Unleashing the spirit of soldiers through practical models.

Based on practical experience to create models.

From field trips, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be, Deputy Head of the Mass Mobilization Department and Women's Assistant, Political Department, 12th Army Corps, realized that each unit has its own unique mission, and each group of female soldiers has different requirements. Over 700 female officers and members of the Army Corps are working in fields such as: military medicine, security, communications, troop support, finance, libraries, poison control, museums… Many are directly involved in training, shift duty, marches, and exercises. Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be chose to build a model based on actual needs, rather than applying a single template to all women.

Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be recounted: "One of the models I'm most proud of is the 'Water Bowl for Training Ground'. During a visit to the 312th Division, seeing soldiers training under the scorching sun and visiting the medicinal herb garden at the 24th Medical Battalion, I thought about using suitable medicinal plants to brew water for the soldiers." From that idea, the model was formed. After surveying the area, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be advised the leadership and commanders to implement the model at the Women's Association of the 24th Medical Battalion. Officers and members harvested medicinal plants, dried them, packaged them, and then took turns brewing the water and bringing it to the soldiers during training. From there, the "Water Bowl for Training Ground" and "Accompanying the Soldiers" models were implemented at the 312th and 325th Divisions.

On one occasion, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be, along with the Women's Association of the 325th Division, visited the training ground where the 3rd Battalion, 101st Regiment, was conducting shooting training. Under the early summer sun, the soldiers' uniforms were soaked with water. The "training ground water" not only served to quench thirst during training but also created a space for sharing with the new recruits. Soldiers who had just left their families were often bewildered, homesick, and had things they found difficult to share with their direct supervisors, but they were more open when talking to the female soldiers.

Following this approach, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be continued to develop models linked to specific professional positions, such as: "Exemplary Women in Regular Regulations," "Model Duty Shifts, Safe Shift Teams," "Entering the Machine Room Means Entering a Combat Position," etc. Units responsible for troop support implemented "March 8th Kitchens" and "Soldier's Meals" at the General Staff, 390th Division, 241st Air Defense Brigade, 368th Artillery Brigade, etc., thereby directly linking the Association's activities to the unit's mission. Along with building these models, the care for members was also emphasized, with 12 cases receiving support to build "100 Dong Houses" and "Comrade Houses," totaling 800 million VND over the past five years.

Unleashing the spirit of female soldiers.

In 2023, the 12th Army Corps was established, creating a need to reorganize the Women's Union according to the new structure. Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be advised the Head of the Political Department, the Head of the Army Corps Command, and the Committee for the Advancement of Women to guide agencies and units in establishing and reorganizing the Women's Union and the Committees for the Advancement of Women at all levels. After the reorganization, the organizations quickly became well-structured, creating a basis for the unified implementation of women's work throughout the Army Corps.

Based on practical experience, Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be believes that for women's affairs officers to provide effective advice, they must directly go to the units to thoroughly understand the situation at the grassroots level, and propose models that are suitable for the unit's tasks and the needs of the members. This approach is concretized through the movement "Women of the Army Corps: Courageous and Intelligent, Promoting Digital Transformation , Successfully Completing Tasks, Building Happy Families, Worthy of Being Called Soldiers of Uncle Ho in the New Era" for the period 2025-2030. The campaign to build "Families with 5 No's, 3 Cleanliness, and 3 Safeties" has also been implemented in 100% of the Women's Union organizations, officers, and members of the Army Corps. Annually, 98% or more of the Women's Union organizations, officers, and members successfully complete their tasks; over 80% of officers and members achieve good or excellent results in political training, regulations, swimming, and shooting.

The capabilities of female soldiers are also demonstrated through competitions and sports events throughout the army. In 2022, women in the Corps won the Excellent prize in folk dance; in 2023, one officer won the Excellent all-around prize and another received an Encouragement prize at the Women's Union Cadre Competition; in 2024, they won the Excellent prize at the Lullaby and Folk Song Festival. In 2025, the female force continued to win the Excellent prize in folk dance, second place in women's volleyball, and one female soldier won a Silver Medal at the All-Army Military Shooting Competition.

Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be's efforts in women's affairs have been recognized through numerous titles and awards: "Outstanding Emulation Soldier at the grassroots level" in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Outstanding Chairperson of the District-level Women's Union nationwide in 2024, along with many other awards from the Ministry of National Defense , the General Political Department, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union.

Upon learning that she was one of the 32 outstanding Women's Union officials to receive the second Nguyen Thi Dinh Award in 2026 , Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be considered it both an honor and a motivation to continue her dedication. "A title or award is not the end point; we must continue to contribute to building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern army. I want to tell young Women's Union officials: Dedicate yourselves wholeheartedly, dare to think, dare to act, and approach women with sincerity and from the heart," Lieutenant Colonel Duong Thi Be expressed.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/khoi-day-ban-linh-quan-nhan-tu-nhung-mo-hinh-sat-thuc-tien-238261002183858217.htm