Officers and soldiers of the 454th Artillery Brigade decorate their rooms to welcome the Lunar New Year.

In the crisp, cool weather, the entire barracks of the 454th Artillery Brigade burst into springtime colors with vibrant flags and flowers. Pots of yellow chrysanthemums, peonies, and marigolds began to bloom, vying to show off their beauty and fragrance. The Spring Festival rooms of the companies were fully decorated with Tet jam, sweets, fruit platters, peach blossoms, kumquats, etc., creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Lieutenant Colonel Dao Ngoc Phuong, Head of Political Affairs of the 454th Artillery Brigade, said: “To create a festive atmosphere, the units have actively and proactively decorated and beautified the unit's landscape. This has created a positive impression, helping the soldiers alleviate homesickness and focus on their work.”

With the motto of celebrating Tet "Joyful, safe, and economical," the Spring Festival activities of the officers and soldiers of the 454th Artillery Brigade were diverse and suitable to the soldiers' mentality. Besides folk games such as blindfolded goat catching, pot smashing, tug-of-war, ring toss, slow bicycle race, sack race, stick pushing, etc., the units also organized football and volleyball competitions, attracting a large number of officers and soldiers to participate.

Officers and soldiers of the 454th Artillery Brigade are beautifying their unit's landscape in preparation for the Lunar New Year.

The most lively and bustling area was the Brigade's stadium, where officers and soldiers participated in traditional games like stick pushing, throwing the ball, and sack racing. Although these were folk games, for many soldiers it was their first time playing them, so they were very excited. Lieutenant Nguyen Van Kiem, Deputy Political Officer of the Command Company (454th Artillery Brigade), said: “The games aren't difficult; with the commander's guidance, everyone can play. The gameplay is simple, it's good for physical fitness, and it creates a fun atmosphere, so everyone enthusiastically participated.”

Many non-commissioned officers and soldiers are celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) for the first time in the military, so the spring festivities offer new experiences and create excitement for the troops, especially some characteristic activities such as: competing in wrapping green banh chung (traditional rice cakes), flower arranging, decorating the altar of the Fatherland, creating wall newspapers... Impressed by his first experience wrapping banh chung, Corporal Truong Thai San, a soldier in Squad 4, Platoon 2, Company 6, Battalion 2, shared: “Cutting banana leaves, washing rice and mung beans with my comrades helped me better appreciate the traditional Tet flavor of our nation. After I leave the army, I will wrap banh chung with my family every Tet holiday.”

In addition to daytime New Year celebrations, the 454th Artillery Brigade also organized evening programs such as "New Year's Eve Song," "Spring Festival Night," and "Singing with Spring," as well as cultural exchanges. The youth union branches organized youth forums with themes such as "Homeland - Spring - The Soldier," "The Ideals of Youth," and "Steadfastly Marching Under the Party Flag" to promote awareness and responsibility among officers and youth union members regarding the task of defending the homeland.

Officers and soldiers of Battalion 1, 454th Artillery Brigade enthusiastically participate in activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The Lunar New Year celebrations organized by the 454th Artillery Brigade were meticulously planned to avoid overlap. Notably, some units proactively invited their sister units to participate, creating a joyful atmosphere and fostering strong bonds between the military and civilians. The successful organization of these celebrations not only provided a healthy recreational space for officers and soldiers during the Tet holiday but also contributed to building unity and camaraderie within the unit, helping officers at all levels manage personnel effectively and maintain strict discipline.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Kien Cuong, Deputy Political Commissar of the 454th Artillery Brigade, said: “We have developed a plan to organize the Tree Planting Festival. This year, the unit plans to plant approximately 6,500 trees, including fruit trees, focusing on the training grounds and surrounding areas of the units. This will be combined with promoting awareness of environmental protection and creating a green, clean, and beautiful landscape for officers and soldiers.”

Along with organizing lively Lunar New Year celebrations, the 454th Artillery Brigade consistently performs well in political education and ideological motivation to ensure that officers and soldiers understand their duties well and can confidently stand guard during Tet. The unit allocates funds from its production activities to provide additional meals for the soldiers during Tet, amounting to 30,000 VND per person, while also ensuring that all entitlements and standards are met for officers and soldiers. Food safety and hygiene are carefully monitored and implemented, preventing outbreaks of disease within the unit, and maintaining a healthy workforce.

With the spirit of "Enjoying the New Year without forgetting our duties," the 454th Artillery Brigade has done a good job of educating and instilling in its officers and soldiers the importance of combat readiness duty during the Lunar New Year holiday. Simultaneously, it has strictly maintained the discipline of command, duty officer, and communication duty, and intensified patrols and guard duties to ensure the safety of targets. Units have proactively coordinated with local Party committees, authorities, police, and relevant agencies to closely monitor the political security and social order in their areas, and are ready to mobilize forces to handle any situation when ordered.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/vui-xuan-cung-bo-doi-phao-binh-1026062