From providing breeding cows and new homes to deploying water trucks during severe droughts, Army Corps 15 is actively improving living standards for ethnic minority communities in the country's border regions.
Army Corps 15 boosts border livelihoods
The family of Nhu Truong Son, residing in Mit Jep Village, Ia O Commune, Gia Lai Province, is among thousands of households supported by Army Corps 15's housing initiatives. Son previously lived with his family in cramped, low-quality collective quarters. In 2025, the Economic-Defense Division 715 under Army Corps 15 surveyed his situation and funded a spacious new house. This new home has allowed the family to stabilize their lives, focus on farming, and secure better educational opportunities for their children.
In the same village, Ro Lan Bih is expanding her livestock assets. Her family initially received one breeding cow from Economic-Defense Division 715. The cow has since given birth to two calves, expanding her herd to three. This initial support provided her family with a steady livelihood, allowing her to plan for gradual economic stability and support her children's education.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Dinh Cong, Political Assistant and Trade Union Chairman of Economic-Defense Division 715, the unit has consistently introduced various agricultural and livestock models to support local income generation. Between 2023 and 2025 alone, the division distributed 96 reproductive cows to residents in Ia O, Ia Chia, and Ia Krai Communes, with multiple households successfully growing their herds to between three and six heads.
During the 2021–2025 period, Economic-Defense Division 715 funded the construction of 48 houses for impoverished families, totaling over VND2 billion in financial assistance, and is launching an additional six homes in 2026. The division also installed solar-powered street lighting networks across border villages, distributed rice during pre-harvest lean seasons, and generated local employment opportunities to drive sustainable poverty reduction.
Army Corps 15 brings water, builds trust
Beyond established livelihood programs, Army Corps 15 provides emergency interventions during local crises. During the peak of the recent dry season, severe drought depleted domestic wells in Son Village, Ia Nan Commune, Gia Lai Province. In response, Economic-Defense Division 72 mobilized water tankers to deliver clean water directly to the village.
Colonel Nguyen Chi Kien, Party Secretary and Deputy Commander of Economic-Defense Division 72, emphasized that serving the public remains a core objective for the unit across its operational areas in Ia Pnon, Ia Nan, and Ia Dom Communes. Alongside multi-year water relief operations, the division coordinates local medical checkups, runs blood donation drives for emergency treatments, and conducts community outreach programs.
This commitment to direct support is visible across border villages in Gia Lai and Quang Ngai provinces, where military personnel consistently work alongside residents to improve infrastructure and agricultural production. Ro Cham Ben, a village elder in Mit Kom 1 Village, Ia O Commune, noted that the practical, consistent care provided by the soldiers has built deep trust and strong relationships within the community.
Colonel Khuat Ba Cao, Party Secretary and Deputy Commander of Army Corps 15, reported that over its 41-year history, the corps has successfully relocated and supported more than 25,000 households comprising nearly 92,000 individuals to settle and establish livelihoods in border areas. The unit has built 266 residential clusters, effectively populating previously vacant border zones and strengthening national defense.
Furthermore, across its wider operational areas extending into Laos and Cambodia, Army Corps 15 maintains structured partnerships and cooperation agreements with neighboring local authorities and defense forces to support a peaceful, stable, and collaborative border region.
