The leverage of the veteran soldier

- Over the past period, the Provincial Veterans Association has coordinated with the Provincial Branch of the Social Policy Bank to effectively implement entrusted lending programs, acting as a bridge to transfer preferential credit capital to policy beneficiaries. This has created conditions for veterans throughout the province to invest in production and business development, overcome poverty, and gradually achieve legitimate wealth.

Veterans in Dinh Lap commune have accessed and effectively utilized preferential loan capital to develop forest-based economy .

After leaving the military and returning to civilian life, many veterans in the province have upheld the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, demonstrating dynamism and a willingness to think outside the box and take action to develop economic models suitable to their local conditions. In this context, preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank play a crucial role, providing members with additional resources to invest in production, expand scale, and achieve sustainable economic development.

Effectively implement credit policies.

Over the years, to ensure that policy credit funds reach the intended beneficiaries and provide maximum support to the poor and other policy-eligible individuals, the Provincial Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has implemented a management method by delegating certain tasks in the credit operation process to four socio- political organizations. Among these, the Provincial Veterans Association is one of the exemplary organizations entrusted with this task, effectively playing a bridging role between the VBSP and its members. Through its organizational system from the provincial to the grassroots level, the Veterans Association at all levels has actively propagated and encouraged members to access the funds, guiding them to use the capital for the right purposes and effectively.

Economic development model of war veterans in Trang Dinh commune.

Mr. Pham Viet Van, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Veterans Association, said: Currently, the Provincial Veterans Association has 67 branches with 1,615 sub-branches, totaling 35,503 members. Recognizing that preferential loan capital is an important driving force helping members develop production and business, gradually escape poverty and rise to prosperity, the Association has actively coordinated with the Provincial Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to effectively implement entrusted loan activities. At the same time, it has directed local branches to strengthen propaganda about preferential credit programs, guiding members to use capital for the right purposes, in accordance with the actual conditions of the locality and the circumstances of each family, thereby improving the effectiveness of loan capital.

Under the close guidance of the Provincial Veterans Association, local associations have actively participated, promoting awareness among members about the State's preferential credit policies. This has helped members understand the conditions and procedures for borrowing capital, raising their awareness of capital utilization and contributing to maximizing the use of policy credit funds in family economic development.

Mr. Dang Van Manh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Huu Lung commune and Chairman of the Veterans Association of Huu Lung commune, said: The Veterans Association of Huu Lung commune has over 1,400 members, operating in 34 branches. Following the direction of the Provincial Veterans Association, the Association has proactively coordinated with the Huu Lung branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to promote and disseminate preferential credit programs to its members. At the same time, it guides members in completing loan procedures and using capital for the right purposes, suitable to their actual conditions. In addition, the Association regularly monitors, inspects, and encourages the use of capital, thereby contributing to improving the efficiency of loan capital and helping many members develop their economy and stabilize their lives. To date, the Veterans Association of Huu Lung commune is managing 7 savings and loan groups, with outstanding entrusted loans totaling 17.2 billion VND, involving 274 borrowing households.

"Policy credit capital is becoming an important support for war veteran association members to develop their economy, increase their income, and stabilize their lives. Through preferential loan programs, many members have boldly invested in production and livestock farming, transforming their economic models to suit local conditions, and gradually rising to achieve legitimate wealth. In the coming time, the Branch will continue to closely coordinate with war veteran associations at all levels to promote propaganda, review loan needs, and create favorable conditions for members to access capital; at the same time, improve the quality of credit, ensure that capital is used for the right purpose, and promote sustainable effectiveness."

Mr. Phan Anh Thang, Deputy Director of the Provincial Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies.

Alongside propaganda and guidance activities, the Veterans Association at all levels also focuses on improving the effectiveness of supervision over policy credit activities. The Association has closely coordinated with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) in consolidating and improving the quality of operations of savings and loan groups; urging the recovery of overdue debts and limiting the 발생 of overdue debts. At the same time, it has strengthened inspection, supervision, and guidance for borrowers to use capital effectively. In 2025 alone, the Provincial Veterans Association conducted inspections of 11 grassroots associations, 13 savings and loan groups, and 60 borrowing households; in addition, grassroots associations regularly inspect savings and loan groups and borrowing households periodically, thereby promptly identifying difficulties and obstacles for timely resolution.

Thanks to the effective management of entrusted loan capital, the outstanding loan balance through the Veterans Association has now reached over 1,000 billion VND, with over 12,000 customers still having outstanding loans.

Effective models

Thanks to the financial support, many war veterans have proactively invested in production development, built suitable economic models, gradually increased their income, stabilized their lives, and made positive contributions to socio-economic development in their localities.

A typical example is the family of war veteran Duong Cong Ky in An Ninh village, Bac Son commune. Previously, his family was classified as a poor household. Thanks to the guidance and support from the commune's War Veterans Association, his family boldly borrowed 50 million VND from the Bac Son branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to invest in livestock development. With this capital, he focused on raising sows and free-range chickens, expanding production year by year. Mr. Ky shared: "Thanks to the loan, my family has gradually developed our livestock farming model, expanding its scale and achieving better results. For example, last year, my family sold nearly 2,000 chickens and over 20 pigs, and also sold ornamental peach trees for the Tet holiday market. After deducting expenses, the total income reached over 100 million VND per year. With this income, our family's living standards have gradually improved."

Mr. Duong Cong Long, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Bac Son commune and Chairman of the Veterans Association of Bac Son commune, said: The Veterans Association of Bac Son commune has more than 1,030 members operating in 30 branches. In recent years, preferential loan capital entrusted by the Veterans Association of Bac Son commune to the Bac Son branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies has helped many members borrow capital to develop effective models of farming, livestock breeding, and service businesses. To date, the total outstanding loan balance entrusted through the Veterans Association of Bac Son commune has reached 36 billion VND, with nearly 400 borrowing households. The effectiveness of this capital has contributed to helping many members escape poverty and increase their income. Currently, the percentage of veteran households with a relatively good or wealthy economic status is nearly 70%; the number of poor and near-poor households is only 10, accounting for nearly 1%.

Not only in Bac Son commune, but in many other communes, preferential loans are also proving effective. A typical example is Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, a veteran in Dinh Lap commune. After being discharged from the army and returning to his hometown with nothing, he boldly borrowed preferential capital from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) to invest in forest development, yielding high economic returns. Mr. Cuong said: "Previously, my family's economic situation was very difficult. My family planted 2 hectares of pine trees in 2012, but due to a lack of capital for care, the trees grew slowly. In 2021, I was given the opportunity to borrow 50 million VND from the VBSP Dinh Lap branch to buy fertilizer and hire people to clear the forest, thanks to which the forest has developed well. Every year, my family harvests pine resin, bringing in an income of 200 million VND. In addition, to date, my family has repaid the bank loan and planted 15 hectares of acacia and eucalyptus forest."

Experience shows that, in order for capital to be used effectively and sustainably, besides providing loans, equipping members with knowledge and production skills plays a crucial role. Therefore, the Veterans' Association at all levels has actively coordinated with other organizations and specialized agencies to organize training courses and transfer scientific and technical knowledge, helping members apply it to practical production. Specifically in 2025, the Veterans' Association at all levels coordinated the organization of 30 training courses on poverty reduction for over 700 cadres and members; and also organized 21 training courses on techniques for caring for crops and livestock, developing commodity and service businesses, as well as sharing experiences in cultivating high-economic-value crops for nearly 200 cadres and members.

It can be seen that, thanks to policy credit funds, many war veteran association members in the province have gradually risen out of poverty and achieved legitimate wealth. Currently, the association has 1,073 economic models run by war veteran association members that are highly effective (with an average income of 100 million VND/year or more), attracting over 4,000 workers; the entire association still has 509 poor households (accounting for 1.52%).

Source: https://baolangson.vn/bai-so-30-4-don-bay-giup-cuu-chien-binh-vuon-len-5088153.html