Forgetting oneself for the people" and the meaningful imprints of peacetime
After the day the mountains and rivers connected in one strip, the Ho Chi Minh City Armed Forces continue to play a core role in military management, protecting political security and social order. In the renovation process, the force constantly consolidates the all-people national defense associated with the "people's heart battle". The image of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" is even more closely associated with the people through programs: "Houses of Compassion", "Houses of Military-Civilian Affection", "The Army joins hands to build new rural areas" or the movement to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, "not leaving anyone behind".
Typical of the dedication to the people is the arduous battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 36,200 turns of officers, soldiers and militiamen have braved danger, volunteering to go to all hotspots from the frontline of health to food transportation, taking care of the poor. With the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy", the force has established 4 Command Posts, 71 concentrated quarantine areas, 101 field hospitals with a scale of nearly 92,000 beds; established 320 checkpoints in key areas, nearly 8,000 checkpoint teams and 482 patrol teams.
The unit has organized hundreds of "0-dong Fairs", "0-dong Supermarkets", "0-dong Mobile Booths", raising more than 300 billion VND to support the people. In particular, the force is also brave in receiving and processing bodies, embalming and handing over ashes of more than 23,000 victims who died from epidemics with the spirit of thoughtfulness, affection and highest responsibility. Recognizing this special feat, on December 26, 2024, the President signed Decision No. 1533/QD-CTN, conferring the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces on the Ho Chi Minh City Armed Forces and Military Region 7.
To further embellish the morality and affection of soldiers, most recently in June 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City Command established a working team of 37 comrades to officially launch the Campaign "Operation 500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains" in the city.
Building a "Smart, Compact, Strong" force towards a new era
Implementing the policy of streamlining the apparatus, the Ho Chi Minh City Armed Forces have shown intelligence and bravery with innovative and strategic breakthrough thinking. This is evidenced by the merger of the Binh Duong Provincial Military Command, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Military Command and the Border Guard into the Ho Chi Minh City Command; along with the establishment of new Regional Defense Commands going into operation quickly and effectively.
The strength of the force is always built firmly from the grassroots level. At the conference of the Ho Chi Minh City Military Party Committee in the first 6 months of 2026, Comrade Tran Luu Quang, Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Military Party Committee highly appreciated the city's armed forces in their role of advising and deploying military and defense solutions.
In the context of the complicated world situation, the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee directed the Party committees of 168 communes, wards and special zones to closely follow grassroots military work; taking the quality of military recruitment, national defense education, rear policies and security and order as the focus. In parallel, the city's armed forces need to promote sharp advisory capacity, closely linking national defense consolidation with socio-economic development. With comprehensive contributions, the Ho Chi Minh City Armed Forces is proud to be a typical collective named at the Vinh Quang Viet Nam 2025 program. This honoring not only recognizes the long history of achievements, but also affirms the core role of the force in accompanying the city in sustainable development, pioneering the creation of a green economy, digital economy entering the era of national rise.
