Where people need, there are soldiers

With the spirit of the people being the front, "wherever the people need, there are the soldiers", after completing the mission of helping the people of Tia Mung village, Tia Dinh commune, Dien Bien province overcome the consequences of floods, more than 20 officers and soldiers of Battalion 2, Regiment 82, Division 355, Military Region 2 immediately marched to Huoi Va B village, Tia Dinh commune, where dozens of households suffered damage due to floods and were waiting for the soldiers to come to help.

Báo Quân đội Nhân dân•11/08/2025

Crossing the forest and wading through streams to reach a remote village

After nearly 10 days of effort, straining to help people in Tia Mung village, Tia Dinh commune clear and clean nearly 4km of mud and soil; leveling the layer of soil and rocks that had flooded into people's houses; dismantling, moving belongings, rebuilding houses for 14 families; supporting Tia Mung Kindergarten to clean up rooms, classrooms, and learning equipment, at noon on August 8, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Cong Quyet, Deputy Chief of Staff of Regiment 82, Division 355 (Military Region 2) received orders from his superiors.

This time, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Cong Quyet, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Regiment, moved to Huoi Va B village, Tia Dinh commune to help people overcome the consequences of floods. The distance from Chong Dinh village, Tia Dinh commune, where the unit was previously stationed, to Huoi Va B village was about 10km. The only way for the troops to move was through the trail. After calculating the time, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Cong Quyet encouraged the troops to be determined to reach the village before dark.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 82 open the road to help villagers. Photo: LUONG XUAN

Giang A Hua, a militiaman of Chong Dinh village, informed that the road to Huoi Va B village is very difficult to travel because it has to cross deep forests, with many dangerous streams; rain and floods can cause many trees to fall; and rocks and soil can slide on both sides of the road. In addition to the equipment and materials that soldiers always carry with them such as hoes, shovels, crowbars, drinking water and some other personal items, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Cong Quyet asked Giang A Hua to ensure that he also has a hand-held chainsaw, ready to handle fallen trees on the road. Indeed, marching into Huoi Va B village with officers and soldiers of Battalion 2, Regiment 82, one can clearly feel the hardships and difficulties of the soldiers, when crossing many landslides, many positions of rocks and soil lying across the road; forest trees covering the path. Sharing sips of water; supporting and helping each other carry each rock, after many hours of trekking through forests, wading streams, and climbing passes, when the sunset just fell, Huoi Va B village gradually appeared before the eyes of the young soldiers.

The village chief Giang A Sa, along with the villagers, welcomed the troops with admiration, tight handshakes, and cups of cool water boiled from forest leaves given to the officers and soldiers, as if to dispel the fatigue and hardship of the march. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Cong Quyet commanded the officers and soldiers of the 82nd Mobile Regiment to move to the Huoi Va B Village Cultural House to temporarily stay and prepare for new tasks.

Efforts to help people relocate their homes

Since the flood swept through, the peaceful Huoi Va B village, hidden in the valley of Tia Dinh commune, has been submerged in devastation, with fallen trees and mud everywhere.

Clearing the way through the mountain slopes is the only option to get to Huoi Va B village for officers and soldiers of Regiment 82. Photo: LUONG XUAN

Early in the morning of August 10, from the Cultural House of Huoi Va B village, the village chief Giang A Sa, along with the villagers, led officers and soldiers of Regiment 82 to walk up a slope of about 3km to help Mr. Giang A Chi's family, a household affected by the flood, to move their house to a safe place. Mr. Giang A Chi's house was made of mixed wood walls and a filbro-cement roof. When the flood came, in the early morning of August 1, Mr. Chi discovered many cracks behind the house. Worried, 4 members of Mr. Giang A Chi's family quickly moved to a relative's house not far away to ensure safety. The house became deserted next to the mountainside and was at risk of collapsing. At Mr. Giang A Chi's family, 8 officers and soldiers of Battalion 2, Regiment 82 helped his family dismantle and transport materials to a safe location.

Nearly half a kilometer away from Mr. Giang A Chi's family, at Mr. Vang A Chu's family, young soldiers of Regiment 82 and local people were using hoes and shovels to remove thick layers of soil and transport them to another location. In the soldiers' thoughts at this time, they only hoped to find the remaining assets for the people. Quickly turning over large pieces of wood, 2 bags of rice belonging to Mr. Chu's family were found by the soldiers, the rice seeds had sprouted, making everyone feel sorry.

The remaining rice was used by soldiers and people to put into sacks. Photo: HA MIEN

Moving, quickly placing the rice bags in a high place, Private Quang Van Kien, Platoon 9, Company 7, Battalion 2, Regiment 82 shared: "The life of the people in the mountainous areas is already very difficult, now the flood has come and all their properties and houses have been washed away, making it even more difficult. Witnessing with our own eyes the damage to Huoi Va B village and many other villages caused by the flood, making us feel heartbroken. We always encourage each other to try harder, to help the people in whatever way we can."

Touched by the affection, support and assistance of the soldiers of Regiment 82, Mr. Giang A Sa, Head of Huoi Va B village said: "Huoi Va B village has 101 households, with 507 people. The flood flooded the village, burying 3 households completely; 10 other families had to move their houses to a safe place; the road to the village was cut off, the amount of mud, houses had to be leveled and moved was too large, while the human resources in the village could not do all the work. If the soldiers of Regiment 82 did not come to help, the people's lives would have encountered many difficulties."

With high spirit, will and determination, not afraid of difficulties and hardships, despite the sweat soaking their green military uniforms; despite the scratches on their bodies, officers and soldiers of Regiment 82 strive every hour to help the people of Huoi Va B village stabilize their lives soon.