Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 276 Joint Trial by Three Courts, the Turmoil of the List of Thirty-Three Meritorious Officials

The battalion commander set off for a meeting at the military headquarters, while the other officers from the sergeant academy, having experienced flood relief and rescue efforts, were encouraged by the various motivations from the morning meeting.

The entire battalion began to implement a clear division of labor.

The two companies of infantry and tanks all had their soldiers attend cultural classes as usual in the morning.

Instructor Fang Peijun set off for the 301 Hospital to visit the wounded.

Three or four female soldiers from the medical team changed into civilian clothes and took special responsibility for accompanying Wang Luyi to climb Mount Tai, catch loaches in the river, and pick wild fruits on the back mountain.

Anyway, we're just having fun. We can't let her think about the phone call and keep her stuck in the back mountain.

Cheng Dong then convened a meeting with several key cadres, including Man Xuexi, Liang Hongjie, Qin Xiaojun, and Xu Zhanqi.

The theme of the meeting was to draft specific rules for the commendation conference.

This is a phased task for the entire battalion and must be taken seriously.

During the morning meeting, the battalion commander specifically instructed that the commendation ceremony should be publicized in the military newspaper, and that the bigger the commotion, the better.

This is to counter the underhanded tactics that various units in the military region have been using recently.

Cheng Dong is an upright man, so there's nothing wrong with letting him lead the troops and train them. He can handle things perfectly for you.

But when it comes to writing, he's far from skilled.

In the conference room.

Old Cheng rarely showed such humility. He offered each of the attending cadres a cigarette and said with a dry laugh, "Well, let me just give you a brief overview."

"The battalion is going to do propaganda in the military newspaper. As this scholar also said, the publicity should be big and loud enough. Let's brainstorm and think about how to make the headline and how to write the content."

“Many of you here are top students from various universities. I, Lao Cheng, am a rough man and not good at this. Let’s all share our thoughts.”

Currently, the demonstration camp is in the main period of getting on the right track and promoting cadres in various units.

Taking initiative is an opportunity that everyone should strive for.

Upon hearing Chief of Staff Cheng's question, Tank Company Commander Qin Xiaojun immediately stood up: "Chief of Staff, since this is for publicity, I personally think it needs to be sensational."

"Well, that makes sense."

Cheng Dong nodded, signaling him to continue.

With his viewpoint accepted, Qin Xiaojun glanced smugly at the others before tugging at his collar and loudly proclaiming, "If we're talking about sensationalism, then the Kyoto Demonstration Camp is definitely the most impressive. It not only names the unit but also highlights its status."

"If you ask me, the title should be 'Kyoto Demonstration Camp Commendation Ceremony'."

"Vulgar!"

"It's too damn tacky, there's nothing remarkable about it." Upon hearing this, Xu Zhanqi, the company commander of the mechanized infantry company, immediately shook his head in rejection.

"If you ask me, if the battalion commander wants to make a splash, he should ditch the common phrase 'award ceremony' and instead title it something like 'Record of Promotions of Meritorious Individuals.' That would be a pretty catchy headline, wouldn't it?"

Qin Xiaojun was initially somewhat unconvinced.

But after hearing Company Commander Xu's suggestion, he grunted twice and sat back down in his chair, arms crossed, ready to come up with an even louder one to suppress Old Xu.

These two, one from Shicheng Armored Academy and the other from Shicheng Army Command Academy, have raised the tone of the title way too high.

They even dare to publish the list of meritorious officials promoted; what right do others have to offer advice?

They exchanged glances and fell silent, awaiting Cheng Dong's decision.

But the problem is.

Cheng Dong also felt that the first one wasn't very impressive, and the second one was too arrogant; they really dared to do that.

It seems the military region will have to invite the scholar to their office for tea and a chat again.

Even if Xiucai is a frequent visitor to the military region, he can't go there all the time, can he?
"Cough cough!"

The meeting was quiet for a while.

Cheng Dong glanced at Xiang Manxue. This guy's thinking was the closest to that of the battalion commander in the whole battalion, and his suggestions would definitely be the most in line with the scholar's style.

"Um, does Platoon Leader Man have any ideas?"

"Report, I don't have many ideas, it's all the suggestions from Company Commander Qin and Company Commander Xu that reminded me."

Man Xuexi hesitated for a moment, then stood up, tugged at his clothes, and nodded to the two company commanders who spoke first, saying, "The title 'Kyoto Demonstration Battalion Commendation Conference' is good, but it gets to the point too quickly."

"The theme of 'Record of Promotion of Meritorious Officials' is impressive, but its scope is too broad. I'm worried that if other units see it, they might verbally attack our Kyoto Demonstration Battalion, saying that we don't know how to be humble."

"So what's your suggestion?" Cheng Dong knew that asking this kid would be a sure thing, and looked at Comrade Heping with a big smile.

"Haha, then I'll show off a little."

Man Xuexi scratched his head with an honest expression. After all, he had to maintain appearances even though he had rejected the two company commanders' proposals.

"Company Commander Qin suggested specifying the unit, so let's title it 'Entering the Information Technology Demonstration Battalion'."

"Company Commander Xu said he wanted to create momentum and mentioned the meritorious soldiers. So let's define the scope of meritorious soldiers as our own camp. I believe that even if other units see this, they won't have anything to say."

"Let's just title it 'Entering the Information Technology Demonstration Camp and Recording the Story of Thirty-Three Heroes'."

Holy crap!!! ???
Inside the meeting room, everyone, including Cheng Dong, widened their eyes upon hearing the title.

until now.

Many people then realized why this student had been favored by the battalion commander since arriving at the demonstration camp.

Turns out this guy is really talented.

It's fair to say that even if everyone present racked their brains, they would have a hard time coming up with a comparable title.

"Entering the Information Technology Demonstration Camp, Recording the Names of Thirty-Three Heroes"

Cheng Dong muttered a few words, then frowned and said, "The title is fine, but can we really find thirty-three heroes here?"

"Even if you include all the promotions and officer appointments in the entire battalion, there still wouldn't be that many."

"Furthermore, our camp has only been established for a short time. Isn't it too much to have thirty-three meritorious officials?"

"It's not excessive." Man Xuexi chuckled, then scurried up to the table and took the cigarette from Cheng Dong.

Taking the initiative, he dispersed the crowd again, then sat down with smoke puffing from his nostrils and analyzed, "Chief of Staff, look."

"The battalion commander didn't say when the commendation ceremony would be held. Maybe a month from now? By then, the engineer company will be fully formed and the logistics company will be complete."

"If you're saying they're our own family's heroes, then the scope is too broad."

“The successful establishment of the company is a meritorious achievement for a battalion-level organization, right? Then the establishment of the platoon must also count. Battalion Commander Liu worked hard to teach and test the data of the new equipment, so he must also be counted.”

"The list of outstanding infantrymen, the list of outstanding tankmen, comrades who do well in cultural courses, classes that excel in housekeeping, soldiers who train hard, backbone members who hold multiple technical positions, and even logistics personnel who steam the biggest and whitest buns or cook the best dishes—these are all heroes."

"Anyone who makes outstanding or remarkable contributions to the establishment of the camp can be listed among the thirty-three meritorious individuals."

"Appearing at an awards ceremony doesn't necessarily mean receiving a promotion, a cadre position, or meritorious service. A commendation, a banner, a sash, or a water bottle as a reward is enough to make someone a meritorious person, isn't it?"

Anyone who has made contributions can be considered a meritorious official.

Damn it! ! ! !
Man Xuexi's speech once again surprised everyone in the meeting room.

At this moment.

Cheng Dong also realized that the so-called list of thirty-three meritorious officials did not refer to an accurate number.

It can certainly be used as the name of a list, and the awards can be presented uniformly at the commendation ceremony.

Doesn't this arrangement perfectly align with the principle that the battalion commander and political instructor mentioned during the morning meeting: to pay more attention to the grassroots and to understand the grassroots better?
The list of meritorious officials is about to be released.

If this thing were in the military, who wouldn't fight tooth and nail?

Words of encouragement from former employers are a thing of the past.

Cheng Dong turned to look at Man Xuexi, whose appearance was unremarkable and who didn't even have as much masculinity as himself. He shook his head and thought to himself, "You really can't judge a book by its cover."

"A toad seducing a frog, all show and no substance, but quite the antics!"

"This idea is brilliant!!"

"Do any other comrades have different suggestions?" Cheng Dong asked, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Everyone shook their heads in unison; what other opinions could they possibly have?

Look at how smug and grinning he is; even if others have objections, they won't say anything.

Because any advice I offer is definitely no match for this dark-skinned kid.

The opinions were unanimous.

Cheng Dong breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands: "Alright, it's settled then, it'll be published in the military newspaper."

"The meeting is dismissed!"

"Platoon Leader Man, you came up with this title, so you're in charge of the content. Hurry up, I need to see the draft before noon. Time is tight and the task is heavy."

After saying that, Cheng Dong stood up and patted Lao Man on the shoulder to encourage him.

In the blink of an eye.

In the entire conference room, only Man Xuexi sat there with a blank expression, his face full of resentment.

Damn it, I've already been transferred from the General Staff to become a platoon leader in logistics, so why am I still doing the work of the General Staff?

"Oh, what a miserable life!"

Old Man grumbled, but he didn't dawdle. He got up, walked to the filing cabinet, took out a stack of manuscript paper, filled his pen with ink, and began to compile.

In any case, they are all talents from the Academy of Military Sciences. Even if their majors do not involve literature, they can still write a draft of a military newspaper without any problem.

Once Lao Man gets into work mode, he's quite reliable. His dark face is tense, like he's constipated, and the manuscript in his hands is gradually taking shape.

[Title: Entering the Information Technology Demonstration Camp, Recording the Names of Thirty-Three Heroes]

Listening to the clarion call of the new journey, the goal of building a strong military lies ahead. During the mechanization transformation, we saw off many glorious old units. However, the cancellation of their unit numbers and the disbanding of their organizational structure do not mean that these old units have disappeared from the annals of military history. They remain steadfast in their commitment, keep in mind the spirit of their predecessors, and have once again demonstrated their vitality. They have recorded the direction of informatization and formed an informatization demonstration battalion born from the Third Reconnaissance Company and countless others who sacrificed for military reform.

The Information Technology Demonstration Camp is a young unit, established less than six months ago. Compared to other units, it is still very immature and has a shallow foundation.

But we remained true to our original aspirations, taking the older generation of units as our role models and learning from history, boldly exploring the direction of the army. During this period, a large number of outstanding officers and non-commissioned officers emerged from our ranks. In just a few months, we created nine collective second-class merits and one first-class combat hero. We broadened the scope of the information system's prowess on the battlefield. The demonstration battalion, with the spirit of a young tiger and fearless momentum, overcame all obstacles and stood at the forefront of the wave. Now, let's delve into the demonstration battalion and learn about the thirty-three meritorious individuals who emerged during the formation and operation of this unit.

Man Xuexi's personal literary skills are quite good; his writing focuses on highlighting the glorious history and sacrifices of the demonstration battalion.

Taking the era's transformation as its starting point, the writing offers a macro-level perspective on the future, covering everything from mechanization reforms to the Northwest military exercises, including the remarkable feat of a combined battalion confronting a veteran Class A division. While the writing style may not be flawlessly elegant, this approach, at least in terms of practical application, is enough to allow many grassroots units to once again witness the potential of the demonstration battalion.

The suggestion to promote the military website was originally a collaboration between Man Xuexi and Chen Mo.

Now, simply having him write press releases is a piece of cake.

. . . . . . .

While the Taishan Demonstration Battalion was busy with their own affairs, Chen Mo was also attending a meeting at the military headquarters.

Meanwhile, far away in Qinglong Gorge, Commander Wang of the 61st Division Artillery Regiment was furious.

There are several reasons why Wang Songhe left the sergeant academy in such a hurry.

Firstly, with the start of the military exercises in southern Guangdong, some of the troops stationed at Qinglong Gorge had to withdraw to their original posts. As the division commander, he had to return to take charge of the overall situation and could not afford to delay.

Secondly.

The withdrawal was not a complete evacuation; at least one artillery regiment under the 61st Division was left in Qinglongxia as a reserve force. Before the end of the parade, the regiment was designated as a long-term combat-ready unit.

Wang Songhe was even less likely to stay in Jinyang, which is why he chose to return to oversee operations when the demonstration camp was out on a rescue mission.

Originally.

This arrangement is perfectly reasonable. Soldiers are naturally going to the front lines where the motherland needs them most, and there's nothing to say about it.

The problem was that, due to the urgency of the situation, Lao Wang did not tell his daughter, a freshman in medical school, about it when he left Jinyang. As a result, when Wang Luyi saw the flood relief efforts in Jinyang, he realized that too many soldiers had been mobilized.

Even medical students were conscripted, causing the child to worry. He secretly went to the howitzer battalion's base in Hedong City to find himself.

In 1999, never compare the circumstances of that time with those of later times.

In this era, a young girl would travel hundreds of kilometers to an unfamiliar place, even to a remote military camp where most areas are inaccessible by car and include remote mountain valleys.

Safety issues were far less pressing than those of later generations.

Let alone a young woman, even a grown man would be in danger.

A safe departure does not necessarily guarantee a safe arrival.

They may not even be able to return safely.

This is why Chen Mo frowned when he heard that the people in the camp had not allowed Wang Luyi to enter the military camp.

Ever since Old Wang learned that his daughter had gone to the military academy and that it was that scoundrel scholar who arranged for someone to pick her up, he was in shock.

The old father felt a mix of relief and anxiety.

I felt relieved because as long as I was at the officer academy, there wouldn't be any problems.

Although the sergeant academy has been granted special permission not to station troops there for three years, with so many soldiers from the demonstration battalion there, ensuring the safety of the people is still perfectly reasonable.

If it's heartbreaking, then it's a bit complicated.

That damned scholar is about the same age as my own child. People who raise daughters tend to see everyone as a bit of a rascal, if not a bit.

Chen Mo certainly can't be categorized as a "yellow-haired" guy, and Wang Songhe doesn't look down on him that much either.

On the contrary.

Old Wang deeply admired Chen Mo, a man who was bold, capable, daring, quick to learn, and fearless.

This kind of person is a natural-born soldier.

On the battlefield, they would never back down in the face of the enemy; they are the kind of outstanding young people the Republic needs most.

But the words came back again.

Personal excellence does not mean that Wang Songhe will acknowledge and be willing to let Gou Xiucai become his family.

Because this kind of person is too capable, even I wouldn't dare say I can control him. If my daughter follows this type of person, there will be no benefits other than suffering.

Of course, this is secondary.

Wang Songhe knew very well that the more achievements a person made in their youth, the higher their ambition and the stronger their abilities, and the more easily they would break down and be unable to withstand even the slightest setback.

If the subsequent development of information technology goes astray, or other unexpected situations arise, strip that young man of his title as the commander of the Kyoto Demonstration Battalion and remove the halo of a first-class combat hero.

If such a person is simply assigned to the rank of major, he will become despondent, even disheartened, and abandon everything.

This is what Wang Songhe is most worried about.

But for some reason, Old Wang felt that there was something fishy going on between the two people who had no connection whatsoever.

It's based on intuition.

So last night he arranged for someone to call the scholar every now and then to warn him.

I never expected things to go wrong.

We were supposed to take the person back to school during the day, but we couldn't reach them during the day.

Wang Songhe called at seven o'clock to inquire, and was told that the battalion commander was in a meeting, the political instructor was visiting the wounded, and the chief of staff was in a meeting.

None of the office phones could be reached, and the people in the combat readiness duty room were only responsible for reporting, not for calling people when they left their posts.

This really worried Old Wang.

"It was intentional, that little bastard must have done it on purpose."

In the artillery regiment headquarters, in the division commander's temporary office, Wang Songhe paced back and forth in a fit of rage.

They were hundreds of kilometers apart, and not even from the same military region, so he couldn't get in touch with them and there was nothing he could do.

Even a fool could guess that this was a special instruction from that bastard Xiucai, telling his subordinates to do their jobs and ignore his calls.

Although Old Wang knew perfectly well that nothing bad would happen, and that the scholar was at most trying to create a time difference to annoy him, what good was knowing that?

Can't we get in touch with them no matter what we do? Isn't that infuriating?
After much deliberation, Wang Songhe was still very worried. He was far away in Qinglong Gorge and knew nothing about the Jinyang military conference.

So he made a phone call to the military region's training department, using the old method, claiming he had something important to ask Battalion Commander Chen.

The result was obvious: they couldn't reach the person in charge, even though the military region conference was quite large.

Leaders of all units must be present.

Two hours later.

Wang Songhe, feeling extremely uneasy, decided to send his daughter 8,000 yuan in the next two days to buy her a cell phone.

Even if I can't bear to buy it for myself, I have to buy it for my daughter. I must know her whereabouts at all times and eliminate any possibility of conflict.

Around noon, Lao Wang called the General Staff Department.

At the same time, the military newspaper's publicity campaign featuring the list of thirty-three meritorious individuals was also sent to the editor-in-chief's office of the military newspaper.

If it is normal.

The military newspaper editing and publishing can be decided by the propaganda department, but this time it involves the Kyoto Demonstration Battalion, and it is still in the period when various units are jointly boycotting the Demonstration Battalion.

In this environment, the publicity department was unsure whether to publish it or not, mainly because this unit always exaggerated the hype in its publicity.

The list of thirty-three meritorious individuals—how many organizations would dare to do something like that?
Therefore, the propaganda department's editorial office sent all the manuscripts compiled by the demonstration battalion to the staff department for review.

The reason it wasn't sent to the Political Department was because the General Staff was responsible for everything at the Kyoto Demonstration Battalion.

The Political Department does not have the authority.

At this moment, Chen Mo was sitting in the military headquarters conference room, listening to the superiors' instructions on rectifying the responses of various units in Jinyang to the rescue operation.

At this meeting, some people from headquarters did come, and the attendees were not only from the military, but also from many local units.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it an accountability conference.

However, overall it had little to do with the demonstration camp, except for the announcement of the martyrs' follow-up arrangements and the distribution of pensions, which Chen Mo listened to attentively.

Everything else is treated as mere companionship, a way to kill time.

The meeting continued until noon and was temporarily adjourned.

Lunch will be served in the conference room.

Chen Mo was bored while sitting, so he took advantage of the break to step out of the meeting room and stretch.

But he had just come out and hadn't even finished stretching when he came out.

They ran right into Chief of Staff Qin Quan'an, who had just left a short while ago. The old man Qin came up to him with a gloomy face.

"Chen Mo!"

"To!"

"Come here for a moment."

"Yes!"

At first, Chen Mo had no idea what was going on. He thought that some details had not been explained properly at the meeting and that the leader would supplement them privately.

They need the cooperation of their battalion.

But soon, Chen Mo realized he was overthinking things.

In the small reception room next to the conference room, a row of mahogany sofas sits under the bright red "August 1st" military flag.

Commander-in-Chief Zhang Canshan sat calmly, while Logistics Minister Sun Zhensheng stared at him with a grim expression, as if someone owed him eight million.

In addition, the chief of staff looked unfriendly.

Chen Mo had a sense of déjà vu about this three-way trial.

A feeling that my life was about to end rose from within me.

Damn it, which part of the process went wrong this time?
Chen Mo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then quickly walked to the coffee table in front of the three of them and stood there.

Stand at attention and salute!
"Hello, Chief."

He had made up his mind that no matter what mistake he made this time, he would admit it.

Anyway, even if I admit it, I might not change it, so what's there to be afraid of!

Let's get through this hurdle first.

(End of this chapter)