Female border soldiers dedicated to their work amid pandemic

Lieutenant Colonel Hồ Thị Châu Như tests a solider in HCM City for COVID-19. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo Xuân Khu

HCM CITY — Many female soldiers of HCM City’s Border Guard have been silently dedicated to their work during challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lieutenant Colonel Hồ Thị Châu Như, a military medical officer, has spent more than 30 years working for the force.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the city last year, Như volunteered with her teammates to join on the front line against the pandemic.

Như said she thought it was not only a duty but also a sacred responsibility of a military medical officer.

Although it was hard work and she had to face the risk of infection every day, Như still made pandemic prevention plans and consulted with the head of the force to prepare medical equipment and medicines for border soldiers.

“My source of joy is ensuring border soldiers are always healthy in order to complete the mission of the force,” she said.

Not only working as a medical officer, Như has also been the president of the Women’s Union of the force for 11 years.

She said she always tried to help female soldiers improve their professional qualifications by sending them on training courses.

So far, many have finished post-graduate courses, while most have been trained on computer skills. 

Lieutenant Chu Thị Thu Hiền is an assistant of the Advisory Office under the Border Guard of HCM City Port.

Hiền has been assigned to receive and transfer official dispatches relating to the port, store confidential documents and make daily and weekly reports relating to the port’s activities.

“I am quite busy with the job,” she said.

When the city applied social distancing last year, she had to bring her two children to live with her at work, she said.

Hiền said she always studied at home to improve her skills so she could assist in the most effective way.

She has also actively participated in activities of the Women’s Union of the port, she said.

She was given the titles of Advanced Soldier in 2019 and 2021 as well as received the certificate of merit of “Cultural family” by the Women’s Union of HCM City in 2021.

Major General Ngô Thị Huệ (left) prepares a meal for soldiers in the office of the HCM City’s Border Guard. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo Xuân Khu

Major General Ngô Thị Huệ, a cook at the force’s office, has been responsible for cooking meals for all soldiers for over 20 years.

“The job requires care and meticulousness,” she said.

“For example, how to select safe and clean foods, how to ensure nutrition, how to cook well and how to present dishes in the most attractive way,” she added.

Huệ said she learnt more every day.

When the pandemic hit the city last year, her working day often started at 4am and finished at 9pm. Sometimes, it could last until midnight because she had to wait to receive ingredients from suppliers, she said.

“But the hardship seems to disappear when I see the soldiers eating well,” she said.

She often talks to the soldiers to ask about their feelings after eating the meal she cooked, so she could better serve the soldiers day by day, she said.

Senior Colonel Nguyễn Thanh Hải, Deputy Chief Political Officer of the force, said the female soldiers of the force not only finish their tasks effectively but also perform the role of women in the family.

“They have achieved a good work-life balance,” he said.

They are typical examples of Vietnamese women in the new era, he said. — VnExpress News