Major Hoang Van Giap walked quickly to take us to the "shooting adjustment bunker" located below, the most hidden corner in the unit's campus. The bunker was built with a wall over 100m long connected to a room of about 25m2 , the walls were built very thick and solid. The continuous sound of bullets exploding, the acrid smell of gunpowder covered the entire bunker, making the atmosphere even more stifling. Here, 3 employees were concentrating on the task of shooting and adjusting weapons. Each shift, the employees had to complete the shooting adjustment of 50-60 guns, then record data, classify... This was the final step, considered the last door in the repair process. Infantry guns were tested such as 12.7mm heavy machine guns; K53, K56, PKMS heavy machine guns; AK submachine guns; K54, K59 pistols... after being adjusted to ensure accuracy can be returned to the units to continue serving training missions, ready for combat.

Leaders of Workshop X78 inspect the repair of technical equipment at the unit. Photo: HUU VUONG

Noise pollution and gunpowder smoke are realities that the staff here have to face every day. As for us, after standing in the bunker for only 5 minutes, we already felt short of breath and could not bear it.

Not having to endure the loud noise like working in the "correction firing pit", but in the blackening department of the Infantry Weapons Repair Team, the work of the staff is also very toxic because they have to come into contact with chemicals such as H2SO4 acid , NaOH... As soon as we arrived at the door, we could smell the strong smell of grease and chemicals. Observing the blackening process of weapons with 18 steps printed on the sign hanging right at the door, we could see the meticulousness and meticulousness of this job. After being brought into the workshop, weapons must go through many times of bleaching, washing with hot water, cold water and chemicals, going through two dyeing times and many other stages to complete. The staff performing the task here are equipped with gas masks, rubber gloves, boots, working in the heat of approximately 40 degrees Celsius, so just standing for more than 10 minutes is enough to make them wet as if they were being doused with water.

Although the Workshop has machines and production lines to support most of the steps in the blackening process of weapons, some segments still have to be performed directly by humans. To ensure that the weapons after being blackened can be restored to 90-95% compared to new weapons, the workers must be careful and meticulous in every step, even the steps that are handled by machines must still be closely monitored. The workers here are like doctors "treating" the weapons!

Major Nguyen Van The, an employee of the Infantry Weapons Repair Team, who has worked in this position for 5 years, shared: “The work here is hard for every department. By repairing and renewing each gun, we have contributed to saving money on investing in weapons and improving the quality of training for soldiers in the units. Only with good weapons can soldiers have good training results and ensure victory when going to the battlefield. We all clearly define our tasks, so we try to complete the work with the best quality...”.

It is known that the promotion of initiatives and technical improvements to increase efficiency, productivity, reduce difficulties and hardships, and ensure safety during the performance of tasks has always been of interest and encouraged by the leaders and commanders of Workshop X78. Over the years, Workshop X78 has always been a bright spot of the Technical Department as well as the entire Military Region 2 in the movement of researching initiatives and technical improvements. On average, each year, the Workshop has more than 10 high-quality initiatives with high applicability, winning many awards at the Military Region and Ministry of National Defense levels.

The tasks are heavy, the work is hard, the requirements are high, the working environment has to face pollution and toxicity, but when visiting most of the workshops here, what we clearly feel when talking to the staff is that no matter what position they are in, they are confident in their work, responsible, committed, and devoted. To achieve this, the unit must have a "secret"?

Discussing this question with the Director of Workshop X78, Major Hoang Van Giap shared that this is also a constant concern of the Party Committee and unit commanders. How to make cadres and employees stick with the unit for a long time and actively contribute to building the unit is not easy, because the current working environment outside has many advantages, attractive income, and many options. To solve this difficult problem, the Party Committee and Board of Directors of Workshop X78 have enthusiastically discussed, proposed many solutions and implemented them synchronously. In which, the most basic is that leaders and commanders at all levels regularly do a good job of ideological work, promptly grasp and resolve the legitimate thoughts and aspirations of soldiers; actively improve working conditions; promote increased production, care for the material and spiritual life of cadres and employees; implement good policies for the Army's rear... When soldiers are assured and excited, they will strive and contribute.

Over the past time, Workshop X78 has always been the leading unit and the center of science and technology of the Military Region 2 engineering sector. Every year, the Workshop organizes the reception, maintenance, repair, and synchronization of military equipment and technical equipment for units, all exceeding the targets. In 2022 alone, the Workshop maintained, repaired, and synchronized nearly 10,000 guns and artillery of all kinds, dozens of cars and armored vehicles, 3 tons of spare parts, refurbished more than 10,000 wooden parts of infantry guns, produced 13,000 mechanical parts... The Workshop participates in ensuring technical support for units according to plan, with good quality; at the same time, helping Laos train technical staff and maintain and repair hundreds of artillery, thousands of infantry guns, hundreds of cars, tanks and armored vehicles...

NGOC HAN