The end of the year is always a sensitive time along the border. Travel and trade demand increases; smugglers and illegal border crossings may take advantage of loopholes to operate. Therefore, officers and soldiers at the checkpoints maintain a strict 24/7 duty schedule, strengthening coordination with other forces to patrol day and night, ensuring they are not caught off guard in any situation.

Pham Minh Ngoc, the commander of the Tram outpost, has been associated with this place since its most challenging times. Joining the militia in 2018, he was assigned to the outpost in 2021, right when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and border controls were tightened. The youngest child in a family from Vinh Phuoc 1 hamlet, whose parents were traders and whose two older brothers had already started their own families, Ngoc was very young at the time. “The pandemic was very serious then. My family was worried, and so was I. But having determined my responsibility, I had to see it through,” Ngoc recalled.

During the peak of the pandemic, he and his teammates practically lived and ate at the outpost. At night, the border was so quiet that you could hear the wind rustling through the mangrove trees. But that very silence concealed many dangers. Ngoc said that what stressed him the most wasn't the lack of material resources, but the worry of not having completed his mission perfectly.

“Being so close to the border means we always have to be highly vigilant. The biggest fear is illegal border crossings that we can't control. Just a moment of carelessness can have a big impact.” The young soldier's “fear” isn't about hardship, but about making mistakes. That's why his patrol steps and those of his comrades are always steady and cautious, checking every path and every dark corner.

Militia soldiers chose to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) at the Tram outpost of the Military Command of Vinh Te ward, An Giang province, to ensure peace and security for the people.

During his first Lunar New Year at the outpost, Ngoc couldn't hide his sadness. As the youngest child, accustomed to the warm family atmosphere during the spring festival, being on duty at the border during Tet made him feel melancholic. "Looking back at the brightly lit interior on New Year's Eve, I missed home terribly. But I had been assigned this task by my superiors, so I had to complete it well at all costs. As time passed, that sadness gradually gave way to calmness. In later years, celebrating Tet at the outpost felt more normal. Seeing the outpost as home, and the comrades as family, helped ease the homesickness," Ngoc confided.

Tet (Lunar New Year) at Tram outpost was simple but warm. Early in the morning, the men took turns going to the market to buy food, preparing meals for the whole day. There wasn't a lavish feast, but the first meal of the year still included banh tet (sticky rice cake), braised pork, and a few familiar dishes. After patrol duty, everyone gathered together, sharing stories about their families and encouraging each other to keep going and ease their homesickness.

Joining Ngoc on duty is Le Hong Phat, 19 years old, residing in Vinh Khanh 1 hamlet. Joining the militia in 2025 and being stationed at the outpost in early 2026, this is Phat's first Tet (Lunar New Year) away from his family. As the eldest son, Phat is well aware of his responsibilities. “Celebrating Tet at the outpost is very different from being at home. It’s quieter, with less laughter. But I’m happy because I’m doing my duty. I will try my best to complete the assigned tasks well,” Phat shared.

Unlike Le Hong Phat, Le Van Trong (born in 2004) has spent three Tet holidays at the outpost. Joining the militia in 2024, Trong developed a love for the military environment early on. In 2020, he met the eligibility criteria for enlistment but was on the reserve list. When given the opportunity to serve at the outpost, he quickly adapted. “At first, it was a little sad, but then I got used to it. For three years now, celebrating Tet at the outpost has become a habit for me. The guys here are very close,” Trong said.

Spring at Border Marker 270 may not bring dazzling fireworks, but it holds the unwavering gaze of the militia soldiers. They accept being far from their families, setting aside personal desires to safeguard every inch of sacred land on the border. And as spring arrives across the homeland, the Tram outpost remains brightly lit. The peace of the mainland is preserved through those silent nights of watch.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/tet-o-chot-tram-1026687