Ready for Mission A80

After four rounds of full-dress joint rehearsal, the parade and march forces serving the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2 (Mission A80) are entering the final stage, training hard to be ready for the grand event. At Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Ha Noi city, officers and soldiers have been diligently practicing, fine-tuning each movement to ensure a consistently precise and impressive line-up of marching and standing formations.

The Party flag and National flag formation in training. Photo: Nguyet Ha

Proud to contribute to the grand celebration

Lieutenant Colonel Le Duc Trung, Deputy Political Chief of Regiment 174, Division 316, Military Region 2, concurrently Political Commissar of the Red flag formation, said: The assembly point at the Political Officer Training School includes two marching formations (the Party flag, National flag and the Red flag formation) and two standing formations (cadets of the Air Defense – Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard Officer School).

The biggest advantage is that 100% of the officers and soldiers selected for Mission A80 feel proud, which motivates them to overcome difficulties and fulfill their duty on the upcoming grand celebration day. In addition, the Party committees and commanders of agencies and units whose personnel are mobilized for A80, as well as the host units, have paid great attention to providing accommodation, meals, and training conditions to support the forces in completing their tasks.

Notably, for the marching formations of the Party flag, National flag and Red flag, 50-60% of the personnel already participated in Mission A50, which makes the A80 training process more favorable.

Alongside advantages, Military Region 2 training forces have also faced challenges related to weather, climate, and new training locations. During A50 training, the marching formations were arranged with 10 rows (10 officers and soldiers per row), while A80 increases to 16 rows with 16 officers and soldiers per row, which makes the training, alignment, synchronized marching, and execution of movements more challenging.

Understanding this clearly, the training cadres for A80 strictly follow higher-level instructions and provide detailed guidance to support officers and soldiers in practice.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Tuan Thanh, Commander of the Party flag and National flag formation, shared: “Upon receiving orders to join A80 training, our unit leaders, Military Region 2 and higher-level authorities thoroughly instructed and directed us on many important aspects of the drills, guiding officers and soldiers to fulfill the mission in the best possible way. We maximized efforts to instill pride, determination, and the tradition of ‘Uncle Ho’s Soldiers’ in every officer and soldier. We also drew on the experience of comrades who had previously taken part in A50 training to provide guidance, especially for those participating for the first time.”

Marching in the heart of the people, proud of the bond of ‘compatriots”

Captain Dang Trung Kien, Platoon Leader of Platoon 4, Company 2, Battalion 4, Regiment 148 (Division 316, Military Region 2), who directly trains and participates in the Red flag formation for A80 and previously joined A50, said: The common point between A50 and A80 is that every officer and soldier chosen feels honored and proud to contribute to such a historic national event. In the Red flag, Party flag and National flag formations, most of the officers and soldiers had already participated in A50, so their high determination and tireless training for the great celebration are clearly evident. All the participating officers and soldiers in general, and those in the Red Flag, National Flag, and Party Flag formations in particular, share the same strong resolve for the national day, as they always proudly march in the heart of the people, embracing the warm “ compatriot” bond.

Private First Class Nguyen Cong Manh of Regiment 148, who left a strong impression during A50 by singing “Noi vong tay lon” (The Great Circle of Unity) on Le Duan Street in Ho Chi Minh City while interacting with Southern compatriots, shared: “I am proud that wherever we march, people wave flags and flowers to cheer us on. The emotions from A50 are still vivid and now blend with the feelings during A80 rehearsals. Officers and soldiers always feel the warm affection of the people, sometimes we are given a bottle of cool water, and at other times, a cold towel, all of which makes us even more determined to live up to their trust and affection."

The joy, pride, and emotion of being embraced by the people are reflected on every soldier’s face. For the first time joining the standing formation of the Air Defense – Air Force Academy, Private Dinh Manh Hao has had many memorable experiences, especially during the recent A80 full-dress joint rehearsal at the National Shooting Range TB4. Despite heavy rain, the standing formations remained solemn in their salute to the grand event. Afterward, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense, personally visited and encouraged each formation, including the standing block of the Air Defense – Air Force Academy. This gave soldiers even greater pride and a stronger sense of responsibility before the Party, the State, and the People.

After the fourth full-dress joint rehearsal on the morning of August 16, General Phan Van Giang noted that the marching formations, standing formations, equipment and vehicle formations, and military bands all looked more powerful and majestic than in previous sessions. Notably, this is the first time naval forces, coast guards, and border guards participate in a parade at sea.

Upholding the spirit of the August Revolution and National Day, General Phan Van Giang urged every officer and soldier to continue striving with determination to successfully fulfill Mission A80, bringing pride to the nation and to themselves as participants in this particularly significant mission.

By: Nguyet Ha

Translated by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha