in 1960) donated nearly 100m² of land, and veteran Nguyen Xuan Cat (born in 1962) consistently contributed labor and construction materials during the construction of community projects in his village.

When building the village cultural center, more than 30 households took the lead in contributing a total of over 100 million VND, including many veterans. At the same time, the Village Veterans Association continued to mobilize additional contributions of over 30 million VND to complete the sports playground. "Each person has their own role and approach, but the common point is the spirit of exemplary conduct and putting words into action," shared Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh.

In Duc Chau commune, this spirit is vividly demonstrated through the emulation movement of labor, production, and economic excellence within the Veterans Association. With over 1,560 members, despite their diverse professions and circumstances, the veterans here share a common aspiration to rise above their circumstances, achieve legitimate wealth, and contribute to the increasingly prosperous development of their homeland.

For example, veteran Nguyen Van Dung (born in 1967) has been involved in the construction materials sector and has established a stable production and business, providing regular employment for 45 local workers. Another example is veteran Ngo Quang Trung (born in 1964), the owner of a rice milling and trading business in Dong Ky village.

Committed to his hometown's rice, Mr. Trung quietly expanded production, creating jobs for 15 workers. Both veterans have been awarded the title of "Outstanding Veteran in Production and Business" at the provincial level.

It is evident that, having left the gunfire and trenches behind, the veterans of Tan Trai village in particular, and Duc Chau commune in general, did not allow themselves to stop. They moved on to another front, the front of labor, responsibility, and dedication. It is through these silent sacrifices that the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers are not only preserved but also continued and spread throughout everyday life.