Lieutenant Dat (right) and his teammates and village elders discuss and exchange ideas on coordinating propaganda efforts.

Mr. Manh shared: “Having received a certificate of commendation from the Provincial Youth Union (now the Hue City Youth Union) for his achievements in the 2024 summer volunteer campaign; and a certificate of merit from the A Luoi District People's Committee for outstanding achievements over the past 10 years (2015-2025) in implementing Directive 01 of the Prime Minister on organizing the movement of all citizens participating in protecting national territorial sovereignty and border security in the new situation, Lieutenant Dat fully deserves these recognitions.”

Having accompanied Lieutenant Nguyen Thanh Dat on numerous trips to villages to meet with village elders and influential figures within the area under the jurisdiction of the A Dot Border Guard Post, we "brought back" the affection, firm handshakes, and genuine feelings that the people have for the young border guard who is always approachable, attentive, and actively helps people in difficult circumstances alongside his comrades.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Manh recounted that: The unit and the local people all acknowledged Dat's proactive spirit in the "Returning to the Village" activities. These included times when Dat and his comrades helped elderly, lonely, and sick households harvest their crops "through the sun and midday sun"; and contacting A Dot Primary School, Huong Lam Primary School, and Truong Son Secondary & High School so that the unit's youth union could effectively implement the "Border Guard Hairdresser" model, providing free haircuts for disadvantaged students.

I still vividly remember the bustling figure of Lieutenant Dat before the haircutting session for the students of A Dot Primary School: preparing the tools, arranging the seating, instructing the children to sit and wait… Despite being so busy, Dat always gave the students a friendly smile and “received” in return the smiles and innocent, trusting eyes of the children towards the border guards.

For the elderly Dang Son Thy, village elder Nguyen Minh Sang, and the people of A Tin village (Lam Dot commune), Lieutenant Dat is like a close son. When the officers and soldiers of the A Dot Border Guard Post helped build a community facility at the A Tin village community center (a toilet and clean water facility, costing nearly 50 million VND and requiring 200 man-days of labor), Dat and his comrades spared no effort to expedite the project and complete it as soon as possible, fulfilling the expectations of the people.

Recently, heavy rains and landslides caused the collapse of Mr. Tran Van Khua's house (Lien Hiep village, Lam Dot commune). The unit mobilized officers and soldiers to the scene immediately, coordinating with local authorities and forces to promptly evacuate people and property to safety; erecting a temporary shelter and then assisting in rebuilding a sturdy house for Mr. Khua.

For border guards in general, and especially for officers involved in community outreach, being close to, understanding, loving, and wholeheartedly helping the people in border areas is a great duty and responsibility. “Lieutenant Dat has performed this duty well, providing insightful advice that has enabled the unit to effectively implement meaningful programs and models. A prime example is the ‘Rice Jar of Compassion’ program. The rice, donated by officers and soldiers from their rations, has reached Mr. Ho Van Ar (Lam Dot commune, whose wife passed away early, and who is paralyzed from a stroke) and Ms. Ho Thi Nhin (Dong Son commune, in very difficult circumstances) each month, along with encouragement and moral support. Dat and his unit have successfully built a strong bond between the military and the people on the border,” shared Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Manh.

Text and photos: Ha Le

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-polit-xa-hoi/bien-gioi-bien-dao/nguoi-vun-dap-tinh-quan-dan-152588.html