Very close to Truong Sa

NDO - Before coming to Truong Sa, everyone thinks that this place only has white sand, yellow sunshine, salty and harsh sea climate. But when setting foot on the island, the concrete roads with rows of trees, lush vegetable gardens and classrooms filled with children's voices have dispelled the seasickness and fatigue of those who have just stepped off the boat. This place feels like a Vietnamese village. That feeling is not unique to those who have just come from the mainland to the island, because it is the land and the sea like the blood and flesh of the same body - the sacred Fatherland.

After a long journey on the hospital ship named Khanh Hoa-01, the first place we visited when we set foot on Truong Sa island was the town medical center. There are 30 hospital beds with full functional rooms such as: external examination, internal examination, emergency, surgery, midwifery, X-ray, testing... To serve the officers, soldiers and fishermen, in addition to the functional rooms like a hospital on the mainland, the center also has a pressurized room to regulate pressure which is very necessary for treating specific diseases of diving fishermen.

Storm shelter on Truong Sa island.

Every year, the Center organizes medical examinations and provides medicine for about 2,000 people, more than half of whom are fishermen. Since its establishment in 2018, the Center has examined more than 10,000 officers, soldiers, and fishermen; admitted and provided emergency care for thousands of cases; performed surgery and promptly transported hundreds of cases to the mainland for treatment, ensuring patient safety.

The doctors working on the island, although the facilities and technical conditions are less than on the mainland, but with their enthusiasm for work, professional awareness as well as military discipline have tempered them, making them stronger and more courageous. They are the solid support for fishermen and their teammates -

Military doctor Bui Cong Hung

One of the people who have worked for many years on the islands of the Truong Sa archipelago, military doctor Bui Cong Hung, said that he understands the confusion and fear of patients who have to work on fishing grounds, so in addition to providing urgent and timely emergency support, doctors also have to know how to encourage and comfort patients. Thereby, helping them calm down and feel secure during treatment. He shared that the doctors who work on the islands, although the facilities and techniques are less than on the mainland, but with their enthusiasm for work, professional awareness as well as military discipline have tempered them, helping them become stronger and more courageous. They are a solid support for fishermen and their teammates.

Flag salute ceremony at the beginning of the week.

Along the concrete road leading to the island command headquarters, sprinkled with sunlight through the gaps between the square banyan leaves, Lieutenant Colonel Pham The Nhuong shared that in addition to medical examination and treatment, ensuring safety for fishermen going out to sea, Truong Sa soldiers must also be trained to do a good job of guiding fishing boats and ships to take shelter at the ports, supporting fishermen with their seafaring skills, how to self-rescue when traveling alone at sea, and survival skills at sea when encountering accidents and incidents. Together with the specialized medical force, soldiers on the island regularly support fishermen when encountering sudden and unexpected situations, focusing on rescuing and protecting them in all situations. Officers and soldiers on the island, as well as when performing tasks at sea, regularly coordinate closely with soldiers and people from other islands in the Truong Sa archipelago, naval ships, fisheries surveillance ships, and fishing boats to effectively patrol the sea, propagate legal seafood exploitation, and catch seafood, combined with firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Receive gifts from the mainland sent to the island.

Currently, on the islands of Truong Sa island district, many places have fishing village ports. Some ports can accommodate hundreds of ships and boats. Thanks to that, it has created favorable conditions for fishermen's fishing vessels to take shelter when the sea is rough, there are big waves, and strong winds. On Truong Sa island, there is now a modern port with a large capacity, quite complete logistics services and a team on duty 24 hours a day. Mr. Pham Thi An, a fisherman from Binh Dinh who has a ship repaired at Truong Sa port, said that whenever there is a weather incident, all fishing vessels entering the port are supported and inspected by staff of the Technical Logistics Center, carefully tied up, prepared fenders, arranged for fishing vessels to anchor properly, arranged for food and accommodation, and have a plan ready to evacuate fishermen to the island when necessary. After the weather stabilized, doctors and nurses examined and assessed the health of fishermen, provided fresh water, fuel, and food for fishermen to continue their fishing journey. Not only on Truong Sa island, but also on Da Dong, Da Tay, An Bang, Song Tu Tay, Sinh Ton islands... have built safe shelters, annually receiving hundreds of fishing boats of fishermen whenever their vessels lack fuel, fresh water, encounter problems, or encounter bad weather at sea.

Soldiers and people of Truong Sa island wrap banh chung to celebrate Tet.

Coming to Truong Sa near Tet, we felt a bustling, warm atmosphere of preparation for spring of the officers and soldiers on duty on the island like in their hometown. A commanding officer said that he had celebrated Tet in Truong Sa and on the ship for many years. On the island, every time Tet comes, soldiers and civilians gather together to wrap banh chung, burn incense, and set up offerings to worship the Fatherland and ancestors. The happiest time is the occasion to set up offerings and wrap banh chung. Now, sitting and wrapping banh chung with the soldiers, we suddenly remembered the meaning of the sacks of dong leaves, sticky rice, fat pigs, kumquat trees, and apricot branches that filled the railing compartments on the ship that took us to the island.

There are more ships from the mainland to visit the island, so the ingredients for making the cakes are more complete and the taste of the cakes is closer to Tet banh chung, no longer having the salty smell of the sea and the fragrant smell of the square almond leaves like before.

Officer Doan Trieu Nhon, from Son Hoa district (Phu Yen), who just arrived on the island to replace the army, was also present in the group of officers and soldiers doing logistics work. He said that this was his third time on duty in Truong Sa. In previous years, there were not as many ships visiting the island as there are now, so the materials for making banh chung were very scarce. To overcome this, Truong Sa soldiers had to wrap banh chung with square banyan leaves because there were not enough dong leaves.

Receive peach blossom branches sent from the mainland.

Now things are different, there are more ships from the mainland to visit the island so the ingredients for making the cake are more complete and the taste of the cake is closer to Tet banh chung, no longer has the salty smell of the sea and the fragrant smell of the square almond leaves like before. On the day on the island, after witnessing and participating in the majestic parade and salute to the national flag, we enjoyed a warm New Year's Eve meal with the officers and soldiers on the island.

A party meeting of the Party Cell of Combat Group No. 2.

In the afternoon, after training on the training ground, the volleyball and soccer fields, the sports fields, and the multi-functional fitness room were filled with the laughter of young soldiers. In the evening, the library with more than 1,000 books and newspapers attracted a large number of officers and soldiers. They read to each other the articles that had crossed the ocean to the island. Although they arrived late, for the island soldiers, it was all the information sent from the mainland and the rear, helping them feel secure in their work.

Newspaper reading time of Truong Sa soldiers.

The group of reporters on the island each had a mission, the important thing was that time was limited so we had to be quick, organized scientifically and follow the general regulations. We were reporters specializing in agriculture, so we often paid attention and observed what animals were raised and what plants were planted for the soldiers to increase production on the island. One feeling that always remained in our mind was that when we came to the islands of the Truong Sa archipelago, the immense green of the trees and leaves covered every corner of the island.

Journalists working on Truong Sa island.

In the past, green vegetables were the island's "specialty" because they were scarce and difficult to grow. But now, most of the islands can grow vegetables of all kinds, helping to significantly improve the meals of the soldiers and civilians on the island. On the islands, there are systems of fresh water tanks, received from ships or from rains from the sky. Next to the banyan, baobab, and banyan trees are colorful flowers and lush green vegetable plots of the army units and the people. Each season has its own vegetables. When we arrived, the mainland was experiencing a cold spell, but Truong Sa was enjoying the scorching heat. In the garden, the trellises of squash, gourds, and pumpkins were laden with fruit; the beds of amaranth, sweet potato, water spinach, and jute were still growing green and lush thanks to the diligent care of the officers, soldiers, and people living here.

Truong Sa soldiers take care of the vegetable garden.

There are many families living on Truong Sa island town. Before coming to the island, these families were all farmers from Khanh Hoa province. Visiting the family of Nguyen Minh Vinh and Va Thi Song, from Ninh Hoa district, we learned that their family has 4 members. Their eldest child has gone to the mainland to study at a junior high school, while their youngest daughter is studying in grade 3 at Truong Sa primary school. As one of the families who settled on Truong Sa island, they brought with them their traditional farming and animal husbandry profession, thanks to which their family's economic life has improved. Vinh confided that farming on the island always faces many difficulties due to sea winds, hot sun and limited fresh water. To grow vegetables, you need a good substrate and a greenhouse with a tight roof to avoid wind, sand and sea salt. Raising livestock also encountered many difficulties due to lack of food, so only easy-to-care-for livestock and poultry such as chickens, ducks, dogs, pigs, etc. could be raised well. His family now has vegetable gardens that are green all year round, and a large flock of poultry that provides enough food not only for the family but also contributes to the common meals of the soldiers on the island.

Farming on the island is always very difficult due to sea winds, hot sun and limited fresh water. To grow vegetables, you need good growing medium and a greenhouse with a tight roof to avoid wind, sand and sea salt. Raising livestock is also very difficult due to lack of food, so only easy-to-care-for livestock and poultry such as chickens, ducks, dogs, pigs, etc. can be raised well - Mr. Nguyen Minh Vinh, currently living on Truong Sa island

Along with Vinh's family and Song's family, other households on Truong Sa island are also becoming good farmers in agricultural production, actively contributing to the abundant source of vegetables and food for the meals of soldiers and civilians on the island.

Truong Sa soldiers take care of vegetable garden

Truong Sa soldiers, in addition to training and fighting well, have also become real "farmers". Visiting the gardens of Combat Group No. 2, officers and soldiers were harvesting vegetables for dinner. In the garden, the trellises of gourds and squash laden with fruit, the beds of Malabar spinach, water spinach, and various types of cabbage were growing well. In the middle of the vegetable garden, there was a well that provided enough fresh water for the entire group's daily activities and for watering the vegetables. Captain and Party Cell Secretary Ly Quy Cuong said that for many years, the group had always been an excellent unit on the island in increasing production. After office hours, after training sessions on the training ground, officers and soldiers of the unit focused on raising livestock and taking care of the vegetable garden. Thanks to that, the daily meals of the unit always had vegetables and livestock and poultry food to improve the lives of the brothers in the unit. Combat clusters No. 1 and No. 3 also have flocks of chickens, geese, ducks and vegetable gardens raised by the soldiers. Currently, green vegetables and clean food produced by the soldiers and people on the island have been included in daily meals. Taking care of vegetable gardens and raising livestock and poultry on the island is much more difficult than on the mainland. However, the plants, flowers, vegetables and livestock that have survived on the island are often very strong and have high endurance. Vegetables grown on the island must be able to withstand salt and wind, so they often have thick leaves and larger stems than on the mainland. To develop agricultural and livestock products, Truong Sa soldiers annually have emulation movements, in which the evaluation of the results of growing green vegetables and raising livestock and poultry of combat clusters and units across the island is indispensable.

A lesson at Truong Sa Town Primary School.

The islands of Truong Sa archipelago are entering spring. The sea hibiscus flowers have begun to bloom on the golden sand beaches, dyed in sunlight. Saying goodbye to Truong Sa with regret. Even after boarding the ship, the clear singing voices of teachers and students of Truong Sa town primary school still resonate far away, as if wanting to hold us back: “In the vast ocean, where waves crash on all sides, next to young soldiers, we sit and sing a love song, so close, Truong Sa, not far... Oh Truong Sa”!

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