Joy and pride shone on the faces and smiles of every officer and soldier; they were evident in every daily emulation report and internal radio broadcast.

Speaking with us, Colonel Nguyen Manh Huan, Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of Brigade 971, said: "It has become a tradition that every time May comes around, the unit feels infused with new energy and motivation in carrying out its tasks. Everyone clearly understands the mindset: One person works as hard as two or three; they complete all tasks, not just work until the end of the shift. The spirit of readiness to accept and successfully complete tasks is always present in every officer and soldier."

The commander of Brigade 971 shared his work experience with the officers and soldiers of the unit.

Colonel Nguyen Manh Huan's statement is evidenced by the volume of work that officers and soldiers have been carrying out in recent years. As a strategic transport unit of the Ministry of National Defense , the Brigade is tasked with transporting 30,000 to 35,000 tons of various goods annually, and transporting 20,000 to 26,000 troops; the goods are diverse, complex, flammable, explosive, and potentially unsafe; the vehicles are mostly old and have deteriorated over many years of use; and operations take place in conditions with inadequate transportation infrastructure, a wide operating area, and complex terrain...

The 971st Brigade has done a good job in thoroughly implementing transportation orders, developing plans, and assigning specific tasks; organizing command and control effectively, proactively coordinating with other agencies and units; and maintaining strict and serious discipline in transportation. For many years, the unit has consistently excelled in its missions, notably: transporting supplies for the APEC Conference; the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting; participating in the 1000th anniversary celebration of Thang Long- Hanoi ; transporting supplies for the 60th anniversary of the historic Dien Bien Phu victory; the 40th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification; and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...

In particular, during the two years (2021, 2022), officers and soldiers of Brigade 971 actively participated in and successfully completed the task of transporting medical equipment, vaccines, and medical personnel to participate in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic. Eight collectives and 30 individuals received commendations; the unit was awarded Certificates of Merit by the Minister of National Defense and the Prime Minister for its outstanding achievements in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Explaining the unit's achievements in the past period, Colonel Dinh Ngoc Chinh, Commander of Brigade 971, shared: "One of the lessons learned is that along with practically caring for the material and spiritual lives of the soldiers, the unit has effectively implemented policies and solutions to improve the quality of training, combat readiness, and handling important political tasks and scenarios. This is a crucial factor that directly determines the unit's combat strength and ability to complete its missions."

Organizing the transportation of supplies for aid forces in Turkey (February 12, 2023).

With that spirit, every year, the Party Committee and the Brigade's command identify key training contents; implement the "four innovations" (innovation in training thinking; innovation in training guidance and management; innovation in training content, organization, and methods; innovation in training support) and the three viewpoints, eight principles, and six combinations in training, in accordance with the functions, tasks, and characteristics of each unit. The Brigade's training content consistently meets 100% of the requirements, with over 85% achieving good or excellent results, and has been awarded the Excellent Training Unit Flag by the Ministry of National Defense for many consecutive years.

Text and photos: HAI BINH