Who taught you to be a soldier like this!

Chapter 517 Look at the fine soldiers you've trained! [Please subscribe! Please vote!]

Hey!
What a big deal!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Weihong and the surrounding officers immediately looked at the logistics director with shocked expressions, appearing quite surprised.

The logistics director's mention of "handing over old uniforms" refers to the requirement for soldiers to hand over their outer garments, such as camouflage uniforms and regular uniforms, when they retire.

These old military uniforms will be sent back to the factory and remade into new uniforms after various processes, with the main theme being thrift and frugality, saving money where possible and spending money where necessary.

Given the sheer size of the Yan Kingdom's armed forces, this measure can save a significant amount of military spending each year.

However, this time, the Yan army not only ushered in the largest equipment change in history, but even the obsolete Type 87 uniforms did not have to be handed over.

This "generous" demeanor made Zhao Weihong, who had traveled to various remote and difficult units, feel extremely unfamiliar!
what's going on?
Having a hard time?
Such a big matter cannot be decided by a logistics director at the battalion level.

Clearly, he was relaying orders from his superiors.

This means that "no need to hand over old equipment" is not an isolated case of the 446th Regiment, but a common phenomenon throughout the entire army!

Thinking of this, Zhao Weihong's gaze towards the new military uniform suddenly became complicated.

The military has been completely re-equipped with new uniforms, and the old uniforms no longer need to be handed over.

This inflow and outflow will consume at least two to three hundred billion in military spending!
It's worth noting that Yan's entire military budget last year was only 350 billion!
To change clothes, nearly 10% of the annual military budget was directly poured into it?
A few years ago, this amount of money would have been equivalent to half a year's military expenses!

Thinking of this, Zhao Weihong's slight joy from changing clothes vanished instantly, leaving her feeling only immense heartache!
Two or three hundred billion!
Such a large sum of money could replace all the equipment in the 149th Division, and at the same time renovate all the barracks of each regiment, inside and out, and still have money to spare!
If it were used for research and development, Guan Jiwu's dream wheeled assault gun might be able to be developed into more than a dozen models!
Why spend money on something like "changing clothes"?
Even Zhao Weihong herself didn't notice.

As I spend more and more time with the older generation of Yan soldiers...

He also possessed the "stinginess" characteristic of the older generation of soldiers.

It doesn't matter if I suffer a little or get tired.

However, when it comes to military spending, we must be meticulous and careful with every penny, ensuring that every penny is spent wisely!

People like Guan Jiwu and Zhou Kehu possess this trait. In front of their colleagues, they act like "misers." Compared to them, Grandet is simply a spendthrift.

Even Deputy Chief Wei was no exception, and he was the most "stingy" one!

However, this redesign clearly does not conform to the principle of "spending money wisely".

Think again about the hints Wang Chuan gave before he left.
Suddenly, Zhao Weihong had a strange feeling.

It was as if he was at a very special juncture, and that one step across would usher in a new era for him, no, for the entire Yan Kingdom!

"Old Zhao? Old Zhao?"

"Where are you going? Don't you recognize where our company is?"

Hearing Hu Yiming's call, Zhao Weihong, who was lost in her thoughts, finally came back to reality. Looking up, she realized that she had unknowingly returned to the entrance of the camp, and even walked past it.

In just two more steps, Zhao Weihong would be on the territory of the First Company!
"What are you thinking about?"

Hu Yiming winked at Zhao Weihong, his face beaming with delight, and even cracked a joke at her.

"How about it? Your soul's been stolen by the new military uniform, hasn't it?"

"now it's right!"

"What motorized infantryman doesn't like new shoes?"

Zhao Weihong: "."

Are you having a hard time getting over the words "new shoes" today?

It turns out.

Hu Yiming was still considered "reserved".

After Zhao Weihong and others transported the new uniforms back to the camp, they announced the start of the uniform change.

Good heavens, the cheers from the Second Company almost lifted the roof off!
For the entire afternoon, Zhao Weihong could hear the soldiers from each squad walking back and forth in their dormitories, wearing their new combat boots.

For some reason, Zhao Weihong suddenly felt a strong urge to call Zhao Yuejin.

He wanted to tell him that the Yan Kingdom's troops had undergone another comprehensive and scientific re-equipment change.

But when he finally had some free time, all he got in response to on his phone was a series of busy signals.

Seeing this, Zhao Weihong didn't show anything unusual. She just silently put her phone back in her pocket, planning to make the call on New Year's Eve the next day, and also to wish everyone a happy new year in advance.

He had gotten used to not being able to contact Zhao Yuejin.

Unlike Zhao Jianguo and his wife, who always stayed at home.

Zhao Yuejin, who has devoted himself to the field of national defense education, is now a very busy person. He often has to give lectures and reports at various universities and even military museums. There are too many activities to count, so it is quite normal that his phone is always busy.

I looked up at the sky in the distance.

Zhao Weihong walked out of the dormitory and silently lit a cigarette under the clear night sky of western Sichuan.

Another year has passed.

This was also Zhao Weihong's last New Year before becoming an officer.

At this time next year, Zhao Weihong should be wearing a new military uniform with shining gold stars on her shoulders, somewhere, waiting for the New Year to arrive.

347th Regiment, 1st Garrison Company, Commanding the 446th Regiment.
Exhaling a thick cloud of white mist, Zhao Weihong smiled and suddenly realized that he had unknowingly left his mark and his own story in so many different organizations.

Soon, the story between HKUST and the mainland will come to an end.

But Zhao Weihong's story is far from over; in fact, it has only just begun.

I glanced into the thick darkness of the night and listened to the laughter coming from the brightly lit barracks in the distance.

Zhao Weihong put the extinguished cigarette butt into his pocket, preparing to return to his dormitory to embrace this story, which is also a new chapter in his life.

There were only a dozen minutes left before lights out.

Zhao Weihong had tidied up his designated hygiene area and was about to go straight to bed.

But after returning to the dormitory, Zhao Weihong saw the two veterans in the next bed trying to stuff their new leather shoes into their blankets, and finally couldn't hold back and roared!

"Those are shoes!"

"The shoes you trampled under your feet, the shoes you walked on!"

"Can you tuck it under the covers? Get it out of here right now!"

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Zhao Weihong would have found it hard to believe that someone would do such a thing!
"He's the platoon leader."

The two veterans timidly responded, then reluctantly took the newly issued velvet shoes out of their blankets and stuffed them back under the bed.

Rolling her eyes in the direction of the company headquarters, Zhao Weihong cursed inwardly, "Look at the good soldiers you've trained!" Then she shook off the blankets and climbed into bed.

The melodious lights-out signal soon sounded.

Zhao Weihong closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.

Silent all night.

The next morning.

Zhao Weihong was awakened by the distinctive sound of leather shoes.

I struggled to open my eyes under the glaring light.

Zhao Weihong looked at the students of Class 1, who were dressed in winter uniforms and walking around the dormitory, even folding their blankets neatly, and fell into deep thought.
Am I the last one to get up?
Zhao Weihong underestimated the joy that "wearing new clothes for the New Year" brought to the soldiers. The last large-scale uniform change in the entire army was in the last century, which was twenty years ago.

For veteran sergeant Wang Fei, the Type 87 uniform accompanied him throughout his military career and became a distinctive symbol and emblem of the unit.

Now, this "symbol" has finally been replaced by the newer and better-made Type 07 military uniform.

In particular, this uniform change broke with the convention that leather shoes were only issued to cadres and those in special positions.

When Zhao Weihong first joined the company, she put on leather shoes and naturally didn't think anything of it.

But for ordinary soldiers, military leather shoes were a symbol of status and rank!

The fact that two veterans wanted to sleep with their leather shoes last night is enough to prove the importance of leather shoes in the hearts of ordinary soldiers!
Now, the 446th Regiment not only changed into new uniforms at the critical moment of the New Year, but even made sure that every soldier had a pair of leather shoes.

How could the soldiers not be excited? How could they not be happy?
"Platoon leader, you're awake?"

"There's no morning exercise today, do you want to sleep a little longer?"

Zhao Weihong looked at Wang Fei, who had changed into a new winter uniform and whose two pistols gleamed on his shoulders, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Look how excited you all are."

"I can't fall asleep even if I want to!"

"hey-hey."

A little embarrassed, Wang Fei scratched his head. He wanted to say something more, but then he saw Zhao Weihong get out of bed decisively and quickly. While getting dressed, she gave Wang Fei some instructions.

"Rest is fine, but please remember to maintain hygiene."

"Don't let people feel like we're just letting our guard down as soon as we have a holiday."

"Yes!"

Nothing much actually happened during the entire day of New Year's Eve.

Apart from a simple tidying up, the camp had been set up several days ago, so there was nothing to do even if you wanted to.

If there's any "highlight," it's definitely the New Year's Eve dinner tonight.

evening.

The cooks, who had been working hard all day, watched with resentment as the soldiers walked into the mess hall one by one, beaming with joy.

This is probably the biggest drawback of being a cook.

During holidays and festivals, cooks have no time to rest; they have to work around the clock to ensure logistical support.

At this time of year, even the quartermaster, who would never normally touch a spatula, would go to the mess hall to help out. He would also draw people from each squad to help with the cooking, so that he could provide the soldiers who had worked hard all year with a sumptuous and delicious meal.

On the dining table, twelve dishes, each with its own distinct color, aroma, and flavor, were steaming hot. In the corner by the window, boxes of beer, freshly moved from the warehouse, were piled up.

As the New Year approached, even the Second Red Army Company, which had always faced harsh conditions, displayed an attitude of "I'm going to live like this!" They were willing to spend a month's worth of food expenses on a single meal, determined to ensure that these wanderers far from home could eat to their heart's content and enjoy themselves.

"Come on, comrades!"

As Hu Yiming's loud voice rang out, everyone in the Second Company immediately put down their bowls and chopsticks, straightened their backs, and sat down at the dining table.

Hu Yiming raised his wine glass, stood up, and said heartily.

"It's time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new again!"

"Comrades, in the past year, our Second Company has submitted a fairly satisfactory report."

"I hope that in the new year, we can continue this momentum and create more legendary stories for our Second Red Company in our new work!"

"With such delicious food before me, I won't waste any more words!"

"The instructor is a little shy today, so he won't be able to wish everyone a Happy New Year."

"Please have the platoon leader say a few words in place of the instructor!"

After saying that, Hu Yiming put down his wine glass and led the applause. Everyone followed suit, and the cafeteria erupted in applause!
Zhao Weihong glanced at Hu Yiming with some surprise, clearly not expecting him to do this. She quickly poured herself a full glass of wine, then stood up and gestured to the others.

"If I really have to say something, I have a message for everyone."

"That's the flag hanging in the Hall of Honor, the spirit that our company is so proud of!"

"We are not afraid of hardship, nor are we afraid of death!"

"As long as this spirit remains in us, no difficulty can become an obstacle for us; it will only become another insignificant embellishment in our glorious history!"

"Happy Lunar New Year's Eve, comrades!"

"I'll do it first as a courtesy!"

After saying that, Zhao Weihong tossed her head back and downed her beer without changing her expression.

His response was a thunderous roar from the entire Second Company!

"Dry!"

After a glass of wine, the New Year's Eve dinner proceeded without any further incidents.

Having not tasted such delicious food in a long time, Zhao Weihong completely let loose. With a bowl of dumplings in her left hand and a bowl of rice in her right, she devoured the delicious dishes on the table, such as braised pork, Sichuan-style chicken, and braised pork knuckle, with lightning speed. Every now and then, she would take a sip of slightly chilled beer. The taste was simply indescribable!
Only then did the members of the Second Company realize that what they had previously thought was an exaggerated appetite was actually just the "tip of the iceberg" of Zhao Weihong's appetite!

Towards the end of the meal, Zhao Weihong made an exception and went to the table at the company headquarters for another meal.

As for why he went to the company headquarters table...
It's because he ate all the food in Class 1!

There wasn't a single bit left!
"belch!"

Zhao Weihong ate almost all of the food in the company, and then she let out a satisfied burp. Just as she was about to get up and clear the dishes, she saw Wang Fei coming towards her, looking like he had been waiting for a long time.

"Platoon leader, I'll help you clear out the dishes and chopsticks."

"You should go back and get ready; it'll be time for your guard duty soon."

Stand guard.

For Zhao Weihong, this was already a somewhat unfamiliar term.

Not to mention internships, even when she was studying at USTC and the Central Military Academy, Zhao Weihong, who held multiple positions, basically never stood guard.

Upon hearing Hu Yiming's words, Zhao Weihong suddenly remembered that, according to the tradition of the army, the sentry post after dinner on New Year's Eve was to be the responsibility of the company's officers, and Zhao Weihong was no exception.

The meal took quite a while, and with only a few minutes left before her shift ended, Zhao Weihong didn't stand on ceremony with Wang Fei. She casually gave him a few instructions and then got up and left the cafeteria.

Looking into the distance, the dormitories of each class, which should have been bustling with activity, were now completely dark.

On the contrary, the study room, which is usually almost deserted, is brightly lit, and bursts of cheerful laughter can be heard from time to time.

"Good morning, Platoon Leader!"

As soon as she entered, Zhao Weihong saw an old soldier from the second squad carrying large and small bags of snacks, rushing towards the study room.

Normally, Zhao Weihong would have scolded him for his reckless behavior.

But now, Zhao Weihong simply told him "be careful" and waved to him with a smile, indicating that he could leave.

Wearing a peaked cap with golden ears of wheat around the brim, symbolizing the status of a cadre.

Zhao Weihong picked up her outer belt, glanced back at the empty dormitory, turned off the lights, and walked into the dense night outside, in the direction from which the laughter came.

(End of this chapter)