Tet of border guards

When everyone and every household are busy preparing for Lunar New Year (Tet), it is also the peak period when border guards at units, posts, and stations of the Provincial Border Guard Command must work tirelessly along the border, fulfilling their function as a specialized force in charge of managing, maintaining, and protecting the safety of the nation's border.

From the Provincial Border Guard Command to border guard posts and stations, the atmosphere of Tet with many "dual tasks" is arranged and carried out to "enjoy Tet without forgetting duties". The border guards uphold the spirit of "The post is home, the border is the homeland, and the ethnic compatriots are blood relatives", always holding their weapons firmly, patrolling, protecting and maintaining the border lines and markers, ensuring peace for the people to celebrate Tet.

Ready for all situations

The Tet atmosphere at the provincial Border Guard units these days is already very lively. Bright yellow kumquat pots are ripe, and apricot branches are budding to welcome spring, meticulously decorated by officers and soldiers... However, strictly maintaining duty, patrol, control, ensuring security and order, protecting national border sovereignty, and being ready for all situations remain the top priority.

Officers and soldiers of Loc Thien Border Guard Post making chung cakes (square glutinous rice cakes) and tet cakes (cylindrical sticky rice cakes) to celebrate Spring 2026 with ethnic compatriots in Loc Tan commune. Photo: Courtesy of Border Guard units

Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, shared: Tet for border guards always involves "dual tasks", requiring increased combat readiness, performing the duty of protecting the safety of units, borders, and border gates; and at the same time organizing Tet celebrations for soldiers at units, posts, stations, checkpoints along the border and in the locality. Tet for the border guards is also an occasion to strengthen solidarity and friendship between forces, authorities, and people on both sides of the border to jointly protect a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to Tet, border guards have set aside their personal concerns to patrol the border and border markers, ensuring that the people can enjoy a peaceful Spring and Tet. Captain Phan Thanh Vinh, Head of the Administrative Staff Team, Bu Gia Map Border Guard Post, said: Despite the long border, for many years, the political security, social order, and territorial sovereignty on both sides have been maintained and stable... These results are due to the proactive and active grasp of the situation by the unit's officers and soldiers; patrol activities, protection of border markers, and regular situation monitoring are well-executed, especially during Tet and Spring.

"Celebrating Tet but always being ready for all situations, especially patrolling and protecting the border and national markers from infringement, is the most sacred task that each of us- the border guards - is always aware of," emphasized Captain Phan Thanh Vinh.

Leading us along winding, steep roads, Captain Dieu Tam, Dac O Border Guard Post, recounted: Criminals often take advantage of Tet, Spring, or peak periods to commit illegal acts. "This is why we must heighten our vigilance, 'enjoy Spring without forgetting duties', increase duty, guard, patrol, and control every border line and national marker, contributing to building a peaceful and friendly border, ensuring peace for the people to enjoy Spring and Tet..." affirmed Captain Dieu Tam.

Caring for the people during Tet

In addition to always being ready for all situations, the border guards also organize Tet celebration activities with ethnic compatriots in border areas; provide medical examinations and treatment, and give gifts, strengthening military-civilian ties. Among these, "Border Guard Spring- Warming the Hearts of Villagers" is considered a unique "specialty" that the Vietnam Border Guards, as well as Dong Nai, has organized 9 times. The program has truly become a bridge closely connecting military-civilian relations; consolidating the people's trust in the Party, government, and military, directly the BG.

According to Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc, on the occasion of the 2026 Tet, the "Border Guard Spring- Warming the Hearts of Villagers" program was organized in 8 border communes with many rich and practical activities, contributing to taking care of Tet for ethnic minorities in border areas...

Due to the special nature of the border guards being associated with the border, frontier, and checkpoints, when Tet and spring arrive, the border guard officers and soldiers must increase patrols and guard duties in conjunction with checkpoint and border activities. At the same time, they are also sent to local areas to both celebrate spring and Tet with the people and to grasp the general situation, promptly handling on-site issues. Besides, Tet for the border guards is also an occasion to strengthen solidarity, friendship, and exchange with functional forces of neighboring countries to exchange information, do a good job of border foreign affairs, and work together to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border...

According to incomplete statistics as of February 11, the provincial border guards and border posts, stations, and checkpoints have organized Tet care activities for ethnic minorities in 8 border communes with a total budget of nearly 2 billion VND. Among these, they coordinated and organized the awarding of 161 scholarships (from 500,000 to 1 million VND per scholarship) to students in the "Supporting  children to school - Adopted children of border guard posts" program and the "Army Officers and Soldiers support children to School" project. They also presented over 1,800 gifts (300-500 thousand VND/gift) to disadvantaged households, near-poor households, policy beneficiary families, and outstanding individuals and groups participating in protecting the border line system and national markers... They provided free medical examinations and medicine to over 1,200 people; donated over 5.6 tons of rice, 1,200 chung cakes, and 6 pairs of breeding pigs to the people...

Receiving Tet gifts, chung cakes, and essential goods from the border guards, Kha Thi Mai (Tan Tien commune) emotionally shared: "My family's Tet is always warm because the border guards are by our side. They have truly become family members, supporting and empowering us to welcome a warm spring and have more motivation to strive in life"...

These practical activities continue to firmly consolidate the close military-civilian solidarity. The people, especially ethnic minorities in border areas, have a solid support from the border guards and vice versa. Thereby, it continues to create sustainable motivation, build a strong "people's hearts and minds posture" and "border defence posture", working together to preserve and protect the peace of the Fatherland's border areas, especially during Tet and spring.

By Nguyet Ha – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha