With years of service in grassroots militia force, driven by high responsibility and dedication, Trần Thị Mầu, Village Military Team Leader of the Trường Chinh Residential Group (Điện Biên Phủ ward), is consistently present in activities assisting local residents, mitigating disasters, and securing local safety.

Trần Thị Mầu shared: “My fellows and I never shy away from difficulties, standing ready to help the local people. From assisting with house relocations, remedying natural disaster damage, and fire prevention and fighting to helping residents stabilize their livelihoods, these actions have helped ease our people’s hardships.”

Referred to as “square-star soldiers,” whenever local situations arise, the militia force is  among the first on the scene, coordinating closely with the military, police, forest rangers, sectors, mass organizations, and residents to resolve issues, safeguarding lives, assets, and peaceful daily life.

Lieutenant Colonel Hà Anh Tuấn, Deputy Commander of the Military Command of Điện Biên Phủ ward, emphasized that the ward Military Command has proactively advised the ward People’s Committee on formulating safety and security plans. In coordination with mass organizations, the unit mobilized militia force contributing nearly 70 workdays to assist residents with site clearance, relocating houses and property, and responding to natural disaster incidents.

In early 2026, when several forest fires occurred in Mường Tùng commune, over 30 militiapersons were mobilized alongside nearly 100 personnel to fight the fires, containing the blaze and minimizing damages. Confronting the impact of hail and severe whirlwinds, over 102 cadres, soldiers, militiapersons, and residents joined efforts to remediate damages and assist affected families.

Beyond emergency responses, the militia force actively conducts mass mobilization, helping residents dig over 3,512 holes for coffee and macadamia planting, and assisting Huổi Lèng Kindergarten in digging 11 holes to plant ban (bauhinia) trees, contributing to creating a green, clean, and beautiful environment.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Bùi Nhân Quý, Commander of the Military Command of Mường Tùng commune, stated that in natural disasters and forest fire emergencies, local militia force consistently demonstrate high responsibility, proactivity, and readiness to undertake and complete missions alongside other forces. This maintains local security and safety while consolidating public trust.

Identifying militia building as a central, regular duty, local military commands across the province have implemented synchronized solutions: from managing mobilization pools and consolidating organizational structures to elevating political quality and selecting citizens with good character and high discipline.

The provincial militia and self-defense force accounts for 1.8% of the total population. Since 2019, the province has organized 315 drills, mobilizing over 47,000 turns of militia and self-defense personnel, ensuring absolute safety. Through these drills, joint coordination among the militia force, the military, police, sectors, mass organizations, and local residents has been enhanced, progressively perfecting operational plans for national defense, security, natural disasters, and search and rescue.

Promoting their role in performing defense duties linked with socioeconomic development, since 2019, over 13,000 turns of militia and self-defense personnel have coordinated with functional forces in combat readiness, border patrolling, maintaining security and order, crime prevention, and new rural construction.

During the 2024-2025 period, the province mobilized nearly 2,230 turns of officers and soldiers, including 660 turns of militia and self-defense personnel, to help residents remediate natural disaster consequences, constructing over 150 new houses and repairing more than 240 houses for the people.

As an expansive province with many remote, isolated, and disadvantaged border areas, building a robust, widespread militia and self-defense force carries vital significance. When each commune and ward possesses adequate force strength, and each village has “square-star soldiers” ready for duty, all-people national defense is solidified from the grassroots, particularly in handling defense, security, disaster mitigation, and search and rescue operations.

Fulfilling their role as a “steel shield,” militia force continues to affirm their responsibility, proactivity, and combat readiness while maintaining close ties with the people. This preserves local security and order, consolidates “the people’s heart posture,” and lays the groundwork for building a stable, safe, and sustainably developed Điện Biên.