President Luong Cuong sent a flower basket to congratulate the anniversary.
At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan presented the Second-class Fatherland Protection Order to the Military Ceremonial Troupe for its outstanding achievements in training, combat readiness, building the Viet Nam People’s Army, consolidating national defence, and contributing to the cause of building socialism and protecting the Fatherland.
Over the past 80 years, the Military Ceremonial Troupe has always fulfilled its functions and tasks by performing ceremonial duties for the Party, State, and Army, as well as participating in brass band performances for political and social organisations. It has remained ready to fight, defending the Party, the socialist regime, and the people.
Generations of officers and soldiers of the troupe have overcome hardships, recorded glorious feats of arms and outstanding achievements, enriching the traditions of the capital’s armed forces and the heroic tradition of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army.
In the current revolutionary period, after nearly 40 years of renewal, the Military Ceremonial Troupe has fulfilled thousands of ceremonial tasks; proactively advised, proposed, and effectively implemented innovations in protocol and ceremonial procedures for the Party, State, and Army leaders. These contributions have helped promote the image of the Viet Nam People’s Army and the country to international friends.
In the past five years, despite many difficulties and challenges, the troupe has conducted over 100 ceremonies to welcome heads of state and high-level military delegations paying working visits to Viet Nam; welcomed more than 80 visits by Party and State leaders to military units; and performed more than 900 assignments for central agencies, ministries, and military units.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Minister of National Defence, emphasised that the goal of building a “revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern” army places new demands and challenges on all forces, including the honour guard and military band. Ceremonial activities must be carried out with greater discipline, solemnity, and standards than ever before, he said.
To successfully fulfil its duties in the new situation, he urged the officers and soldiers of the troupe to take the initiative in setting out leadership content and measures, organising, implementing, and completing all assigned duties.
He stressed the need to constantly improve training quality; renew the thinking and methods of training commanders; build a unit proficient in ceremonial skills; and successfully perform technical and specialised tasks in the new context.
With its glorious 80-year tradition and valuable experience, Deputy Minister Hien expressed his belief that, under the leadership of the Party and State, and the Party Committee of the General Staff of the Ministry of National Defence, all officers and soldiers of the Military Ceremonial Troupe will continue to uphold the tradition of a heroic People’s Armed Forces Unit in the renewal period. They will remain an exemplary force representing the image of the Viet Nam People’s Army at the most sacred and significant moments of the nation, fulfilling all tasks entrusted by the Party, State, Army, and people.
