36th Anniversary of the Founding of the Vietnam Veterans Association (December 6, 1989 - December 6, 2025): The Spirit of Uncle Ho's Soldiers in the Digital Age

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tham, a veteran in the role of Party Cell Secretary of Ward 20, Minh Phung Ward (right), is proficient in operating electronic software. Photo: CAM NUONG

Learning technology in old age

At nearly 70 years old, Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tham still sits diligently at his desk, carefully reviewing each file of the Party Cell of Quarter 20, Minh Phung Ward (HCMC). On the wooden table, next to a cup of steaming tea, is a tablet that the Minh Phung Ward Party Committee has just provided. He opens the tablet quickly, flips through each page of electronic documents, operates skillfully and very confidently.

Born in 1956, enlisted in the army in 1974, Nguyen Ngoc Tham was then a young man from the North who marched quickly to the South during the decisive phase of the 1975 Spring General Offensive. He was added to the special forces, marched across Truong Son, then was assigned to the Gia Dinh 4 Special Forces Battalion, directly participating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. After the country's reunification, he continued to stay in the army, received training, and then became a lecturer and Vice Principal of the Military School of the Ho Chi Minh City Command.

In July 2012, Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tham received the decision to retire. A few days later, the Ward Party Committee invited him to be the Secretary of the Ward Party Cell. From there, he embarked on another journey of dedication. 5 years as the Secretary of the Party Cell, then 8 years and 3 months as Chairman of the Veterans Association of District 11 (before the administrative unit was reorganized), he retired in June 2025. Immediately after that, he was invited to be the Secretary of the Ward Party Cell 20.

“I don’t consider that I have ever had a day off,” he said. But that’s not a complaint, but the pride of a soldier who sees serving the organization as a way of life. He said he’s not as computer-savvy as the younger generation, but having been trained in the military, he’s still very quick to grasp new ideas.

Since the ward deployed the electronic party member handbook, meetings, announcements, and documents via Zalo, he has been able to do it all and has done it very well. Looking at him scrolling through the screen, opening documents, and taking notes at party cell meetings on the tablet, people see the image of a veteran who is joining the digital transformation of the locality. "Party members do not retire, as Uncle Ho's soldiers, we must fight until our last breath", that saying is both a philosophy of life and a motivation for Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tham to continue learning new things and doing new work, despite his old age.

"Keeping the fire burning" in each grassroots movement

Mr. Le Tien Son, 68 years old, Head of the Inspection Committee, Veterans Association of Thu Dau Mot Ward (HCMC), is one of the typical faces representing the enthusiasm and spirit of "saying, doing" of Uncle Ho's soldiers in peacetime. Before the area merged and switched to a 2-level local government model, Mr. Son was the Chairman of the Veterans Association of Chanh Nghia Ward, who initiated many highly appreciated operating models. He is the "locomotive" of a series of movements: the "3/1" model to support reformation, helping people who have made mistakes reintegrate into the community; the "Close to the base, understanding members" model... With every model, he spends time following closely, hoping that each work will bring about real results.

Mr. Son is remembered not only for his determination but also for his acumen with technology, which is not easy for people nearing the age of "thất thập cổ lai hy". From the time he studied at Hanoi University of Agriculture, then worked at the Institute of Industrial Research (Ministry of Agriculture), Sugarcane Institute, to Binh Duong Sugar Factory, he was used to self-studying and self-discovering to apply technology to serve his profession.

Those skills have followed him to this day. After retiring and joining the Veterans Association, he has become proficient in using computers, presentation software, and even using artificial intelligence to draft reports. Many older members in the ward who were still confused with smartphones have been patiently guided by Mr. Son. He believes that when members grasp technology, the implementation of digital transformation in the association's work will be more favorable.

For Mr. Le Tien Son and many veterans still contributing to the grassroots today, the spirit of Uncle Ho's soldiers does not lie in the past fighting, but in the daily innovation to do better work.

Doing marine economy with technological thinking

Leaving the army after years of training in an environment of iron discipline, veteran Dao Quoc Tuan (67 years old, Phuoc Thang ward, Ho Chi Minh City) brought the spirit of a soldier to enter the business world. He followed a path that few people dared to choose: building a business to process and export Tu Hai mackerel in Vung Tau. From a simple product, he created a high-value industry, associated with the local marine economy.

In the veteran community in the coastal area, he is considered an “economic leader”. Tu Hai currently accounts for more than 50% of the output and more than 60% of the export turnover of Vietnamese mackerel, reaching an average of over 20 million USD per year. What makes Tu Hai stand out is technology. The enterprise uses a Japanese size grading system with a deviation of only 1 gram; and 3 fillet lines operating 24/24 hours, each machine replacing 10-15 workers. Thanks to that, the capacity has increased sharply, from 6-10 tons of raw materials/day; the output of finished products has increased 3-4 times.

At an age when many people choose to take it easy, veteran Dao Quoc Tuan is still persistent with new production lines and increasingly strict standards. His story shows that when the soldier's spirit goes hand in hand with technological thinking, the path to integration can be firmly opened.

CAM NUONG - TAM TRANG - TRUC GIANG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ky-niem-36-nam-ngay-thanh-lap-hoi-cuu-chien-binh-viet-nam-6-12-1989-6-12-2025-tinh-than-bo-doi-cu-ho-trong-thoi-dai-so-post827171.html