Quitting a dream job, a young woman in Ho Chi Minh City writes an application to join the army

For many days now, social media has been flooded with images and wishes of new recruits nationwide preparing to leave for military service in 2024. Among those who leave for military service, many young people have voluntarily written applications to join.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the story of Pham Thu Thao, 23 years old, a girl who has a dream job at Vietnam Airport Ground Services Company Limited (VIAGS) and has just volunteered to join the army has received the attention of many people.

"Are you sure? Do you really want to go?"

We contacted Thao many times, suggesting a meeting but the young girl always found many reasons to refuse. Late on February 21, when we texted Thao to wish her many experiences in the military environment, we unexpectedly received a call back.

"Honestly, I'm shy about being in the newspaper, so I'm making excuses to avoid you. Because my job is small, nothing big, many people sacrifice and dedicate themselves more than me," Thao said.

Even though it was just over the phone, we could still feel the positive energy radiating from the young girl. Modest but not shy.

Pham Thu Thao received her enlistment order at the Military Command of Tay Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District. (Photo: NVCC)

Born and raised in Tan Phu district (HCMC), Thao's father and mother both worked in the army, and both her paternal and maternal grandparents had revolutionary traditions. Perhaps for this reason, the military environment was not too unfamiliar to Thao. Since grade 10, the little girl had cherished the dream of wearing a soldier's uniform.

"Since 10th grade, I wanted to join the army, but I was too young, so I waited until I finished high school. When I reached high school, after some consideration, I realized that I needed to gain more knowledge to be able to realize my dream of a long-term commitment to the army, so I decided to go to university," Thao said.

During her time studying English Language (Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology - HUFLIT), Thao actively participated in youth movement activities organized by the school's Youth Union. In the locality, Thao is also an enthusiastic and exemplary member of the Youth Union.

In 2022, after graduating from university, feeling "ripe" enough to start a military career, Thao expressed her intention to her family. However, at that time, the year's military recruitment period had passed, so Thao had to accept.

After applying for and being accepted to work at VIAGS, Thao still cherished and waited for the "right time" to make her dream come true.

This year, Thao decided to sign up to volunteer for the military recruitment. No one in the family was surprised, although they were a little regretful because Thao's job at the airport was going very well. However, with the revolutionary tradition, the family supported Thao's decision wholeheartedly.

For colleagues and friends, many people still do not believe. Until seeing the notice of military enlistment with Thao's name, everyone is still "half-believing, half-doubting". To everyone around, Thao is a girl with personality, quite open-minded, so putting herself into the military environment with harsh discipline is hard to believe.

The 23-year-old girl just volunteered to join the army.

Thao said that her decision was not just a temporary wish but had been made since childhood. Thao herself had also outlined her own future direction. After completing 2 years of military service, the young girl will try her best and wishes to continue to be attached to the military environment, following her family's career.

"Even though my parents know my direction, they still seem to have some doubts. Especially these past few days, they kept asking, 'Are you sure? Do you really want to go?'. My parents are the ones who understand best how 'difficult' the military environment is for young people like me," Thao said.

Desire to contribute to the Fatherland

We were quite surprised to hear Thao share about the times she "missed" military service. The ideals and responsibilities of young people to the country were mentioned deeply by Thao. The feeling of restlessness and regret for not being able to contribute to the country was present in Thao, something that was hard to find in a girl in her twenties at that time.

Thao recounted the feeling of nervousness when carefully writing each letter in the application for military service, very real. Only now, when holding the military service order bearing her name in her hand, Thao gently breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally I did it!"

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm really happy right now. I know that joining the army is just like a grain of sand in the desert, but I'm still happy to be a small grain of sand. In my heart, I always have a desire, a desire to contribute to the Fatherland," Thao shared.

Outside, Thao has a rather lively and liberal lifestyle, but back home - a miniature "barracks", Thao is considered by her parents to have had the qualities of a soldier since childhood. For this reason, Thao's parents are not too worried about their daughter's upcoming days in the army.

Pham Thu Thao at her university graduation ceremony.

"I'm confident that I can survive anywhere, let alone join the army, a place I've longed for, so it's not difficult. I feel lucky to have fulfilled my dream, not to have sacrificed or done anything too lofty," from the beginning to the end of the conversation, the little girl remained humble.

The Commander of the Tay Thanh Ward Military Command (Tan Phu District) said that Thu Thao is a typical example of the volunteer spirit of local youth joining the army this year. Young people with university degrees and military training time like Thao will be the core cadres at the grassroots level.

According to the Military Service Council of Ho Chi Minh City, out of the total 4,906 young men enlisting in the city this year, there are 6 young women. 950 young men will join the police service; nearly 44% of the young men enlisting have intermediate, college or university degrees; over 86% of them have health level 1 and 2.
Compared to last year, the health, university degree, and party membership indicators of city youths receiving military service orders this year have all increased.

Thy Hue

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