'Fashionistas' practice marching under the scorching sun.

For over three months, soldiers from three branches—Coast Guard officers, Liberation Army soldiers, and female commando soldiers—have been diligently training for the April 30th commemoration at the Military School of Military Region 7. Every day from Monday to Saturday, the officers and soldiers train from 7-11 am and from 2-4:30 pm.

127 female soldiers from the Saigon Special Forces are enthusiastically practicing in preparation for the parade and march.

Corporal Bui Thi Phuong Ngoc ( Dong Nai Provincial Military Command) walked with a confident demeanor. She felt honored and proud to represent the Women's Commando Unit in the resistance war against the US, participating in the parade and march commemorating the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

"Currently, the female commando unit has completed a march of 150 meters. With the requirement to reach 180-200 meters and only over 50 days remaining, our officers and instructors are determined to achieve this and have devised specific solutions, including increasing evening training to supplement the practice process," said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Minh, instructor of the Combined Arms Department - Military School of Military Region 7.

Following the joint training session on March 13th, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Head of the Parade and Marching Subcommittee, assessed the training results of the units as good and relatively uniform. However, he requested that some units adjust their arm movements, salutes, and military equipment.

Every movement of the feet, arms, and face requires rhythmic coordination and millimeter-precision. The movements must be both accurate and skillful, while also ensuring uniformity and aesthetic appeal throughout the entire performance.

Soldier Cao Van Tay Ninh (Military Region 7) is concentrating intensely during a training session under the scorching 37-degree Celsius heat of Ho Chi Minh City. The soldiers say the biggest difficulty is when sweat pours down, causing their eyes to sting, but they still have to maintain their posture and steady pace.

Despite the sweltering heat, the training activities were maintained seriously and strictly by the officers in charge.

During training, any soldier who still has difficulty performing the movements will receive guidance from the supervising officer and intensive training sessions in the evening. This helps ensure that the soldiers keep up with the overall progress of the group.

Each officer and soldier participating in the parade and march was selected based on strict requirements, including a height of 1.70m or more, excellent health, good moral character, strong political conviction, and a high sense of responsibility.

Currently, the units are in phase 2 of training, focusing on practicing marching formations and organizing core and framework training. By April 7, 2025, the remaining aspects of the formation process will be completed, ensuring uniformity, aesthetics, and consistency, in preparation for phase 3 training.