That was the first time I met Lieutenant Colonel Vu Hong Quyet, the man standing next to the command vehicle, his uniform darkened by sweat.
He and his teammates are on a mission to welcome Vietnamese citizens back home from abroad, amid the tense outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. No big slogans, just people silently shouldering a sacred responsibility: Keeping our compatriots safe, protecting the front line of the Fatherland.
We sat on the steps of the checkpoint. In his hand was a list of last-minute updates, and on his tanned face was a calm, composed expression - a familiar trait of those who had spent many years at the forefront of hardship. He said, as if confiding: “There was a period of time, for nearly a month straight, we went to pick up people from border gates, to quarantine in military areas. Each trip had to be calculated by minute, by person, by disinfection step. Making a mistake in even the smallest detail was a huge risk…”.
I asked him if he was afraid. He smiled lightly: “Everyone has fear. But the soldier is the one who has to go first. If everyone worries about themselves, who will worry about the people?”
Lieutenant Colonel Vu Hong Quyet checks combat-ready vehicles. |
He is Lieutenant Colonel Vu Hong Quyet, Commander of the 651st Transport Regiment (Logistics and Engineering Department of Military Region 1), the leader in such "trips against the wind". Whether it is when the epidemic spreads or when flash floods sweep through the mountains, he is always seen at the front line, never standing outside of any "battle".
He shared: "There are wars without gunfire, but soldiers still go to battle... That was the day he and his teammates received orders to go to the South in the heart of the epidemic."
Those were the days when Ho Chi Minh City was struggling in the midst of the pandemic. The streets were deserted, field hospitals were hastily built. Outside, the ambulance siren replaced the rhythm of life. Inside, tens of thousands of people were fighting for their last breath. And Uncle Ho's soldiers were not in the trenches, but in protective suits, sweat dripping down their backs, tears gathering behind the frosted glass, quietly entering another war: A war with the grief of witnessing their fellow countrymen leave silently. The vehicles rolled coldly. Those who left did not have time to say their last words. Those who stayed did not have time to hold hands. Uncle Ho's soldiers witnessed everything, but were not allowed to be weak-hearted...
Because behind them are the people. They are eyes that long for a meal, an oxygen tank, or simply human warmth. Many of them have silently bowed their heads when seeing off a person who did not survive, then tightened their mask straps, and continued their shipments, their vehicles, and their trips to pick up people in quarantine.
There is a silent story that many soldiers carry with them: The days and nights spent on duty at the quarantine area welcoming people returning from abroad, amidst the sounds of coughing, crying and dense confusion, they still had to smile. Not only fighting the epidemic, they also fought despair. For Uncle Ho's soldiers, there is no other choice but to move forward. Even though sometimes they themselves worry about their elderly parents in the countryside, their wives and children at home, and themselves... But they go, for one thing only: the oath "Forgetting oneself for the people".
They went to keep the people alive, in the days when "death" was like a flood... Like in storm No. 3 (Yagi) in 2024, when the flood suddenly poured into Ta Han village (Ba Be, Bac Kan - now Thai Nguyen province), he himself directly commanded, along with the mobile troops at night to bring people to safety, then returned to build each roof, each school. Helping people overcome the flood, underfoot is mud, above head is wind and rain, the construction progress must be fast so that people can stabilize their lives as quickly and as soon as possible.
The terrain in remote areas, transporting building materials for the whole village is not easy, but the soldiers of the transport regiment still work hard against the wind to transport military provisions quickly, ensuring the fastest and most accurate construction materials. I thought to myself, it is true that "Wherever there is hardship, there are footprints of him and his comrades".
But people remember him not only because of those "charges". But because, even in the position of a leader, he always maintained a simplicity and a very "worldly" spirit of sharing. Officers and soldiers of Regiment 651 often say: "When in trouble, look for Mr. Quyet, when stuck, ask Mr. Quyet, when family matters are also wanted to tell Mr. Quyet". Because in this commander, there is a very strong word "love" - the love of a brother, a comrade, an exemplary party member.
Although he is a straightforward and upright person, there have been many times when he had to reprimand and handle cases of carelessness in the work of his teammates when helping people overcome natural disasters, in order to defend his views and maintain his stance as a party member. He said that although he sympathized with them, he still had to punish them, because many young people still did not fully understand the guidelines and strictness of military orders.
During nearly 30 years of military service, he has never been absent from special missions. His comrades who fought alongside him said: "Quyet has never mentioned difficulties or lost his mind." In his office, there are not many certificates of merit on display, only marching maps, planning books and a few old photos taken with his comrades and people in the flood zone. I once saw him get emotional when talking about a young soldier who fainted from exhaustion during a shift during the epidemic season. "I am the commander, but if I let the soldiers get tired like that, I am at fault," he said.
It is this seriousness that has created the internal strength of Regiment 651. For many years, the unit has received the Emulation Flag of the Military Region Command, the title of "Determined to Win Unit"; he personally was recognized as a Basic Emulation Fighter, and was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee for his outstanding achievements in preventing, combating, and overcoming the consequences of floods. But he always said: "The greatest reward is the trust of his comrades".
That day we said goodbye at Tan Thanh checkpoint, it suddenly started to rain. He quickly put on a raincoat and walked quickly towards the convoy that was about to depart. I only had time to take a picture of his back - the figure of Uncle Ho's soldier, not tall but very sturdy. A confident stance.
Today, when the whole country is looking towards the Party Congresses at all levels, I remember you - Lieutenant Colonel Vu Hong Quyet. Without needing eloquent speeches, you are a living lesson in the spirit of a Party member: Exemplary, dedicated, leading, quiet but brilliant.
During the days when the country was changing, the green light shining from that military uniform - from people like him - was still quietly illuminating the way, fueling the journey of building and protecting the Fatherland.
NGUYEN VAN GIAP
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/sac-ao-quan-phuc-va-nhung-chuyen-di-nguoc-gio-833001
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