Exemplary Veteran

Over the years, veterans in An Giang province have consistently upheld the spirit of a soldier, upholding the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in their efforts to build a better life and strive for prosperity.

Mr. Dinh Thua Tu inspects his jackfruit orchard.

Today, veterans each pursue their own path in life: some work in gardening and farming, others in aquaculture, and still others engage in various other professions. Through their perseverance and resilience, many have achieved stability and prosperity, contributing to the flourishing socio -economic landscape of their homeland.

Economic development models

One example is veteran Dinh Thua Tu, residing in Vinh Trach commune. Mr. Tu is 78 years old but still healthy, still working in the fields and gardens, tending to his crops and planting rice. Recounting the past, Mr. Tu fondly remembers the years he spent with his comrades participating in the resistance war against the American imperialists. Returning to his hometown in 1968, Mr. Tu began developing his family's economy under difficult conditions. Drawing on the spirit of a soldier, undeterred by hardship, Mr. Tu started farming and then switched to raising commercial catfish, which yielded a high income.

When pangasius farming declined, Mr. Tu switched to a garden-based economic model. On an area of ​​more than 10 acres, he invested in planting 800 Thai jackfruit trees intercropped with other crops. Thanks to careful research into the soil, climate, and market demand, along with the application of an automatic sprinkler irrigation system, the jackfruit orchard thrives, yielding stable productivity, with two harvests per year, and profits ranging from 3-5 million VND per acre per harvest.

Mr. Tu has also expanded his high-quality rice production to over 5 hectares. The application of mechanization in production helps reduce labor costs, minimize exposure to chemicals, and protect health. With these achievements, he has been repeatedly recognized as an outstanding farmer and businessman at the provincial level. Mr. Tu also participates in a revolving fund to support members facing difficulties.

Sharing the same spirit, veteran Duong Van Quang, residing in Phu An commune, is also a prime example of a successful entrepreneur with his integrated farming model (garden-pond-livestock). After leaving the army, he took up farming and dedicated his life to the fields, but always diligently learned effective methods. In 2010, Mr. Quang converted 6.5 acres of low-yielding glutinous rice land to raising catfish fingerlings.

Thanks to his mastery of techniques, his model yields high economic efficiency. Each year, he raises three crops, releasing approximately 6 million fish fry per crop. After three months, he sells them, earning hundreds of millions of dong in profit. Mr. Quang also invested in raising 250 pigs for meat and 50 sows. He applies a cold storage model, ensuring biosecurity, resulting in a stable pig herd and hundreds of millions of dong in profit annually. Mr. Quang also planted 100 durian trees, expanding his diversified farming operations. His shrewdness and willingness to take risks have helped his family achieve prosperity.

Mr. Phan Van Ut, Vice Chairman of the Veterans Association of Phu An commune, commented: "Mr. Quang is not only good at business but also helps many disadvantaged people learn how to do business and rise out of poverty."

Participate in social activities to help the poor.

Many veterans, along with their determination to improve their lives, actively participate in social charity activities, helping disadvantaged households. A prime example is veteran Doan Van Ho, residing in Vinh Xuong commune, known by the people of the border region as "Bay Ho" (Seven Tigers). Having fought on the southwestern border when he was young, upon returning home and laying down his arms, Mr. Ho diligently worked in the fields and gardens. Step by step, he built his fortune and became a successful businessman in the locality.

With a comfortable personal life, Mr. Ho participated in building houses for the poor, mobilizing support in the form of rice, and providing medical examinations and treatment to help hundreds of families stabilize their lives. From 2014 to the present, he has mobilized the construction of 144 solidarity houses with a total cost of nearly 5 billion VND, along with tens of tons of rice and many other necessities to help the poor. He also mobilized the construction of bridges and rural roads, contributing to improving the infrastructure in the border region.

Projects such as the Bo Ke Bridge and the Vinh Xuong-Phu Loc inter-communal bridge, costing billions of dong, all bear the mark of Mr. Ho's contributions and those of the community. Furthermore, the "Rice of Compassion" initiative, which Mr. Ho started in 2015, continues to this day. Each month, residents voluntarily contribute handfuls of rice to support disadvantaged households, especially elderly people living alone and orphans in the commune. This activity has strongly spread the spirit of mutual support and compassion within the community.

Many exemplary veterans, such as Mr. Tu, Mr. Quang, and Mr. Ho, with the unwavering spirit of soldiers, have strived to become wealthy. Many, despite their advanced age, remain enthusiastic about contributing to their homeland. According to the An Giang Provincial Veterans Association, the province has over 34,000 members, with 2,000 members recognized as outstanding producers and businesspeople at various levels.

From 2022-2025, the various levels of the Association contributed and mobilized over 47.6 billion VND from various sources; the Provincial Veterans Association mobilized over 12 billion VND, building and repairing 626 houses for disadvantaged members. In addition, the work of political and ideological education, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, and maintaining security and order has always been effectively carried out by the Association at all levels.

In 2026, the An Giang Provincial Veterans Association aims to continue improving the quality of its activities, focusing on building a strong association in terms of politics and ideology; promoting the spirit of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," and the core role of veterans in patriotic emulation movements, contributing to maintaining political stability, social order and security, and promoting local economic and social development.

THANH DUNG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/guong-sang-cuu-chien-binh-post960416.html