Steel spirit on the "fire" training ground

Taking place at Division 390 (12th Corps), the 2025 Army-wide Sports Festival has the participation of 14 teams from military regions, corps, services, and arms throughout the army. The teams go through 3 competition stages, including: Overcoming special obstacle courses; relay; accelerating to the finish line.

Immediately after the starting gun, the atmosphere on the training ground was filled with excitement under the blazing hot weather. The athletes immediately set off, rushing into the “obstacle maze” with a series of challenges that were simulated to closely resemble real-life natural disasters and catastrophes. From walls over 2m high, large concrete blocks to wooden bridges, broken bridges... Fully equipped and wearing gas masks, the athletes quickly crossed long distances, overcoming obstacles in simulated conditions of smoke and toxic gas.

Athletes perform a special obstacle course. Photo: VAN GIANG

A group approached the obstacle, used a chainsaw to cut the iron bars blocking the way, and opened the way for teammates to enter the area where the victims were trapped. With skillful techniques and smooth coordination, the athletes passed through a narrow iron cage that could only fit one person, used a chainsaw to dismantle the structure, rescued and transferred the victims to a safe place. After successfully completing the obstacle course with his teammates, Lieutenant Bui Viet Hung (12th Corps team) said: "I once participated in a rescue mission in Thai Nguyen after storm No. 3 in 2024 (super typhoon Yagi). At that time, there were areas where temporary bridges had to be built to access the scene. The obstacles at the sports festival were simulated very closely to reality. Thanks to that, our training and competition were also more effective because we had practical experience."

In the CHCN relay and acceleration to the finish line, the athletes had to overcome many challenges: Coordinating fire fighting, wearing chemical protective clothing, using specialized tools to break down solid iron doors, deploying metal and explosive detection techniques in complex terrain conditions; performing accurate pistol shooting and sprinting to the finish line. Each event requires flexibility, physical endurance combined with professional techniques. Captain Vu Thanh Nghiem (member of the Military Region 3 team, one of the teams with high achievements) shared: “This year's sports festival takes place at a new training ground, the terrain and obstacles have changed, so at first we had difficulty getting used to it. The whole team had to calculate reasonable tactics, take turns carrying equipment, and flexibly change positions to ensure the endurance of the athletes. That was in a hypothetical situation, but when performing a real CHCN mission, it will certainly be much more difficult. Therefore, the sports festival is a good opportunity for us to "test the waters", hone our skills to be ready to respond effectively when a situation arises."

At the sports festival, we saw all the teams showing their competitive spirit and great camaraderie through cheers, handshakes, and hugs full of sharing. Lieutenant Nguyen Tuan Thanh (team of Military Region 2) said: “The obstacles are generally quite difficult. The most difficult part is wearing chemical protective clothing to detect metal, handle explosives, cut iron doors and build inflatable houses, requiring great endurance. The weather on the training ground is about 38-39 degrees Celsius, but when wearing chemical protective clothing, the temperature can reach 50-60 degrees Celsius. Many comrades had blurred vision due to exhaustion, but no one gave up, because if they slowed down, their teammates would have to shoulder heavier work.”

Enhancing CHCN capacity in all circumstances

According to the assessment of the Organizing Committee of the sports festival, all athletes strictly followed the discipline and regulations of the sports festival, competed honestly, with high determination, ensuring absolute safety. Colonel Tran The Hien, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil Defense (General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army), Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the sports festival, emphasized: "The most impressive thing in this sports festival is the quality and effectiveness of the competition between the teams are very close, reflecting the reality of training and command and operation work at the units that is increasingly going into depth and substance. Behind each competition is not only the achievement but also the team spirit and dedication of the soldiers performing the civil defense mission".

The athlete used a chainsaw to break the structure and approach the location where the victim was supposed to be trapped. Photo: VAN GIANG

The sports festival is also an opportunity for units to learn from each other, gain experience in organizing training, and apply practical skills to perfect the skills of rescue and relief in harsh terrain and weather conditions. Lieutenant General Thai Dai Ngoc, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, affirmed: "The sports festival is a comprehensive test of the physical strength, intelligence and will of officers and soldiers. All teams have been carefully prepared from the grassroots. Each situation is close to reality, such as: building collapse, fire, chemical disaster... If you do not train seriously, systematically, and have reasonable tactics, it will be very difficult to overcome. This is not only a sports competition between teams but also a comprehensive exercise, accurately assessing the command organization capacity and skills of handling rescue and relief situations of the units".

Lieutenant General Thai Dai Ngoc requested units to continue to strengthen propaganda and education work so that officers and soldiers have a deeper understanding of the role, functions and tasks of the Army in civil defense work; regularly review, adjust and supplement plans and options; organize training and exercises close to reality to improve qualifications; be ready with forces and means to participate in responding to and overcoming incidents, natural disasters, catastrophes and search and rescue promptly and effectively.

Vietnam is one of the countries heavily affected by climate change. Extreme weather conditions, prolonged heat, droughts, flash floods, landslides, forest fires... occur with increasing frequency and scale. In particular, many complex natural disasters and catastrophes require timely and effective intervention by the People's Army. In that context, the organization of the 2025 All-Army People's Army Sports Festival is of special importance, demonstrating the Army's proactiveness and readiness in effectively responding to non-traditional security challenges, contributing to building a strong force in all aspects, successfully completing the People's Army's tasks, ensuring the safety of human lives and property of the State, the Army and the people in all situations.

Results of the military region sports festival: Military Region 3 won first prize; Military Regions 1, 2, 4, 5 won second prize; Military Region 7 and Military Region 9 won third prize. Military service, corps, and service branches: Military Corps 12 won first prize; Military Corps 34, Engineering Corps, and Special Forces Corps won second prize; Navy, Air Defense-Air Force, and Chemical Corps won third prize.

LE HIEU

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/hoi-thao-cuu-ho-cuu-nan-toan-quan-nam-2025-nang-trinh-do-ung-pho-voi-thien-tai-su-co-837565