Colonel Mac Duc Trong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, Head of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Expert Group, chaired the online conference of the 14th Session of the 4th Cycle of the Peacekeeping Expert Group (2021-2023) within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus, on April 6, 2021. (Photo: VNA)[/caption] Many years of working in the field in harsh environments with potential risks and dangers have contributed to forging the style and discipline of an experienced blue beret officer. Currently holding the position of Deputy Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department (Ministry of National Defense), exactly 10 years ago, he was one of the first two individual officers of Vietnam to be sent to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations. "Leaving the city to go to the forest" On May 27, 2014, the Ministry of National Defense held the establishment ceremony of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center, chaired by the late General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defense. At the ceremony, Colonel Mac Duc Trong (then holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel) and Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Ngan were awarded the Decision to depart to perform the task of liaison officer at the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan - the UNMISS mission. When asked "as the first officer, a special figure of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force...", Colonel Trong immediately replied: "I am not special. It is just that natural conditions and opportunities came to me at the right time, I volunteered, rushed forward to learn and gain experience". He was enthusiastic when talking about his expertise, work, and memories during his years of working in the area. Recalling his feelings when he first arrived at the South Sudan mission, Colonel Mac Duc Trong said: “I remember clearly the first activities when participating in peacekeeping, how it was like to set foot on the mission. During the whole process during that initial period, I remember every step I took. When reviewing the images and films, I see that I have left my mark there, it feels very interesting”. According to Colonel Trong, this is the first time Vietnamese officers have participated in peacekeeping, we have received a lot of support from international friends, however, to complete the task well, it all depends on the efforts of the individuals themselves. Although the United Nations has given priority to arranging accommodation with good conditions, convenient for daily activities and life; Although he was invited by Japan to stay in a "five-star" barracks in Juba (capital of the Republic of South Sudan), with full facilities, food, internet... he and Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Ngan decided to go to remote areas to learn the most about peacekeeping activities. After only staying in Juba for a very short time, he went to Malakal, and Lieutenant Colonel Ngan stayed in Bor, both of which are the most "typical" places in peacekeeping activities, especially in the issue of protecting civilians. Life there is completely different from that in the capital. "At the command post, we can understand part of the activities, but if we go to the sub-regions, the most remote places, to the border areas, we will learn a lot to contribute experience to the comrades who come after us. Later, when training, the comrades will not be surprised when they are immediately transferred to areas with difficult conditions", said Colonel Mac Duc Trong. Coming to perform his duty in a country with many conflicts, the images in South Sudan are still imprinted in the mind of the Vietnamese blue beret officer because it was "beyond imagination". Witnessing ethnic conflicts, between factions, without borders, without distinction between civilians, women or children... made him appreciate even more the peace that our country has achieved, and determined to contribute more to the international peacekeeping mission. Having successfully completed his mission in the first term, a few years later, Colonel Mac Duc Trong had the opportunity to return to South Sudan to scout and survey the deployment of Vietnam's level 2 field hospital. Happy to be back in the area, meeting old friends and colleagues with many memories, but more touched when he and his teammates still received enthusiastic support in their work. In times of difficulty, the affection and warm support of international friends are a great encouragement, lighting up the belief like the cactus flowers still blooming in the harsh, arid land of South Sudan. In 2022, Colonel Mac Duc Trong continued to be trusted by his superiors to be assigned the task of commanding the first unit deployed to a new mission: Captain of the 1st Engineer Team of Vietnam participating in the United Nations peacekeeping operations at the UNISFA mission, in the Abyei region. Promoting the tradition of "Opening the way to victory", the first Engineer Team of Vietnam has left an unforgettable impression in the hearts of local people and international colleagues about Uncle Ho's soldiers "accomplishing every mission, overcoming every difficulty", sending a message and image of the country and people of Vietnam as humane, loyal, and responsible. During more than 15 months of implementation of the mission at UNISFA, the No. 1 Engineering Team has upgraded and repaired the main traffic routes of the mission with a total length of nearly 70 km; transported more than 90,000 m3 of soil; repaired and overcome 15 flooded and muddy points, ensuring smooth traffic along the entire route and exceeding the planned progress; built a new field airport for MI26 heavy aircraft to take off and land in Diffra; consolidated and maintained 2 important helicopter airports of the mission. In addition, the Team successfully rescued more than 150 UN vehicles, mainly fuel and food trucks and armored vehicles; and successfully rescued more than 500 cars of various types belonging to local people. The Mission also entrusted the task of assigning the No. 1 Engineering Team to open 15 new patrol routes to ensure security and safety through the forest with a total length of 303 km... Those successes had an important contribution from the commander - Team Leader, Colonel Mac Duc Trong. “We brought new winds to the local people. Up to now, no one has helped them, but with the Vietnamese peacekeeping force, the people who came to us were always ready to help within our capacity. There were very small things, but for them they were very big. For example, to get to the hospital there was no road, only 200 m, but when it rained, patients had to wade through mud, flood water to get in, or carry each other. We were ready to help because the Team had people and machines, if we did not help, it would still be the same ten years later... In just 1.5 days, the No. 1 Engineering Team completed the road leading to the hospital...”, Colonel Trong recounted. Not only building roads, Vietnamese soldiers also built schools, houses, taught the people of South Sudan how to grow vegetables, food... to maintain a good life for themselves and their families. The qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, the function of "the army of work, the army of production labor", the traditional culture of our army "When you go, the people remember, when you stay, the people love"... have been strongly spread by the officers and soldiers of the No. 1 Engineering Team, even though they are in a country far from the Fatherland, leaving a good impression on international friends and local people. The foundation of maturity [caption id="attachment_863326" align="aligncenter" width="665"] 
Vietnamese peacekeeping forces depart at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi), departing for the UN mission at the UNISFA Mission, August 8, 2023. (Photo: VNA)[/caption] On March 27, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department under the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, officially received the Decision to appoint her to the position of Deputy Head of the Military Women's Committee (General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army). Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hang Nga is the first individual female officer of Vietnam to participate in the UN peacekeeping activities at the UNMISS mission, South Sudan as a Staff Officer supervising military activities, from January 2018 to January 2019. At that time, she was a Major, Assistant to the Staff - Planning Department of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center (now the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department). After a very successful first term, she continued to be trusted by the Ministry of National Defense and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and was assigned to the position of Deputy Director of Vietnam's Level 2 Field Hospital No. 4, performing tasks in Bentiu, South Sudan, from May 2022 to July 2023. To date, she is also the first female commander of the Vietnam Level 2 Field Hospital unit participating in the world peacekeeping mission. During her work, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hang Nga has been awarded many Certificates of Merit and many other awards by the Prime Minister, Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Minister of National Defense, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union... at the same time, she is a member of the Executive Committee of the 13th Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union (term 2022-2027). Looking back on her journey, Lieutenant Colonel Hang Nga said she felt very lucky to have had two successful terms in peacekeeping missions. “For me, the two terms were extremely important in my military career. I had the opportunity to study and prepare thoroughly in all aspects of foreign language skills, peacekeeping expertise, defense diplomacy, as well as survival skills in the field and experience working in the area when away from the Fatherland. At the same time, I was trained in discipline, independent combat methods, diplomacy... More specifically, generations born and raised after the war like me have a deeper awareness and appreciation of the value of peace for which generations of fathers and grandfathers had to sacrifice their blood and bones,” Lieutenant Colonel Hang Nga shared. Up to now, when she has been honored to be trusted by her superiors to transfer and appoint her to a new position, with what she has been trained during her time working at the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, she is always ready to embark on new tasks in the spirit of "complete any task, overcome any difficulty". "Based on my experience, I hope to be an inspiration for women and have the opportunity to contribute to promoting the activities of female soldiers in the Army, especially in military and defense foreign affairs, people's diplomacy, application of information technology, communications... Because in some areas, the participation of female soldiers in the entire army is still limited, it is necessary to create more conditions and motivation for them to understand, be confident and ready to participate", said Lieutenant Colonel Hang Nga. In addition, the Deputy Head of the Military Women's Committee also hopes that female soldiers need to proactively and continuously learn to improve their qualifications, capacity, confidence and establish prestige, affirm their real capacity and work efficiency; always be trusted and respected by colleagues. Last article: The road to an international training centerSource: baotintuc.vn
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