- Who is this comrade? Do you need to see me?

Squad leader Wang entered, his face showing signs of confusion. The political commissar encouraged him:

- What's wrong? Tell me.

- Reporting to you, sir, the situation is that my 4th Squad has held two meetings already, but we still haven't been able to propose anyone to volunteer, so I'm asking for your command.

The thing is, we are political officer trainees. After a period of preparation for squad leadership, we have now returned to school to study our chosen specialization. After more than three months of training, and being new recruits far from home, everyone misses their families very much. This time, during the four-day holiday, the school allowed soldiers within a 300km radius to take time off. However, only one person per squad is allowed, so the selection process has to be very thorough.

Soldiers of the 18th Regiment read newspapers during a break on the training ground. (Illustrative photo/Photo: qdnd.vn)

Squad 4 had two cases that both urgently needed leave. Comrade Hoang, from Nghe An, had his younger sister getting married; and Comrade Nam, from Ha Tinh , had his older sister who had just given birth to her first child, so he was eager to go home to visit his nephew and comfort his family. Despite several meetings, they couldn't reach an agreement, so the squad had to report the situation to the company.

After listening to Vuong's presentation, Political Commissar Van Anh shared his understanding of the dilemma, but there was still only one target. He requested that Squad 4 hold another meeting to find common ground.

After reading newspapers and watching the news, Squad 4 gathered for a review. Having explained the purpose and requirements, Squad Leader Vuong asked the members for their opinions. At this point, Hoang spoke up:

- In my opinion, since we've held many meetings without any results, I suggest that Comrade Nam and I draw lots, and whoever gets the nomination should make the decision.

Nam immediately agreed:

- Let's just draw lots then, it'll be quicker.

Another comrade chimed in:

- Let's just draw lots quickly; the activities are taking forever to come to a conclusion.

The entire squad raised their hands in unison in agreement. While we were preparing the long and short sticks, we were startled to hear a voice ask:

What are you guys doing?

Political Commissar Van Anh had been standing there for some time. His gaze was stern:

- I am very disappointed that Squad 4 brought this up for a lottery. It's not that we don't have a solution; I just wanted to test how united and supportive you all are. Living and working together, if you don't know how to share and sacrifice for each other, how can you complete the mission? Ideally, you should be the ones who understand each other best.

Everyone bowed their heads. The political commissar spoke in a gentle voice:

- The soldiers of Uncle Ho's army love each other like hands and feet. If we choose to rely on personal gain and make choices based on chance, we are truly unworthy of being called comrades. I request that the squad continue its activities, but this time each person must be more serious and considerate of one another. Only then will the true spirit of camaraderie prevail.

That reminder was like an awakening. For so long, everyone had only thought of themselves, forgetting the meaning of "comradeship." Hoang and Nam both reconsidered, asking to give each other the opportunity. Finally, the group unanimously agreed to let Nam go on leave due to family health issues, which required priority. As for Hoang, the company reported to higher command, creating conditions for a short leave of absence so that he could return to combat readiness duty in time.

We understand that the most valuable thing in the military is not personal gain, but empathy, sharing, and unwavering camaraderie. This is also the foundation that helps each person grow and become stronger on their military journey.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/phai-luon-biet-suy-nghi-cho-dong-doi-1029617