Society

People on duty at the border during Tet

Hai Thuong - Khanh Ly • January 31, 2025 11:23

As Tet (Lunar New Year) arrives and spring returns, along the border lines, soldiers in green uniforms remain steadfast at every border marker, fulfilling their sacred duty to protect national sovereignty and border security.

Enjoy the Lunar New Year but don't forget your responsibilities.

During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), while everyone is gathering with loved ones and family to celebrate the new year, the soldiers of Squadron 2 (Nghe An Border Guard) are still focused on their duties, ready to fight, protect maritime sovereignty, and maintain security and order in the coastal border area.

Major Truong Van Bich, Commander of the 2nd Naval Squadron of the Nghe An Border Guard, said: "The unit has assigned tasks to the BP 06-11-01 vessel and the boat, along with 13 officers on duty. We also organized an early Tet holiday celebration for the soldiers so they could carry out their duties and allow the people to enjoy the Tet holiday and welcome the New Year."

Onboard the ship, the soldiers also prepared a full spread of fruit, sweets, and decorative items that evoked the spirit of Spring.

Captain Hoang Van Hai, commander of the BP 06-11-01 vessel, has served in the Border Guard Force for 23 years. This year marks his 16th Tet holiday away from home, but for the peace and security of the people, he and his comrades remain steadfast, ready to undertake any mission to protect the peace and security of the sea and islands.

“We are determined to celebrate the New Year without forgetting our duty to guard our homeland's seas and islands. The happiness of the people is the joy, the spring in the hearts of every officer and soldier…” – Captain Hoang Van Hai shared.

Leaving the coastal area, we arrived at the Ai Khe Task Force, part of the Muong Ai Border Guard Post (Ky Son district), as dusk was falling. In the early days of the new year, the weather on the Truong Son mountain range was even colder.

Meeting the border patrol team who had just returned to the depot, we took the opportunity to chat with Captain Ho Ngoc Dam (born in 1986), from Anh Son - the team leader of Ai Khe.

He said that he has served as a border guard for over 20 years, including 8 years in the Ai Khe task force – about 20km from the Muong Ai Border Guard Post along the border patrol road, and about 8km from the nearest village. This spring, Captain Ho Ngoc Dam volunteered to stay on duty during Tet to share the joy of family reunion with his comrades.

“During Tet (Lunar New Year), everyone longs to return home to reunite with their families, but recognizing our responsibility as border guards, we are ready to volunteer to stay and protect the peace of the border so that the people can enjoy Tet and welcome the Spring. With the support of our superiors and unit commanders, the team members have also prepared peach blossoms, arranged the five-fruit tray, and stocked up on food to create a Tet atmosphere like at home...” - Captain Ho Ngoc Dam shared.

Celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) for the first time at the Ai Khe Task Force, Lieutenant Nguyen Nhat Tuan, a dog trainer, shared: "Although the area is difficult and remote, and the phone signal is intermittent, whenever we have free time, we go to a place with a signal, about 100 meters from the Task Force, to call and check on the situation and wish our relatives back home a Happy New Year. Therefore, it helps to alleviate some of the homesickness we feel each time Tet comes around."

At the Vietnam-Laos border, material resources are scarce, but the officers and soldiers of the Ai Khe Task Force have received attention and encouragement from the Party committee and unit commanders.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Vien, Commander of the Muong Ai Border Guard Station, said that in combat readiness, the unit strictly maintains the duty roster, especially in the fight against all types of crime, coordinating with forces and local authorities to propagate and mobilize the people to comply with the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws, and local regulations in ensuring security and order in the area.

On the unit's side, in addition to the officers and soldiers at the outpost, we also have a control station and two task forces stationed far from the command center. The Party Committee and the Outpost Command have fully prepared food, supplies, materials, and all necessary provisions and allowances for the officers and soldiers.

The unit has also deployed teams to the local areas to conduct propaganda and mobilization efforts to ensure security and order, and to strictly adhere to local regulations and rules, especially among young people working away from home, urging them to refrain from setting off firecrackers and maintain security and order in the area.

In a conversation with us, village elder Xong Va So, from the Tham Khop cluster of villages in Huoi Khe hamlet, said: At 60 years old, he no longer remembers how many times his feet have patrolled and protected the border and boundary markers alongside the Border Guard soldiers. He only remembers that every year during Tet (Lunar New Year), the officers and soldiers of the Muong Ai Border Guard post always show concern for the villagers and ensure peace on this borderland.

This year, being old and frail, I can no longer accompany the border guards to every border marker, but I still instruct my children and grandchildren in the Tham Khop cluster to unite, ensure security, and celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) without firecrackers, excessive drinking, or causing any disturbances, so that everyone can happily celebrate Tet and the border guards can have a less arduous time.

Peace along the border

To ensure the people can enjoy a peaceful Tet holiday and welcome the Spring, the Nghe An Border Guard Command has strictly maintained combat readiness regulations and procedures; launched campaigns to suppress crime along the two border lines, with border guard posts forming patrol teams and coordinating with other forces to patrol and control the area day and night, effectively combating various types of crime and maintaining peace in the border region.

Keng Du Border Guard Station (Ky Son) is responsible for managing a 29.909 km stretch of the Vietnam-Laos border, with one border marker and five boundary posts.

In the days before, during, and after Tet (Lunar New Year), in addition to coordinating with the border guard forces of Laos in bilateral management and patrols, the unit regularly coordinated with local Party committees, authorities, and police and militia forces in patrolling, managing, and protecting the border, and maintaining security and order in the area.

In addition, the self-governing border and boundary marker teams in villages and hamlets maintain orderly and effective operations, which also plays an important role in safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and border security. During the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake 2025, the unit coordinated with local authorities and the police and militia forces to regularly organize patrols, inspections, and propaganda to ensure that the people strictly abide by the law, especially regarding the non-use, production, sale, storage, and transportation of illegal fireworks, weapons, and explosives.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Tien Dung, Commander of Keng Du Border Guard Station, said: "Through patrol and control activities, we contribute to maintaining political security and social order in the border area during the Lunar New Year celebration."

In the early days of the new year, the unit coordinated with the Party Committee and local government of Keng Du commune to visit, present gifts, and extend New Year greetings to the officers and soldiers of the Keng Du Border Guard Station and inspect border marker 398 on the Vietnam-Laos border.

Through conversations, many officers and soldiers at border guard posts on duty during Tet (Lunar New Year) along the two border lines said that, apart from being away from family and loved ones, Tet for soldiers in green uniforms on the border is also fulfilling and warm.

Vegetables are grown locally, pigs and chickens are raised locally, and all units organize activities for the soldiers to slaughter pigs and make banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes). They also organize cultural, artistic, and sports exchanges, as well as traditional games of ethnic minorities associated with celebrating the Spring Festival and welcoming the New Year. Local officials and people are invited to celebrate the Spring Festival with the officers and soldiers, creating a warm, close atmosphere and strengthening the bond between the military and the people.

In the following days, the commanders of the posts, stations, and checkpoints will spend time visiting and wishing a Happy New Year to the village elders, community leaders, and other respected individuals.

Although there are moments of homesickness and longing for their hometowns, border guards always recognize their responsibility and duty as border guards on the border to ensure security for the people to enjoy Tet and welcome the New Year.

Hai Thuong - Khanh Ly