The Veterans Association of the University of Science visited the Truong Son Martyrs' Cemetery.

The Veterans Association of Hue University of Science was established in 1994. Over 29 years of operation, the association has affirmed the role and enthusiasm of soldiers in all fields of work. As former military personnel in an intellectual environment, the majority of its members are highly qualified lecturers (associate professors, PhDs, masters, etc.). They are soldiers who have achieved many outstanding accomplishments in their professional fields as well as in scientific research. Leaving the battlefield for the lecture hall, the environment may have changed, but the veterans still maintain the flame of their soldierhood.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Can, President of the Veterans Association of Hue University of Science, shared: "It was our years in the military that instilled in us a serious and responsible way of life. Regardless of our position, we strived to do our best, from teaching to supporting teaching. As teachers-soldiers, we always ensured the quality of our lectures and assigned tasks. Thanks to this, all members consistently achieved the title of Advanced Worker and Emulation Soldier at both the grassroots and ministerial levels for many years."

Professor Can stated that from 2017 to the present, the association's members have carried out numerous basic-level, university-level, ministerial-level, provincial-level, and other research projects. Some members are project leaders of key research projects, and hundreds of scientific papers by veterans of Hue University of Science have been published domestically and internationally. Many have participated in national and international scientific conferences. Some of these projects have high practical value and application, bringing benefits to the university and society, and have received awards at various levels. Through the evaluation and awarding process, the veterans of the Association have strived to complete their professional work and achieved emulation titles in each academic year, with nearly 100% achieving the title of Excellent Worker and a relatively high percentage (approximately 30%) achieving the title of Outstanding Worker at the grassroots level.

Despite being busy with teaching and research, the veterans of the Hue University of Science Veterans Association never forget activities aimed at honoring the heroic martyrs and the families of their former comrades, the soldiers who laid down their lives for the independence and freedom of the country. The Association regularly organizes visits and gift-giving to university staff who are war invalids and children of martyrs; visits and gift-giving to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers sponsored by the university in Phong Dien commune…

As is customary, during the annual April 30th holiday, the Association also organizes pilgrimages to former battlefields, visiting graves and offering incense to fallen comrades who did not return after the war at martyrs' cemeteries. These trips have been particularly memorable, including visits to the Central Highlands battlefields, the Indochina Tripoint border marker and martyrs' cemetery, the Le Thanh border and Duc Co martyrs' cemetery, the Zone Five battlefield and the Dang Thuy Tram memorial site, Ta Con airport and the Truong Son martyrs' cemetery. Many visits to the ancient citadel of Quang Tri , Hien Luong bridge, Dong Loc crossroads, or even longer trips to the northern border provinces… all help the veterans maintain their sense of responsibility and compassion in the classroom.

Established very early on and comprising soldiers who participated in all four wars (against France, the US, the Southwestern border war, and the Northern border war), many members of the Veterans Association of Hue University of Science are now elderly, frail, ill, some have passed away, or have retired. Currently, only a dozen or so members remain, but the Hue University of Science Veterans Association still strives to maintain its activities and continue to undertake meaningful trips that deeply touch the hearts of those who fought in the wars and even those who never wore military uniforms.

Since its establishment, many members of the Veterans Association of the University of Science have been honored with awards at various levels: the University, Hue University, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Prime Minister. Most recently, as an intellectual and a dedicated and capable former soldier, Mr. Nguyen Minh Can was selected by the Provincial Veterans Association as one of 15 outstanding individuals to receive a certificate of merit for his achievements in the Association's work and the "Exemplary Veterans" emulation movement in 2023.

Text and photos: Pham Phuoc Chau