Stories about officers on special missions

Within the Guard Command, there is a special force performing a unique task; working silently and discreetly, with intense and continuous work schedules. These are the officers providing close protection to Party and State leaders, belonging to the Department for the Protection of Party and State Leaders – a unit tasked with ensuring the absolute safety of Party and State leaders.

The story of the close-range security officers.

Close protection officers are responsible for ensuring the security and safety of the person under protection 24/7, both domestically and when traveling abroad.

A special mission in a special unit.

To date, Colonel Nguyen Quoc Hoan – Deputy Head of the Department for the Protection of Party and State Leaders – has served as a close protection officer for 26 years.

“I am deeply honored and proud to be part of a special force, in a special unit, carrying out a special mission. Honor always comes with the heavy responsibility of an absolutely loyal bodyguard. That responsibility is to the Party, to the sector, and to the people; to ensure the absolute safety of Party and State leaders in all circumstances, both domestically and when traveling abroad…” – Colonel Hoan shared.

Security personnel protect President Vo Van Thuong as he attends the Hung Kings Commemoration Ceremony in 2023.

To meet the demands of various missions, close protection officers must receive basic training and possess professional skills. Besides stringent standards regarding political qualities, ethics, physical fitness, and appearance, they must also possess intelligence, courage, proficiency in martial arts, marksmanship, and swimming; foreign language skills; and a thorough understanding of the Party and State's foreign policy, as well as the culture, customs, and traditions of Vietnam and other countries. Based on this, they must be able to apply their knowledge flexibly and effectively in carrying out their duties; promptly identify potential threats and propose solutions to ensure the absolute safety of Party and State leaders in all situations, while adhering to diplomatic protocol.

In addition, close protection officers must be equipped with a full range of soft skills: meticulousness, caution, and thoughtfulness; subtlety and depth in communication and behavior. These are crucial factors that help close protection officers always earn the trust of their superiors (a term of endearment used by close protection officers to refer to the person being protected). Because with just a glance or a small gesture from the person being protected, the close protection officer can understand the message their superior wants to convey.

Shooting practice on the shooting range.

Each security officer is responsible for different areas. Therefore, the officers in charge must also research, learn, and improve their understanding, constantly updating information, especially in the areas under their superior's responsibility, in order to better communicate and share information to serve the security work.

Before each mission, the officer in charge participates in the advance team; identifying and predicting potential risks and adverse situations that could jeopardize the safety of the person being protected.

Proactively advise the leadership of the Command Headquarters and unit commanders, coordinate with relevant agencies and units to develop a security plan that is realistic and has the most optimal situational handling plan; and at the same time, directly participate in accompanying the protected person on that mission.

“When the Commander-in-Chief travels to localities or abroad, especially to areas with complex security and order issues, it requires the security officers to maximize their professional capabilities, be proactive, agile, flexible, and creative, while still adhering to professional procedures, strictly complying with approved security plans and strategies, and following the direct instructions of the Command Headquarters and the unit commander accompanying the trip. They must coordinate closely and meticulously with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , local police, and the security forces of the host country during the performance of their duties, and always maintain a high level of vigilance…” – Colonel Hoan stated.

Behind the Glory

Always elegant, polite, and well-dressed, accompanying Party and State leaders on local or foreign trips, few people know that behind that glory lies the silent sacrifice of the families and the officers themselves.

Security personnel provided for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's participation in the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week and working trip to the United States (September 17-23, 2023).

With a packed schedule, constant travel to various locations within the country, and extended business trips abroad, security personnel and close associates rarely get a complete vacation with their families.

In fact, some officers are assigned to single-person missions. In this case, they will have to work continuously for 365 days, without holidays or breaks; no compensatory leave or vacation time.

"Due to the nature of their duties, the assigned officer is close to and understands the personality, work style, and work schedule of the person being protected. Therefore, in some cases, even if the person has family matters to attend to, the unit cannot assign another assigned officer to temporarily replace them without the consent of the person being protected," shared Colonel Nguyen Van Dong, Head of the Department for the Protection of Party and State Leaders.

“In some cases, with the consent of the person under protection, the officer in charge is allowed to return home to their family after completing their duties for the day. However, due to the intensity and demanding work schedule of the person under protection, the officer in charge ends their workday and returns home very late, only to leave again early the next morning while their loved ones are still asleep,” confided Lieutenant Colonel Dang The Viet, Deputy Head of the Department.

Many stories that seem like they only happen in movies have actually occurred to the officers involved in the contact tracing program and their loved ones.

The security officer who approached Hoang Dai Nghia recounted how his own father had often been angry with him for his frequent absences during family events and holidays. He was also suspected of having an affair with his wife because neighbors rarely saw him at home; if he did return, it was always late at night, and he would leave for work early the next morning.

Lieutenant Colonel Dang The Viet humorously recounted how the security guard refused him entry to the school to pick up his daughter because he had never seen him before. His daughter once confided, "At school, my friends think my parents are divorced because they never see my dad come to pick me up," Viet said with a touch of sadness.

Behind the glorious mission and heavy responsibilities lies the silent effort and sacrifice of each close protection officer. However, they have always received deep sympathy, support, and understanding from their loved ones. This is the motivation and solid support system that allows them to wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to their work and focus on their duties.

Lunar New Year holidays spent away from home.

With the job of ensuring absolute security and safety for the person under their protection 24/7, celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) away from home is no longer unfamiliar to close protection officers.

There is no concept of a Tet holiday break; close protection officers only sense the Tet atmosphere through the increased and more demanding schedule of the individuals they are protecting. In the final days of the year, Party and State leaders will be working in many localities across the country to promptly direct and manage affairs; and to care for, visit, and extend Tet greetings to the people. Therefore, the workload of close protection officers will be higher.

On the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, after visiting and offering New Year greetings to the people and the officers and soldiers of the armed forces on duty, the security guard returned home at 2-3 a.m. on the 1st day of the Lunar New Year.

“That’s when I was finally able to go home to my family. I got to spend the entire first day of Tet (Lunar New Year) with my parents, wife, and children, and then start work at 12 noon that same day. From then on, my work schedule returned to normal,” Lieutenant Colonel Viet shared.

One of the selection criteria for Close Protection Officers is proficiency in marksmanship, swimming, and martial arts.

During Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), some security personnel return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families. Consequently, the officers providing close protection will also celebrate Tet in the hometowns of these security personnel. Beyond regional cultural differences, variations in culinary tastes present an interesting challenge for these officers.

Due to the nature of their duties, the Lunar New Year holiday is just like any other day; close protection officers always require a high level of concentration. Therefore, it's not wrong to say that close protection officers don't have much time to be sad or homesick. They happily celebrate the Lunar New Year "with their families" through photos and short phone calls from loved ones.

Every time Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) arrives, all Vietnamese people turn their thoughts to their families, hoping for reunion and togetherness. However, for the officers who provide close protection to Party and State leaders, this seemingly simple wish is difficult to fulfill. Deeply aware of the glorious duty and heavy responsibility entrusted to them by the Party, State, and People, they are willing to sacrifice their personal happiness for the sake of their mission.

"The encouragement and trust of the individuals we protect, and the understanding and support of their families, are the driving force that motivates us to always strive and excel in our duties," Colonel Hoan shared.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chuyen-ve-nhung-si-quan-lam-nhiem-vu-dac-biet-post794109.html

Source: https://baolangson.vn/chinh-tri/640730-chuyen-ve-nhung-si-quan-lam-nhiem-vu-dac-biet.html