Special Party members of border villages have made significant contributions to joining hands with Party committees and authorities to build a strong political system; create strong changes in Party building work at the grassroots level; consolidate and enhance solidarity and cohesion between the army and the people; ensure political security, social order and safety and economic development in border areas, firmly protect the Fatherland's borders.

Son La border villages have the presence of party members who are border guards.

Inspire the border party cells

The nearly 10km long journey with its hairpin turns and muddy roads to reach Ban Den village, Phieng Pan commune, Mai Son district, Son La province... did not deter Major Nguyen Van Duoc, a member of the Drug and Crime Prevention Team of Phieng Pan Border Post.

Every house and field of the households in the village is no longer strange to Major Duoc, because since being assigned to participate in activities with the Black village party cell, he has always considered himself a son of the village.

The party members of the border village are familiar with every road to the village.

“During the past time working with the village party cell, I have promptly grasped the situation of the party cell, the situation of party members, and the masses, thereby promptly advising the Party Committee and unit commanders, closely coordinating with the authorities and localities. Especially, Den village is adjacent to the border area, so in addition to propagating policies and guidelines, we must also mobilize people not to encroach, encroach, or illegally cross the border, illegally exploit forests and local products...” – Mr. Duoc shared.

Since its establishment in 2006, the Den village party cell has only had 6 party members. The presence of border guards has added strength to the village party cell in advising leadership and direction in all fields.

In particular, this border guard party member has instilled a sense of responsibility in cadres, party members and more than 300 people of Den village; creating consensus and solidarity, preventing illegal border crossings, illegal exploitation of forest and local products, and hot issues... in recent years.

Border party members pass on the "fire of responsibility" to border officials and party members.

Mr. Lu A Cang, Party cell secretary and head of Den village, said: My party cell has station cadres working together, and has advised the Party Committee and the village management board to issue resolutions and some contents to help people develop economically and socially. Then, in complicated cases of political security, border security... when there are border guards working together, the comrades also contribute ideas to resolve difficulties and problems.

Not only in the 4 border villages like Den village, but also in Phieng Pan commune, 100% of the village party cells have party members from the professional teams of Phieng Pan Border Post and Son La Border Guard participating in activities.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Lo Van Dien, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Phieng Pan Border Guard Station, the unit has realized the policy of the Border Guard Party Committee in general, the direction of the Party Committee and the Son La Border Guard Command, in conjunction with the practical situation of the border commune.

“We see that it is necessary to fully deploy the Party members of the Border Guard Station to participate in activities at the Party cells of 17 villages of Phieng Pan commune; to grasp the situation of the Party cells, Party members, local Party committees and authorities and advise the Party cells in the villages to carry out the task of consolidating the grassroots political system; to issue Resolutions to lead the Party cells in the villages and consolidate the political base, helping the Party cells develop the economy, culture and society, especially to build a solid people's border defense in the border area." - Lieutenant Colonel Lo Van Dien said.

Every house and field in Phieng Pan has the presence of party members who are border guards.

Bordering Xieng Kho district, Hua Phan province (Laos), Phieng Pan is a border commune with fragmented terrain, mainly high mountains, deep ravines, and harsh climate; the awareness level of Mong and Xinh Mun people is still limited... However, party members wearing green uniforms have overcome difficulties and challenges, contributing to consolidating the political system, accompanying the changes of the locality.

Many models to support people in economic development have been formed.

Mr. Lu A Dua, Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Phieng Pan Commune, Mai Son District, Son La, assessed: The quality of the Party cell's activities since sending comrades to the grassroots to attend the activities and the way of activities, as well as the way of issuing leadership resolutions of the Party cell, has been more effective than before. In economic development work, comrades as well as professional teams regularly go to the villages and guide people on what to plant, what to raise... to develop the household economy, increase people's income... have had many positive changes in recent times.

Support for the disadvantaged

Not only assigning party members to participate in activities with border village party cells, Border Guard Stations also assign officers and professional soldiers to directly take charge of and support each household in especially difficult circumstances...

“If the border guards did not support us, our family would not have a house to shelter us from the sun and rain, so that we could focus on production. In addition to supporting our homes, they also supported the pear and plum tree planting model... They are especially close to us, asking about our illness and helping us; if we cannot return home, they call to ask how our grandparents are doing, how our fruit trees are doing, as if they are family members...”

Mr. Vi Van Lun, captain of the Mass Mobilization Team, Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station, directly supported 2 extremely disadvantaged households.

The person who accompanied the family of Vi Van Bac, Na Mua village, Long Phieng commune, Yen Chau district, Son La on their journey to escape poverty, is comrade Vi Van Lun, captain of the Mass Mobilization Team, Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station.

Many family economic development models are supported by border guards and party members for the people.

“To support, I have to go directly to each household, understand the family's wishes, such as the direction of economic development, what kind of tree the family wants to plant... For example, if people want to plant pear trees, I will support and guide them on how to take care of them.” – Mr. Lun said.

Saving rice jar for disadvantaged families of officers and soldiers of Chieng Tuong Border Post.

As scheduled, every month, Major Thao Nguyen Ho, Deputy Political Commissar of Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station, and his teammates personally measure each bag of rice from the unit's rice savings jar, then deliver it to the house of Mr. Pham Van Hieu - a family with especially difficult circumstances in the commune.

Mr. Hieu choked up and said: My health is weak now, I have been paralyzed for more than 10 years, I have been treated in many places but it has not been cured, now I just lie at home, I can't do anything. There is no main laborer, my wife is also sick, my children have just grown up, my income is unstable, it is difficult... There are border guards who care about and help my family a lot, often visit, support rice, candy, essential items...

Border guards have become a support for the disadvantaged and those in especially difficult circumstances.

With the desire to become a support for the disadvantaged and vulnerable, not allowing hostile subjects and border criminals the opportunity to take advantage of and entice them... Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station has assigned 24 officers and professional soldiers to directly help 62 extremely disadvantaged households in the two communes of Chieng Tuong and Long Phieng that the unit manages.

Major Nguyen Cong Luu, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station, shared: People in the border area still have low education level and difficult economic conditions. Secondly, the border area has relatively complicated security, order and crime issues. Therefore, sending border guards to take charge of households is first to help the people; secondly, it is a way to suppress all kinds of crimes in the border area...

Many economic models are effective and gradually becoming effective on the hillsides of the border area.

The shoulders with two responsibilities have fulfilled their special roles and missions, contributing with the Party Committee and government to change the face of the border area.

Mr. Pham Van Tien, Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Long Phieng Commune, Yen Chau District, Son La Province, affirmed: The policy of the Border Guard to assign officers and soldiers to help poor families, especially in border villages, is very effective, helping households develop their economy and reduce poverty. In recent years, people's lives have developed, the restructuring of crops has been effective, especially plum trees, longan trees...; poor households have decreased by 3 - 3.5% annually.

The whole Son La province currently has 158 party members who are provincial Border Guard officers participating in party cell activities in 130 border villages. 215 party members who are officers and professional soldiers of the provincial Border Guard are assigned to be in charge of and help 424 households in difficult and disadvantaged circumstances in the border area.

Colonel Ca Van Lap, Political Commissar of the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command, said: With the motto "The station is home, the border is homeland, and ethnic people are blood brothers and sisters", border guards at the grassroots level have done a good job of sticking together with the people of the border. This has created trust and consensus between the Border Guard and the people.

Border residents appreciate the contributions of border guards and party members who have been sent to border communes and villages.

Each family settled down, had a job, was not surrounded by poverty, was not lured or exploited by hostile forces; each village was more united, overcame difficulties, and protected the border... These were the sweet results of the efforts of cadres, party members, officers, and professional soldiers in particular, as well as the correct policy of the Party and the Army on sending border guard cadres and members to the grassroots.

However, on the journey back to the commune, the village, and the people in the border area, the border guards also encountered many difficulties. So what is the motivation for the Deputy Party Secretaries and the green-uniformed party members to overcome difficulties, to be steadfast, and to fulfill their two missions? What have all levels and sectors done, are doing, and need to do to promote the strength of the border guard staff to strengthen the base? That is also the content of the third and final article of the series of articles titled: "The heart command of the green-uniformed soldiers".

Reporter Group/VOV- Northwest