Valuable lessons learned from the defensive area exercise

Dong Nai Province has completed a defensive area exercise for the 4th Regional Defensive Command in Binh Long, the Provincial Border Guard Command, and the combat simulation in commune-level defensive area for 2025. This was a pilot exercise selected by Military Region 7 for other units across the military region to observe and draw lessons from.

A soldier from the Dong Nai Provincial armed forces opens fire to repel enemy attacks – a live-action scenario in the exercise. Photo: Nguyet Ha

According to Vo Tan Duc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, and Head of the Dong Nai Provincial Rehearsal Steering Committee, this was the first defensive area exercise conducted under the new two-tier local government model. As a pilot rehearsal, it was successfully completed with absolute safety in terms of personnel and equipment. The event provided the province and visiting units with valuable lessons in organizing, preparing, operating mechanisms, and implementing steps, procedures, and rehearsal stages, all carried out according to plan and scenario, meeting the intended objectives and requirements.

Thorough preparation

Present throughout the preparation phase, the Provincial Military Commander clearly defined his responsibility and the importance of the exercise, especially as it had been chosen by Military Region 7 as a model for the entire regional armed forces.

On the day the exercise plan was launched, Colonel Vo Thanh Danh, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the Provincial Military Commander, and Permanent Deputy Head of the Provincial Rehearsal Steering Committee, emphasized that this exercise aimed to enhance awareness and responsibility among all Party committees, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, departments, sectors, localities and commune-level units regarding the defense area. The goals was also to ensure the proper implementation and operation of mechanisms under Party leadership and government administration of departments and organizations, with the military agency serving as the core advisory body, so that local military and defense tasks are carried out in a tighter, more synchronized, and effective manner.

Deputy Commanders of the Provincial Military Command — Colonel Nguyen Ba Phu, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Minh Tri, and Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc — worked closely with officers and soldiers at all exercise areas, carefully inspecting the preparation of facilities, personnel, and training setups at all positions.  

Closely following the exercise, Major General Le Ngoc Hai, Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 7, expressed satisfaction with Dong Nai’s thorough preparation and precise execution according to established procedures and plans. He stated that the success of the exercise resulted from multiple factors, notably the comprehensive implementation of Military Region 7’s Plan No. 825/KH-QK dated September 15, 2025, by the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the Provincial Military Command. The plan guided the pilot rehearsals for the 4th Regional Defensive Command in Binh Long, the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Dong Nai Provincial Military Command, as well as combat exercises in defensive areas of Tan Khai and Loc Thanh communes and Binh Long ward, Dong Nai province.

“The exercise was conducted safely, with smooth coordination in operating the mechanisms and flawless live-action phase carried out precisely as planned and with absolute safety, all of which clearly demonstrate the overall success of this exercise,” affirmed Major General Le Ngoc Hai.

Meanwhile, the 4th Regional Defensive Command in Binh Long, responsible for reception of delegates, logistics, protocol, and direct participation, worked diligently to mobilize resources and ensure seamless coordination, contributing to the overall success of the exercise. Colonel Nguyen Minh Tu, Political Commissar of the 4th Regional Defensive Command in Binh Long, noted that closely following the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Military Command, the Party Committee and 4th Regional Defensive Command in Binh Long assigned tasks to specific units, organized inspections, and conducted preparation to ensure the best possible conditions for the exercise.

Valuable lessons across all aspects

Thanks to meticulous and comprehensive preparation, the two-day exercise (October 30–31) was a great success — achieving all objectives and requirements while maintaining absolute safety across all aspects. The Ministry of National Defense and Military Region 7 have tasked Dong Nai Province with summarizing and reporting the lessons learned to Military Region 7 at the earliest.

The exercise closely reflected realistic national defense and security situations in implementing the Party’s policies, the State’s laws, in connection with the mechanisms of leadership and guidance in implementing the two-tier local government model. Each phase and the content of the exercise followed the intended plan, highlighting seamless coordination between armed forces, local authorities, and citizens — reinforcing a comprehensive, deeply rooted defensive posture.

Colonel Vo Thanh Danh emphasized: “This exercise can be considered a short-term course in national defense and security education for local leaders, government agencies, departments, organizations, and citizens. It has helped strengthen political awareness and responsibility across the entire political system for safeguarding the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and building resilient local defense zones under new conditions.”

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc, Deputy Commander of the Provincial Military Command and the Provincial Border Guard Commander, who directly led the Border Guard forces during the exercise, said that all content was completed on schedule, exactly as planned, and in total safety. More importantly, the exercise has deepened understanding of defense and security issues among officers, Party members, soldiers, and the broader population — emphasizing the importance of early, proactive national defense measures to ensure readiness in any situation.

The rehearsal’s stages — transitioning armed forces and localities to combat-ready and defense states, preparing for defensive operations, and conducting defensive combat — were all executed precisely and safely

“The simulated scenarios, especially the live-action combat response when enemy forces attacked border posts and violated border security, demonstrated that the Border Guard and Dong Nai armed forces always stand ready and proactive in firmly defending the Fatherland in all circumstances,” affirmed Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc.

Chairman Vo Tan Duc concluded that the success of this first defensive area exercise under the two-tier local government model was due to the decisive involvement of the entire political system and the people. All agencies and units entrusted with direct responsibilities strictly followed the Steering Committee’s guidance, contributing to the successful fulfillment of this important mission. He stressed that these served as valuable lessons in all aspects of preparation and in firmly safeguarding the Fatherland early, from afar, and under every possible situation.”

By Nguyet Ha – Translated by Trieu Ngan, Thu Ha