Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 286 The clockwork is wound tight, and the entire camp enters its most difficult phase.

"One, two, one; one, two, one; one, two, three, four!!"

September 19, 1999, around 5:40 a.m.

The sun was just beginning to show its first rays of light as it rose in the west.

Outside the Taishan Military Academy, squads of soldiers lined up in neat rows and began their morning exercises.

The resounding slogans echoed throughout the entire Taishan mountain range.

The team of over a thousand people was divided into more than a dozen smaller teams, each led by a different cadre, to welcome the new day.

Chen Mo stood on the open-top military vehicle, holding onto the side frame, while Wang Jianyong drove. He held a megaphone and kept shouting angrily.

"Hurry up, you guys on the left! Which company are you from? What are you looking at? I'm talking to you! Haven't you eaten? Where's your voice?"

"Let me tell you, when you come here, don't try to negotiate with me. Just tell me what you want! Sergeants want to be promoted to officers? Great! Sure! Show me your results, and even if you're too old, I can still make you an officer!"

"Some officers want to get promoted, right? They're tired of being platoon leaders and want to become deputy company commanders or even company commanders. Let me tell you, no problem!!"

"Everyone remember this, our demonstration battalion. Before the unit number is issued, all the organizational structures are subject to change. No one is born a company commander, and no one is inferior to anyone else. We all have two shoulders and one head. Are you all more cowardly than others?"

"Only the elite, only the strong, and only those who want to improve are kept here!"

"If you can't even run 5 kilometers in 23 minutes with light gear, you won't even qualify to be a deserter on the battlefield."

"See the equipment parked at the artillery range? That's standard equipment for the strong. If you can't complete the mission, you're only fit to tend the fire, peel potatoes for the cooks, and stand back and watch!"

"Is this the strength of you veterans?"

"Who wants to make a name for themselves? Who wants to wear a big red flower at the end of the year? Stop dreaming and get to work!"

crazy!

The entire demonstration camp went completely mad!
Since the equipment and personnel were transported here yesterday, Battalion Commander Chen has been sitting in the conference room all night.

We have been studying the subsequent training arrangements.

I originally thought that when we meet at 5 p.m. today, Battalion Commander Chen will be able to provide some practical outlines for each company to implement.

Who can imagine.

There's no training syllabus here.

As soon as the meeting began, Chen Mo seemed to be in a bad mood, demanding that the entire battalion be on high alert and that all work be accelerated.

Whether you're a casual personnel officer, supply officer, or fire support officer, or a group of college cadres in the General Staff Department who have been wearing glasses since graduation.

It doesn't matter if you're a non-commissioned officer or a full officer, or whether you're a lieutenant or a captain.

As long as they belong to the demonstration battalion, except for the logistics cooking platoon, clerks, and sentries.

Every single person in the entire battalion was included in the morning exercise routine.

Regarding this kind of behavior.

Chen Mo also claimed that the demonstration camp needed to get moving and have a sense of urgency for all members to participate, only in this way could the entire camp show its vitality.

Only with vitality can there be common goals; only with common goals can there be cohesion; and only with cohesion can a sense of belonging be generated.

In short, the battalion commander has become ruthless and heartless.

Except for certain specific positions, everyone else had diarrhea, and even if they were running, they still had to do exercises.

We also have to complete the 5km 23-minute rule!
At first, the whole battalion was required to assemble for morning exercises at 5:30, which made many veterans unhappy.

Veterans aren't like new recruits; they're not as obedient.

They were well aware of the training syllabus required by the military region, and even in units undergoing full training, no one was required to get up at 5:30 for morning exercises.

But Chen Mo yelled at him like that.

They brought up the benefits of meritorious service, promotion, and advancement, repeatedly emphasizing them, which actually motivated many veterans.

Charge!

After all, things like getting up early and doing morning exercises are just formalities; they exist in every workplace. But honors, achievements, and the hope for advancement are the real issues.

A major who dares to use a megaphone to shout in front of the entire battalion can't possibly be lying, right?
Honors inspire progress; I'm already yelling about it early in the morning.

This has caused the logistics company to go from having a black face to a white face from all the studying.

He's not afraid of running normally; he's always been someone who actively strives for improvement and rarely falters.

But the whole battalion was made up of veterans, and when they got really into it, he couldn't keep up.

He watched as some of the veterans in his supply platoon broke away from their leader and started competing with the new recruits from the reconnaissance company next door.

Lao Man wiped the cold sweat from his cheeks, moved his feet, and ran up to Liang Hongjie. When it comes to running, Lao Liang is also a seasoned veteran.

"Company commander, the battalion commander seems to be a bit crazy today. Suddenly adding extra training sessions, doesn't that seem a bit too flamboyant?"

"They dare to talk about promotion and meritorious service so early in the morning. How are they going to get along in the future? If you ask me, training is a rigorous science. You can't do it like this."

"Strict my foot! If you have something to say, go talk to the scholar. What's the point of arguing with me?"

Liang Hongjie, panting from running, glanced sideways at Man Xuexi and asked, "Do you know where the Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations) comes from?"

“The reconnaissance company,” Man Xuexi replied matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, yeah.” Liang Hongjie pointed to the team running at the front: “People from the reconnaissance company, what the hell are you going to talk about with their meticulousness?”

"Look at Old Monkey, he's already hopping around leading the team. Run, or you won't be able to adapt to the new rules."

Done.

Liang Hongjie exerted force with the soles of his feet, forcibly drawing up his breath to increase his speed.

The bottom-ranking elimination system wasn't too harsh on newcomers, but the veteran cadres in the demonstration camp knew the scholar's temperament all too well.

When it comes to serious matters, this guy is inhuman.

If you don't fight, you'll be eliminated; there's no excuse.

However, Lao Liang had just started to exert himself and hadn't even run a few steps.

Man Xuexi caught up again: "Company Commander, you just said you couldn't adapt to the new regulations, does that mean the training arrangements will be even more grueling later on?"

"Lian, Lian, what the hell are you talking about? Don't give me any attention. I don't want to end up at the back and get caught by the scholar."

Liang Hongjie angrily pushed Lao Man away and continued leading the team in the sprint.

Similar scenes kept playing out in the team.

Whether they were newcomers or new managers, everyone started competing with each other, and no one wanted to be left behind.

Chen Mo stood on the car, turning himself into a megaphone, shouting as long as the procession ran.

Shouting is one thing.

He even arranged for Wang Jianyong to drive to the back row so he could keep an eye on the people who were left behind.

He would openly or subtly insult soldiers, and loudly call out the names of officers, making many people so angry that they would curse the dog scholar dozens of times in their hearts.

But scolding won't help.

Chen Mo not only supervised, but occasionally he would also pick up a backpack from the car and run alongside the last person on the bus, carrying a heavy load.

When he encounters a new person he doesn't know, he runs alongside them, matching their speed.

It wasn't until the newcomer couldn't hold back any longer and tried to shake him off that another last-place finisher appeared.

Chen Mo, with his backpack on, pressed himself against it again.

There's nothing to say, it just disgusts you.

After more than twenty minutes of morning exercises, everyone in the camp gained a new understanding of their battalion commander.

That's like a giant, stubborn plaster that you can't shake off no matter what you do.

If the people at the front of the line were slow, he would take a car to the front and call out to them; if the people at the back were too far apart, he would go to the back and run alongside them.

After morning exercises.

On an open space five kilometers away from the West Campus, thousands of people lay sprawled on the ground, a dense, dark mass that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Even the instructor, Fang Peijun, looked like he had just been pulled out of the water. He was dragged, pulled, and pushed by three or four soldiers the whole way, and they finally managed to get him to the finish line.

No instructor required him to participate in morning exercises; it was Fang Peijun himself who felt that since the demonstration battalion was going to be working themselves to the bone, the political officers had to set an example.

They have to set an example; you can't stop them.

Seeing Fang Peijun sprawled on the ground, Chen Mo jumped out of the car, grabbed his water bottle, and handed it to him: "Wipe your lips first, don't drink. You can't keep up with this intensity."

"I have to give it a try." Old Fang took the kettle and tried to sit up, but after a few attempts he couldn't get up, so he finally gave up and lay on the ground panting.

"try?"

"How do we test it?" Chen Mo sat cross-legged on the ground, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit one, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Morning exercises are just the beginning. I've already planned it out. For at least the next week, aside from meals, academic classes, tactical classes, and professional classes, the entire battalion must have at least 8 hours of pure training time every day."

"What?"

Fang Peijun, who was lying comfortably on the ground, didn't even need anyone to help him up when he heard about the 8-hour training system.

He got up and coughed violently a few times before staring at Chen Mo: "What the hell did you say?"

"Scholar, don't mess around."

"Putting aside meals, academic classes, and tactical training, where do you find eight hours to use? There's basically no training in the morning, so does your clock have eight hours in the afternoon?"

"There are also specialized courses? What specialized courses?" Fang Peijun was a little confused.

The courses taught at the NCO Academy are very diverse and are basically general in nature. They cover topics such as the future of information technology, needs, and skills for multiple branches of the armed forces.

The changes were subtle yet profound, affecting the entire camp.

We usually talk about academic courses and tactics courses, so why is there suddenly a professional course?

"nothing."

Chen Mo shook his head. Seeing that the instructor wasn't drinking water, he took the water bottle back, opened it, poured some water into it, and then handed the lid to Fang Peijun.

He tilted his head back and gulped down most of his water bottle before wiping his mouth and saying, "I've decided to cancel the lunch break and set up special study groups in the camp."

“The members are cadres from each company, and during the lunch break, these cadres take turns giving lessons to all the companies.”

"Firstly, it establishes the prestige of the cadres. Secondly, making them read the manuals every day is not for nothing. They not only need to have the ability to talk about things on paper, but also need to learn how to pass on their knowledge and skills, and teach the soldiers the thinking of information warfare and unit warfare."

"That makes sense, you've thought it through very well."

Fang Peijun thought for a long time but didn't see any problem. The demonstration battalion consisted of new cadres, and cultivating their prestige was definitely something to consider.

Specialized study groups can also bridge the gap between officers and soldiers, eliminate feelings of unfamiliarity, and foster closer relationships.

"If we let the cadres explain this, can they really explain it clearly? We don't want them to be half-baked and end up wasting time," Fang Peijun said with some concern.

"It's not important." Chen Mo smiled. "Many things just sound difficult. If you really try to understand them, you'll find that the so-called informatization and integration are just learning cutting-edge military theories."

"In addition, the performance of the main combat equipment of each branch of the armed forces, as well as the combat styles."

"This isn't difficult; I can learn it, so why can't they?"

"It's just that there are many professional categories. The military units I served in before were too singular, so I didn't understand these things. As long as I break away from some conventional combat ideas, there won't be any problems."

"Besides," Chen Mo pointed to the soldiers resting nearby, "whether the cadres are good or not, the people listening to the lectures will definitely make a comparison. They take turns giving lectures, and it's the same old stuff every day, just flipping through it over and over again."

"If you don't understand in one day, or two days, then in ten days, or half a month, you'll surely make progress, right?"

Fang Peijun thought about it carefully and felt that Chen Mo's arrangement made sense.

Aside from the fact that canceling the lunch break was a violation of regulations, their demonstration battalion really didn't have a better way to solve the problems that each squad was familiar with.

At least, he himself had no other ideas.

"What about the eight hours of training?" "With your arrangement, the daily training time can only be compressed to three hours, where will the eight hours come from?"

"Night training!" Chen Mo replied casually.

"Night training?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Peijun seemed to spring up from the ground with a whoosh.

Staring at him with wide eyes, he lowered his voice and said, "Are you sure you're not mistaken, scholar?"

"After lunch break, there are only three hours of exercise in the afternoon."

"Ignoring dinner time, you want training to continue until midnight?"

"Even if it's midnight, after washing up and turning off the lights, it's almost 1 a.m. The cadres get up at 4 a.m. and gather for a meeting at 5 a.m.

"The soldiers get up at 5:30 a.m., and you're telling the entire battalion to only sleep four hours a day? What were you thinking?"

"if not?"

Chen Mo shrugged, then turned and glared at some soldiers who were looking in his direction because the instructor's movements were too exaggerated.

Many veterans who were resting immediately turned their heads away when they saw the battalion commander looking over, pretending they hadn't seen anything.

Even if some newcomers are not afraid, they will be reminded by the managers next to them.

This scoundrel has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. It's best to have something on him that we can't hold against him in the demonstration camp. This is a consensus among many cadres.

After all, the battalion commander in the eyes of officers and the battalion commander in the eyes of soldiers are completely different people.

"I still feel a little guilty." Fang Peijun sat down on the ground next to Chen Mo: "Doing this every day is too much. The officers and soldiers are working hard, and they will definitely complain later."

Complain?

Chen Mo grinned!

"Old Fang, you have to understand, people are carefree without pressure, and it's normal for soldiers to have pressure."

"Besides, believe it or not, even if everyone in the demonstration camp lay in bed all day, did nothing, ate at regular times, and slept at regular times, there would still be people who were dissatisfied."

Chen Mo understood human nature all too well; it was something that could never be satisfied.

The whole battalion is fighting for their lives, and this is the time to complain?

"Between rapidly increasing combat effectiveness and harboring resentment, I think the former is more important."

"You weren't absent from yesterday's meeting, were you? Did you forget what the leaders said?"

"no."

Fang Peijun snatched the water bottle and gulped down several mouthfuls: "I'm worried that the soldiers' emotions are too volatile, and the officers of each company may not be able to control their morale."

"If other problems arise, then it will be troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo lit another cigarette.

"Old Fang, time waits for no one!"

"Since I dared to make this decision, it means that I have thought it through carefully. If the whole battalion cannot produce a good example, then it is my personal incompetence."

"If any company loses control of morale and the morale collapses, that's okay too."

“An officer who lacks the ability, who doesn’t even have the most basic ability to lead troops, will just act recklessly on the battlefield. Whether such a demonstration battalion exists or not, whether it is disbanded or not, makes little difference.”

"The sooner we disband, the sooner we'll be able to save ourselves trouble."

"This"

Fang Peijun hadn't expected Chen Mo to make such a big decision.

They dare to say things like, "It doesn't matter whether there's a demonstration camp or not."

It seems he's truly determined.

otherwise.

How could the battalion commander of the Kyoto Demonstration Battalion, who was talked about behind his back by many cadres in the military region and even the entire military region as the "illegitimate son" of the commander, the "tiger cub of a military family," and the "chosen one of heaven," possibly make such a statement?
Whether these rumors are true or not, they at least show that Chen Mo's circumstances and status are envied by many people.

Someone who is so accomplished and proud must be confident.

How dare you say such things?
Fang Peijun remained silent.

He stopped trying to refute or correct him, because in the demonstration camp, no one could change Battalion Commander Chen's mind, not even the political instructor.

Because the entire battalion, from the chief of staff to other core officers, had all experienced the Blue Army battalion period.

That was the Northwest Military Exercise, an absolute highlight.

Those who have experienced it.

Their trust in Battalion Commander Chen was almost ingrained in their bones; there was no order that those people dared not carry out.

Fang Peijun began to consider how to cooperate and how to handle the aftermath.

How can we ensure the entire camp doesn't collapse?

Perhaps Chen Mo also felt that his remarks were a bit too forceful.

He stood up with a grin, raised his hand and patted Fang Peijun on the shoulder: "Old Fang, we don't have time."

"If you really can't bear it and can't get over your inner hurdle, I have experience to share: as long as you don't look at it or get involved, you won't feel heartache."

"As long as we don't see the hard work and fatigue of our comrades, we will naturally feel much more at ease."

"It won't be long. Give me three months, and the Kyoto demonstration camp will be completely transformed."

Chen Mo was comforting her.

Fang Peijun suddenly stood up from the ground with a "whoosh," glared at Chen Mo, and turned to leave.

Head towards the academy.

This scene stunned Chen Mo: "No, Lao Fang, you're really not going to do anything about it?"

heard movement.

Fang Peijun had already walked more than ten steps when he abruptly stopped, his face full of resentment. He raised his leg, took off his military boot, and slammed it down on Chen Mo with a "whoosh."

It was too far away to hit.

Old Fang, panting heavily, glared and cursed angrily: "You damned scholar, I've only been in the demonstration camp for a short time, but that doesn't mean I'm not one of them."

"If you want to make trouble, I'll make trouble with you. It's only three months!"

"So what if I take off this military uniform?"

"But don't you think about it? Can this kind of approach work without an instructor? Are you trying to kill me with work?"

"The military region's political department had already told us to send someone there for a week of training, and then they would come back to serve as instructors."

"I've chosen an auspicious day, today. I'll select eight cadres to go to the Political Department for training."

Done.

Before Chen Mo could react, Fang Peijun started walking towards the academy, his steps uneven.

His figure was both aloof and frail!

The battalion commander and political instructor are arguing; that's big news!

Everyone else was just watching the spectacle in a daze, no one daring to step forward and ask questions, except for Man Xuexi, who ran over in a daze and immediately gave a thumbs up: "Brilliant, Battalion Commander."

"After you argued with the instructor like that, the brothers in the camp all know that there is a mission from above, and they will all understand."

"That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of putting on this kind of charade!"

"Sing my ass!!"

Chen Mo was feeling touched when Man Xuexi's dark face suddenly appeared, ruining the atmosphere.

Enraged, he kicked Manxue and pointed to the shoes on the ground: "Pick them up and take them to the instructor."

"Damn it, what a clueless guy."

“Instructor, go back. You son of a bitch, follow me back. If you’re even a step slower, I’ll kill you.”

"I still have scenes to film!"

Old Man looked pleasantly surprised, raised his hand to pat the spot where the battalion commander had kicked him, bent down to pick up his shoe, and strode off to chase after Fang Peijun.

"Instructor, I'm also from the demonstration battalion. Although I arrived late, I'm in the same boat as you, we're in the same trench!"

This guy still thinks it's a double act.

They got into the role very quickly and enthusiastically.

Chen Mo was speechless. It seemed that he had been acting so much that even the lower-level cadres were unwilling to believe that a real argument had just taken place.

"You, drive the instructor home."

Chen Mo waved to Wang Jianyong, then put his hands on his hips and looked in the direction of the academy.

This was originally just a minor incident.

But the political instructor left in anger, and the battalion commander stood there with his hands on his hips, looking menacing.

The soldiers who were resting at the back, who could possibly rest comfortably?

There's no need to wait for them to urge you.

One by one, they got up, stretched their limbs, and prepared to return home.

Running is much more reassuring than staying in front of a battalion commander who's suppressing his anger.

. . . . . . . .

morning.

The cadres, who had been through a lot, had originally thought that both the new and old staff would be sent to the East Campus to study academic subjects.

When they can relax a bit.

Chen Mo came again with his hands behind his back.

When this guy arrived, it was like a hungry wolf rushing into a rabbit's burrow; everyone was trembling with fear.

Chen Mo first announced the arrangements for the special study group, and then collected all the instruction manuals for all the tanks in each company.

He personally supervised these cadres, who moved stools and sat on the open ground outside the artillery field, loudly reading and reciting.

The tanks were delivered not to impress them, and the instruction manuals weren't very useful. Compared to actual operation, memorizing these things was far from sufficient.

However, as an officer, especially when it comes to breaking up the existing organizational structure of the company and turning it into a squad-level unit, it is crucial to address this issue.

Even if you don't need to know the performance of all the tanks, you should at least understand the structure of some of the equipment, right?

For example, how many people can be carried, where is the power compartment, which side is the cockpit, how to enter the combat compartment, and what are the layouts of the troop compartment.

You need to know all of these basics.

To facilitate supervision, Chen Mo even moved an office desk into the artillery range.

He sat there staring at the group of officials.

This caused a great deal of suffering for the group of people. They exchanged glances privately, but no one dared to complain.

What?

Just keep going!

This is only the first day!

(End of this chapter)