There are many stories worth telling about the 126 Naval Commando Brigade, one of the finest elite units of the Vietnam People's Navy.

This military unit has a one-of-a-kind movement that pushes soldiers beyond their limits and several skilled female shooters, who initially joined the army for much different purposes.

It also holds annually a special day to show respect to the comrades. 

Last year the brigade won the army-level good training practice certificate, one year after it was honored as a leader of the military’s emulation movement.

During its 50 years of history, the unit has been twice bestowed the 'Hero of the People's Armed Forces' title.

‘More Than 1’ drive

But what is special about the brigade is its signature 'More Than 1' movement, which has “created a huge drive for the whole unit, enabling them to do what people would never imagine,” said Do Quang Khai, deputy head of politics at the brigade.

The 126 Naval Commando Brigade is the only unit in Vietnam’s army to have such a unique model with such a strange name.

“As an elite unit tasked with special missions, we had been wondering what should be done to enable our soldiers to achieve extraordinary performance,” Khai said.

“We thought of a movement to stretch people beyond limits and to enable them to fulfill not only their duty but also that of others.”

'More Than 1' means that an individual “can work one, two or ‘n’ times better than himself,” according to the officer.

The necessity to create such a movement also came from the reality that the brigade was sometimes spread too thin as there were too many missions to accomplish, Khai added.

“Our commanders requested that we find a way to motivate soldiers and at the same time ensure all duties were done,” he recalled.

The brigade first proposed the 'More Than 1' initiative in 2012, and the movement was put in place in 2014.

“It has indeed created motivation for soldiers to fulfill their duties, and pushed many servicemen way beyond their limits and out of our expectations,” Khai said.

For instance, in 2014, many combat soldiers could dive 10-20 percent deeper than normal standards, swim dozens of kilometers across the sea, and do many things people had earlier failed to do, according to the officer.

“In 2015 some soldiers managed to swim up to 15km after only four months of training, a challenge that normally takes three years to achieve,” Khai added.

“But we will continue raising the bar for our soldiers to reach in 2016 and the years to come.”

It is also thanks to the 'More Than 1' movement that helped the brigade to find outstanding individuals among its soldiers, who continue to be trained more intensively to leverage their strength and potential.

The hidden talents of many female soldiers ‘unearthed’ through the 'More Than 1' drive are also a good example.

The army cooks who shoot

There are two female members among the 126 Naval Commando Brigade’s counter-terrorism team who would astonish people if they knew of their real duties in the military.

Sub-lieutenant Dinh Thi Hoa and Major Tran Thi Nguyet are both army cooks, but their shooting skills are as good as their culinary abilities.

Tran Thi Nguyet (L) and Dinh Thi Hoa during an anti-terrorism shooting practice session. Photo: Tuoi Tre

In 2014, Nguyet began training to use special, modern guns in anti-terrorism combat, and the very first experience with weapons was not easy for her.

“I was scared of guns as accidents can happen with the slightest moment of carelessness,” she recalled.

Twice a week, Nguyet and her fellow soldiers had to practice under the scorching sunlight, trying to run and shoot “fast and precisely,” which the major was hardly able to do in the first two weeks.

“I would make three shots and all of them missed the target,” she recalled. “I was disappointed and discouraged, but I told myself that I would never give up.”

Nguyet tried her best to complete the practice, even when she was ill or caught a cold.

“Learning to shoot is a duty, and a soldier must never fail her duty,” she said.

The effort paid off, as she can now “run, stop and shoot, successfully hitting a target from 25m in the very first attempt,” Nguyet proudly said.

In fact all members of the brigade, both male and female, have to undergo an annual shooting test. So it is no surprise Nguyet and Hoa know how to use guns.

But not all female soldiers are selected for the special counter-terrorism shooting team, Khai noted.

“Nguyet and Hoa are allowed to join their male fellows in combat practice, and there are times when they manage to destroy the targets after only one or two attempts, while they are allowed to shoot four times at most,” he added.

There are two other outstanding women at the brigade, Pham Thi Ha, an army cook, and Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, an archivist.

“In 2014 we won the Vietnamese Navy’s unarmed combat competition, and the female soldiers played a very important part of the victory,” Khai said.

“For instance, Ha could knock out four men by herself in unarmed combat.”

Fellow’s Day

Founded in 1966, the 126 Naval Commando Brigade was honored with the 'Hero of the People's Armed Forces' for the first time in 1969, and the second title came only two years later.

Four of the brigade’s units have also been bestowed the 'Hero' title. The marine commando squad No. 1 has received three such titles, after more than 300 combats.

“The traditions of commandos are solidarity, teamwork and achieving success together,” said Tran Van Nghia, vice commissar of the brigade.

Nghia added it is the love soldiers give to each other that enable them, during both wartime and peace, to “overcome difficulties, go beyond their limits, and fulfill their duties.”

“There are people who chose to sacrifice in the combats; there are those who are not war invalids or martyrs, but still devote their life to the military,” he said.

“We therefore wanted to have a day for soldiers to commemorate those who devote themselves to this brigade and those who died for this country.”

In April 2014, on the occasion of the 48^th anniversary of the brigade’s foundation, the day April 13 was chosen as 'Fellow’s Day,' and a fund of the same name was initiated to help soldiers in need.

The program was quickly embraced and received donations not only from the brigade members, but also soldiers of other units, veterans and different organizations.

The 'Fellow’s Day' program has so far raised billions of dong (VND1 billion = US$44,650), which will be used to help needy soldiers and their parents, spouses or children.

More than 200 brigade soldiers, who had a hard life or suffered serious diseases, have been assisted with the fund.

Officers of the 126 Naval Commando Brigade hand out gifts to the family of a soldier, as part of the 'Fellow’s Day' program.

For instance, Nguyen Hai Trieu, one of the outstanding members of the brigade’s frogman unit, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in June 2014, but was financially unable to afford treatment.

“Trieu had only been married for two months then and we could not see our comrade dying out without taking any action,” Nghia recalled.

The brigade thus decided to use money from the 'Fellow’s Day' fund to cover treatment for Trieu at a hospital in Hanoi, which eventually helped him fight against the disease.

The 'Fellow’s Day' fund has also earmarked VND60 million ($2,680) and called for support worth VND70 million ($3,125) from the Vietnamese Navy to build a house for an ex-brigade member, Hoang Van Kim.

Kim, who had to leave the army due to health problems, has had to struggle to make ends meet to raise a huge family including an unemployed wife, two small children and elderly parents.

Asked about all the ‘special things’ at his brigade, Nghia, the vice commissar, simply said: “Everything we do is from our heart and love.”

“When the love of each soldier is put together, a huge power is created and spread quickly among everyone.”

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