Last year, in Điện Biên province, natural disasters were complex; many prolonged heavy rains caused flash floods and serious landslides in some highland localities of the province, causing damage to people and property of the state and people, especially in Xa Dung, Mường Luân, Tìa Dình, Na Son, Sín Thầu communes and many localities with total estimated damage of VND 1,940 billion. Facing that situation, the Party Committee and the provincial Military Command of Điện Biên directly directed agencies and units to build plans, mobilize forces and means, organize close coordination with local party committees, authorities, and forces stationed in the area, and promptly deploy search and rescue tasks.

With the motto “Fastest - Safest - Most Effective,” thousands of officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces did not mind danger, crossing forests and streams, present at key points, supporting the relocation of people and property from dangerous areas; searching for victims; temporarily repairing divided roads. The provincial Military Command mobilized 15,631 arrivals of officers and soldiers (Military Command: 5,808; Regiment 82: 1,594; Border Guard: 381; Militia: 7,569) and 430 turns of vehicles of all kinds to participate in responding to, overcoming consequences of incidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue in the area. In hardships, the image of soldiers sticking to the front lines of natural disasters has become a solid fulcrum for ethnic people.

Not stopping at rescue, searching for victims, relocating property, and providing emergency support, with the highest sense of responsibility to the people, the provincial Military Command advised the provincial Party Committee and the provincial People’s Committee to effectively implement the program to support housing construction for households heavily damaged by floods. Directing units to review key locations and areas at risk of pipe floods, flash floods, and landslides; building plans to coordinate forces and means to respond to incidents, disasters, natural disasters, and search and rescue in 2025, organizing coordination with agencies and units stationed in the area for implementation.

Implementing decisions of the Ministry of National Defense and directing documents of the Military Region and the province, the provincial Military Command coordinated with relevant departments, sectors, agencies, and units to mobilize hundreds of turns of officers and soldiers with tens of thousands of working days, regularly present to build 80 new houses and repair 241 houses for people affected by floods and many social welfare works.

Under the direct direction of the provincial Military Command, officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces participated from surveying, transporting materials, and erecting houses to completing works. Each house built not only ensures the “three hard” criteria (hard foundation, hard frame, hard roof), suitable for highland terrain, climate, and customs but also contains deep military-civilian affection.

Implementing Decree No.200/2025/ND-CP dated July 9, 2025, of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Civil Defense, the provincial Military Command advised the provincial People’s Committee to reorganize the Civil Defense Command, the Command for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue into the provincial Civil Defense Command; issuing guidelines for communal and ward People’s Committees to implement. At the same time, establishing the Civil Defense Command of the provincial Military Command, guiding units under the provincial Military Command from Regiment level and equivalent upwards. Reorganizing and establishing 53 Civil Defense Commands at all levels: 1 at provincial level; 45 at communal level; and 7 units of the provincial Military Command from Regiment level upwards.

Advising the provincial Civil Defense Command to organize a conference to evaluate civil defense activity results; evaluating achieved results, existing limitations after reorganizing the provincial Civil Defense Command and deploying key tasks, focusing on the task of helping people overcome the consequences of floods during the period of July 31 - August 1, 2025. Coordinating with the Office of the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response and Search and Rescue to organize propaganda and dissemination of the Law on Civil Defense and legal documents on prevention, response, and overcoming incidents, earthquake disasters, floods, landslides, and civil aircraft accidents for nearly 500 people in Điện Biên Phủ ward.

With the spirit of proactiveness from early and afar, agencies and units of the provincial armed forces regularly monitor and grasp weather and hydrological developments, accident situations, and environmental incidents in the area, promptly advising local party committees and authorities on response plans suitable for each type of natural disaster and specific area. Civil defense plans are reviewed and supplemented regularly; forces and means are fully prepared and skillfully practiced, ensuring fast mobility, neat deployment, and effective handling when situations arise. Parallel to that, the regime of command duty, duty officer, and combat readiness duty is strictly maintained. Along with training and combat readiness tasks, propaganda and education work is promoted, promoting the effectiveness of the “4 on-the-spot” motto in preventing, combating, responding to, and overcoming consequences of disasters, incidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue in the stationed area. In every natural disaster, the provincial armed forces are always the core force, coordinating closely with police, border guards, militia and self-defense forces, functional sectors, and local people to form a solid “shield” against natural disasters. The provincial armed forces always proactively coordinate closely with forces, advising promptly and correctly for local party committees and authorities to build and deploy flexible and effective response plans for all possible situations.

When spacious and solid new houses were handed over, joy was evident on the faces of ethnic people. That is not only a shelter from rain and sun but also faith in the Party, the State, and the military, a motivation for compatriots to firmly rise after natural disasters. From the reality of natural disaster prevention and control and helping people stabilize their lives in Điện Biên once again affirms: Wherever people face difficulties, there is the army. The core role of the provincial armed forces, along with the decisive, close, and responsible command of the provincial Military Command, has contributed to further embellishing the beautiful image of “Uncle Hồ’s Soldiers” in the hearts of ethnic people in Điện Biên.

New spring is returning to every village in Điện Biên. In newly built houses, in the busy laughter celebrating spring, there is the silent dedication of officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces. That is a vivid proof of beloved Uncle Hồ’s teachings: “Our military is loyal to the Party, filial to the people” - forever a political force, an absolutely loyal and reliable fighting force of the Party, the State, and the people.

Senior Colonel Trịnh Đức Thiêm

Member of the Standing Board of the Điện Biên provincial Party Committee, Commander of the provincial Military Command