Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 351 A Showdown Between Old Classmates: Provocation is Key

Chen Mo's suggestion for the 61st Division was to reduce the scope of auxiliary combat operations to one regiment.

Divisional and regimental levels conduct cross-assessments and routine spot checks.

The big stick of reform must be brought down from a great height.

The division headquarters directly taking over some of the assessment authority is equivalent to further consolidating the division's mindset of managing combat, so that it can attract sufficient attention.

Chief of Staff Lin naturally had no objection to this.

seriously.

Since the division received the important task of reform, they have tried many methods.

Some are learning from the Blue Army Battalion, while others are learning from Desert Storm.

However, their positioning is really awkward. If they learn from the Blue Army battalion, their size is much larger than a battalion. If they learn from Desert Storm, their size is not even that of a division. They are far from being a good fit.

Ultimately, it only remained at the level of learning the forms that war manifested.

The core issues were not truly valued.

Once deployed for combat.

They still cling to outdated mechanization ideas, admiring steel clusters and the unstoppable momentum of the "King of the Army" chain clusters.

They are fundamentally resistant to vertical information exchange and visual digitization.

Just like Operation Spring Thunder.

Six regiments, despite having a better advantage in timing and knowing about the opponent and the time to maneuver earlier than the Blue Army.

Ultimately, the Blue Team seized the initiative and suffered a crushing defeat.

If you were to say that the Red Army's reforms didn't encounter any problems, probably no one would believe it.

Both are information technology units. Even if there is a generational difference in some equipment, the difference in staffing between the two sides is more than ten times. Shouldn't this gap be made up?
Unexpectedly, they suffered an even more crushing defeat.

This humiliation is remembered by all the regiments of the 61st Division.

February 19, 2000, 2 p.m., Lantern Festival.

Their chief of staff humbly sought advice at Zhurihe, attempting to come up with an effective rectification plan, and striving to perfectly imitate the operation mode of the armored regiment in the upcoming long-term joint training.

After all, this joint training exercise will last for quite a while.

Lin Yifeng believes that the 61st Division has ample time to transfer the 182nd Regiment over and, while conducting combat training, gradually integrate the information battalion stationed within the 181st Regiment into this joint training exercise.

This lays the foundation for subsequent reforms.

Chen Mo knew exactly what Chief of Staff Lin was thinking.

But he didn't care; only by facing a strong enemy could he better hone the combat capabilities of the armored regiment's detachments.

If the enemy is too weak, then what's the point of having the 61st Division come?
Why not just find the local militia and ask them to come and cooperate?

There's no need to make a big fuss and bring in a main battle group.

Not to mention that it is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and resource-intensive, if it does not play a significant role in combat training, then it would be a huge loss.

The conversation between the two ended.

Lin Yifeng returned to his office to organize his reform ideas and the joint training command plan for the next phase.

Chen Mo wasn't idle either, since it was a long-term joint training exercise and a lot of work needed to be coordinated.

For example, requesting supplies from the Kyoto Military District Logistics Department, submitting joint training plans and reasons, and setting approximate timelines.

For example, Man Xuexi was pulled away from the engineering company, relieved of his position as deputy company commander, and transferred to the staff department as deputy chief of staff.

Take advantage of this combat training to hone Lao Man's personal abilities so that he can be truly useful and help Cheng Dong in the future.

With the upcoming training program, Chen Mo had to make all the necessary preparations for his passing.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

the other side.

Inside the family compound of the 182nd Regiment Headquarters in Longxi.

At this moment, the regimental commander, Jia Guoqiang, is at home, happily celebrating the Lantern Festival with his wife and children.

The 80-square-meter living room, used by two generations, was decorated especially warmly during the Spring Festival, with festive New Year couplets hanging everywhere.

The TV in the living room was replaying the skit "Today and Tomorrow," performed by Benshan, from the 1999 Spring Festival Gala.

He watched as his wife was still busy in the kitchen.

Commander Jia took out a bottle of his treasured Longhua Tequ liquor from the cabinet.

He opened it with a smile, even holding it under his nose to smell it, then grinned as he pulled out the wine cup, about to sit down and take a sip.

When celebrating the last day of the new year.

The red landline phone installed in the bedroom suddenly started ringing.

I heard the phone ring.

Jia Guoqiang was stunned for a moment, and his wife, who was cooking, also stopped what she was doing.

Even her son, who was squatting on the living room floor playing with glass balls, looked up at the bedroom.

Coming from a military family, all members knew the significance of the red landline ringing.

Jia Guoqiang quickly got up to answer the phone. His wife hurriedly turned off the stove, found the washed military uniform, placed it on the bed in the bedroom, and looked at her husband with a worried expression.

"Hello! This is Jia Guoqiang."

"Joint training? What joint training?"

"It's another armored regiment march. I know, what's there to ask? The military region has already issued the order, just carry it out."

"Notify all battalions to assemble immediately. Make arrangements with the railway and depart overnight. This time, we must arrive at Zhurihe within the stipulated time."

"Okay, I'll wait downstairs. Arrange for a car to come as soon as possible."

"Okay, that's settled!"

After saying that, Commander Jia hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

His earlier intention to have a drink vanished in an instant.

His face turned ashen, mainly because of the humiliation.

One of the main regiments under the Northern Class A Motorized Infantry Division, let's not even mention that the entire regiment is full of hidden talents and outstanding individuals.

At least the Iron Hammer Regiment had never suffered consecutive losses at the hands of anyone, except for this Blue Army battalion, which caused their 182nd Regiment to suffer repeated setbacks.

Chen Mo himself may have forgotten that during the Northwest military exercise last year, he arranged for a team of reconnaissance soldiers to ambush more than a dozen cadres near the toilet at night.

Along with wiping out a battalion's worth of support firepower, these were all men from the 182nd Regiment.

The Blue Army soldiers may forget, but Jia Guoqiang will never forget this humiliation.

He was able to serve as the commander of the 182nd Regiment, and the Northern Class A Motorized Infantry Division was able to tolerate him, without making money through illicit means. This was not due to luck, but because he truly had the ability.

This joint training exercise will finally allow us to settle old scores and new grudges.

"Are you OK?"

His wife saw that after he answered the phone, his face turned ashen, and he stood there without saying a word. She asked him with some concern.

"fine."

Jia Guoqiang forced a smile and waved his hand: "There are exercises planned, so I'm afraid I won't be able to come back for more than a month."

"Don't worry if you can't contact me while you're going to the border region."

"it is good."

His wife nodded silently. They were an old married couple and naturally knew the military regulations, so she didn't ask or inquire further.

She should simply fulfill the responsibilities of a wife.

She simply turned around, found her suitcase, and put more personal clothing inside, preparing for her husband's long journey.

Wait until everything is ready.

Commander Jia changed into his military uniform and bid farewell to his family.

When I arrived downstairs, the orderly assigned by the regiment was already waiting in a car.

"Is everything ready in the group?"

Jia Guoqiang, sitting in the back row, casually asked.

It wasn't his shift today, but the regimental headquarters had a night shift officer. For joint training deployments like this, the veteran regimental-level unit wasn't like the armored regiment; he didn't have to worry about everything.

"Yes, Commander. The First, Second, and Third Battalions have all assembled. The Chief of Staff is contacting the railway dispatcher."

The orderly responded quickly.

"Okay, then let's not go back to the regimental headquarters yet, let's go to the Second Battalion."

"Yes!"

The preparations for the joint training of the entire regiment were not completed so quickly. The fact that all the troops were able to be put on military trains and mobilized by land overnight, with the supply routes properly planned, was already considered to be extremely efficient.

Therefore, since time was not tight, Jia Guoqiang was not in a hurry to return to the regimental headquarters.

The reason he went to the Second Battalion was that he had learned from the lessons of the previous Operation Spring Thunder.

In the post-battle review, Commander Qin's criticism was correct.

During the information technology reform, all regiments in the division overemphasized information technology and lost sight of their original focus on mechanized warfare.

We must learn from this experience. The Iron Hammer Regiment doesn't have an information technology unit, nor does it have drones or radar that can be mobilized.

But the regiment has the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company.

Last year during the Northwest military exercise, the 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion, also known as the Night Tiger Company, was thoroughly harassed by the Blue Army Battalion. The entire battalion was scouted by more than a dozen enemy soldiers and was kept up all night without rest.

During Operation Spring Thunder, the entire Night Tiger Company was even more frustrated, as they were eliminated after only driving a dozen kilometers without even getting out of their vehicles.

This time, we must play a role.

It should be noted that the Night Tiger Company is renowned throughout the entire Jincheng Military Region. In every military exercise, they engage in fierce battles with the Heroic Fourth Company of the 21st Army.

The entire company is extremely powerful.

However, they suffered repeated defeats at the hands of a Blue Army battalion. Commander Jia believed that the Sixth Company must also be actively preparing for battle at this time.

. . . . . . . .

As it turned out, Jia Guoqiang's guess was correct.

The barracks of the 6th Company, 2nd Battalion.

Upon receiving the order to assemble from the regimental headquarters, Company Commander Miao immediately gathered the entire company.

Looking at the more than one hundred soldiers in the company, who were planted firmly on the ground like steel spears, each of them had a serious expression, and the atmosphere was also filled with a sense of grimness.

Miao Lian nodded, stepped forward, and held a faxed order in his left hand.

His piercing eyes swept across the ranks, and he shouted sternly, "Attention, everyone!"

"Comrades, they're here!"

Miao Lian waved the document in his hand: "The military region has ordered our Iron Hammer Regiment to be transferred to Zhurihe. The deadline has not been specified; it could be one month or two months."

"But that's not important!"

"Zhu Rihe, you should all know him, right?"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Mentioning Zhurihe, all the soldiers of the Sixth Company of the Night Tigers gritted their teeth, filled with boundless hatred, and their eyes were bloodshot.

That guy wished he could fly to the borderlands and bite those uncivilized Blue Army soldiers to death.

After all, almost every officer and soldier in the Sixth Company had suffered at the hands of the Blue Army Battalion.

Either they get sniped while using the toilet, so scared they can't urinate for a long time and almost suffer long-term effects, or they get blown up by a landmine during a rescue, making them furious.

If it weren't for the rules of the exercise, they would have rushed to the Zhuri River to beat up those damn Blue Army soldiers during the military exercise before the Lunar New Year.

That's infuriating!

Hearing the inspiring battle cries, Miao Lian nodded in satisfaction: "Comrades, the moment has come to test whether you are excellent reconnaissance soldiers."

"Normally, in the company and the battalion, they all boast about themselves as tough guys, as if they can do anything. Are they taking advantage of my age? Do they think I'm easy to fool?"

“Let me tell you, I joined the army at 16 and became a company commander at 22. I’ve been in that position for ten years now, and our company has never suffered such a loss before.”

"With this relocation, I don't care if the Blue Army has three heads or six arms, just wipe them all out."

"Understand?"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"it is good!"

"Specific combat missions have not yet been issued; each platoon leader should remain in place and wait."

As soon as Miao Lian finished giving the order and was about to turn around, two military vehicles drove in one after the other at the company gate.

heard movement.

Miao Lian hurriedly ordered, "Attention, everyone!"

After saying that, he quickly ran to the side of the line, stood at attention, and waited.

When the vehicle stopped, Regiment Commander Jia Guoqiang and Battalion Commander Lan Gongshe got out of the vehicle one after the other.

Old Miao quickly ran up to the front, stood at attention, and saluted: "Reporting to the regimental commander, the entire sixth company of the second battalion is assembled. Please give instructions!"

"Take a break!"

"Yes." Miao Lian turned around and ordered the ranks, "At ease."

He then ran into the queue and waited for the order to redeploy.

Jia Guoqiang walked to the front of the line, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers of the Sixth Company, and said seriously, "Comrades, I'll get straight to the point."

"The purpose of this transfer to the border region is to cooperate with the combat training of the Kyoto Armored Regiment. I believe everyone is familiar with this unit."

"The combat training may last for one month or two months, and the combat plans of other units will be adjusted accordingly."

"But I hope that you, the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company, can truly become the fierce tigers hanging over the heads of the Ironclad Regiment, showing your sharp fangs."

"Wait a moment, the Army Aviation Brigade of the Tianshui Division will send a helicopter over."

"I'll take you into the Zhuri River ahead of time. I don't care what methods you use, even if it's combat training, not an exercise, but at least you should figure out how our enemy trains and how they arrange things."

"Comrades, the moment of your test has come."

"My demand is that, in the shortest possible time, we find out the entire combat training distribution of the armored regiment, preferably down to that battalion commander surnamed Chen, how many times he goes to the toilet a day, what time he goes to bed, what time he gets up, I need to know all of that."

"The opportunity for revenge has arrived. Are you ready?"

"Always be prepared! Always be prepared!! Always be prepared!!!"

The increasingly loud responses ignited the fighting spirit in the hearts of the soldiers of the Sixth Company.

If we're talking about attacking other units, then it's still just an exercise, and we should just follow the procedures.

I was excited, but not overly enthusiastic.

But as for the Blue Army that attacked Zhurihe, they are mortal enemies and must be killed.

"it is good!"

Jia Guoqiang nodded: "I'll give you half an hour to prepare. Bring enough ammunition, dry food, and bedding. It's cold outside in the border region at night, so make sure you're well prepared."

"Disband!"

dong dong dong.
Upon hearing the order, the soldiers of the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company quickly left to prepare for battle.

Jia Guoqiang frowned as he looked at the disbanded soldiers.

He really wanted to cordon off the Blue Army camp and, under the guise of combat training, give them a good beating to vent his anger.

But despite his thoughts, reality kept reminding him.

Even if the scale of combat training is far smaller than that of exercises, the armored regiment will not use all reconnaissance methods during combat training. After all, combat training is for training combat capabilities, not reconnaissance capabilities.

But this company is incredibly weird.

Who knows if that bastard surnamed Chen has any other dirty tricks up his sleeve?
That bastard is not trustworthy.

Commander Jia was a little uneasy, so he turned to look at Miao Lian: "Old Miao."

"To!"

"We need to be careful this time when we go to Zhurihe for reconnaissance, lest we fall into the hands of the Blue Army again."

"Their mission is just combat training, and their defensive measures won't be too strong. The purpose is to test other aspects. If your Sixth Company suffers another setback when the enemy is almost undefended, you'll have to think about how to report this to me."

"Don't worry, Commander, there won't be any accidents."

Old Miao casually pulled the two officers beside him to his side and introduced them: "Regimental Commander, these are Xie Yong and Ding Zeliang, officers from our company who just returned from further training."

"The two of them studied in the reconnaissance department of Shicheng Army Academy for eight months before returning after the New Year."

"Xie Yong and Ding Zeliang were comrades-in-arms who studied together with Battalion Commander Chen of the Blue Army Battalion, so they would know each other to some extent."

"Letting the two of them lead the team is no problem."

"Ah."

Jia Guoqiang glanced at the two cadres in front of him and nodded slightly.

The Reconnaissance Department of Shicheng Army Academy is the only one of its kind in the entire army; no other academy has this major.

Jia Guoqiang acknowledged the capabilities of officers who graduated from the reconnaissance department.

In fact, he's not the only one who admits it.

The reconnaissance department of Shicheng Army Academy is indeed excellent; Chen Mo only dropped out of the program halfway through.

Otherwise, he would be an extremely skilled scout, although compared to the Blue Army battalion's combat strength and Chen Mo's current achievements.

They are far beyond what an excellent scout can compare to, but that does not negate the department's capabilities.

Even later, the Special Forces Academy drew heavily on the teaching methods of the Army Academy's reconnaissance department. In the 1990s, the Army Academy's reconnaissance department truly represented authority.

Seeing the company commander push him in front of the regimental commander, Ding Zeliang and Xie Yong looked at each other in bewilderment.

They did indeed share a dormitory and were in the same team as the scholar for a period of time.

At that time, he also had a good relationship with the Army Academy.

The problem is, they were no match for the scholar at the academy.

That bastard had a unique way of thinking; he once led them to steal and replace the incomplete map on Cuiping Mountain, which caused many trainees to fail the mid-year assessment that year.

He left the academy and there was no news of him for a long time.

It wasn't until the cultural courses of the Reconnaissance Department of the Army Academy that an instructor presented a case study of a Blue Army battalion's combat operations, providing it to all students in the department for study and analyzing the vulnerabilities of informationized battalion operations.

Only then did the two of them find out.

My former comrade-in-arms is no longer that private, but a major and battalion commander.

after that.

This son of a bitch's record is getting more and more brilliant. He even led his troops to garrison in the border region, and his 61st Division suffered repeated defeats at his hands.

Even if the two, both from the reconnaissance department, were highly capable, they might not be able to defeat that bastard Xiucai.

Within a year, he was able to earn merits, be promoted to officer, and then to major, leading an enhanced information-based battalion on his own, all while holding the rank of private.

With so many factors combined, it's no longer something that can be summed up by simply saying "luck."

Watching the company commander see the battalion commander and regimental commander off.

Ding Zeliang took a deep breath, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and offered one to Xie Yong: "Old Xie, what do you think?"

"Miao Lianke assigned the two of us to lead the team."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yong took off his hat, rubbed his short hair twice, and said, "What else can we do? Even if the joint training isn't an exercise, it's pretty much the same."

"The 61st Division is also undergoing information technology reform. The division is learning from the Blue Army Battalion's methods, rejuvenating its officers, and striving to attract more newly graduated officers to work at the grassroots level."

"Our Second Battalion will probably undergo digital reform soon. Given Miao Lian's experience, if he doesn't achieve good results in this combat training, he probably won't make it through the year and will have to be demobilized."

"If it's not for anything else, even if it's just for Miao Lian, we have to make the scholar suffer this time. Anyway, he's young and has plenty of opportunities. Getting caught once or twice won't matter."

Xie Yong spoke with great confidence.

Ding Zeliang was a little worried. He said it was unfair to the scholar, but as far as he knew, this son of a bitch hadn't been wronged many times, had he?

Since its establishment, the Blue Army Battalion has only fought two battles in which the entire battalion was wiped out. One was against its own 61st Division, and the other was against the 188th Division under the 63rd Army of the Kyoto Military Region.

What right do the two of them have to say that the scholar has been wronged?
However, analysis is one thing, but action still needs to be taken.

After finishing their cigarettes, the two quickly returned to their dormitory and began packing their luggage to head to the Zhuri River.

The specific arrangements for combat training are none of their business, including their reconnaissance company.

Just do your job well.

. . . . . . . . . . .

the other side.

Inside the Ironclad Regiment's base.

Chen Mo sat in the information command room, watching Cheng Dong and Man Xuexi, who, along with a group of staff officers, assigned camping areas to each detachment.

He was not involved.

To reiterate, combat training is essentially similar to simulated combat situations, except that simulated combat situations involve enemy attacks, while combat training involves real enemy attacks.

Our side makes no deployments, disperses its troops to different locations, and doesn't even activate combat readiness; it's just like a regular training exercise.

The test is the Blue Army's ability to adapt and its units to fight, as well as how quickly they can organize and react between their respective units.

Combat training is not difficult.

The difficulty lies in maintaining constant vigilance, like a wound-up spring, without daring to be careless in any way.

There's nothing to see or correct about the detachment's encampment area.

After observing for a while and not noticing anything unusual, Chen Mo got up and went outside the command room.

With the start of combat training, all the companies and detachments in the camp have left. The once lively scene is gone, and the sudden quietness is quite unusual.

"Ah!"

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Chen Mo sneezed. He had been wearing casual clothes all day when he went out to offer condolences.

The temperature had already dropped in the evening, but I was too busy to change into a thicker coat.

Looking up at the dark night sky, he was just about to go back to his dormitory to rest when...

Captain Zhang Chuan, the guard captain, walked over with a smile, took a military overcoat from the nearby duty room, and handed it to him: "Chen Ying, combat training is about to begin, you can't let yourself get cold."

"fine."

"We're not that delicate." Chen Mo smiled, took the coat and put it on. Zhang Chuan took out a cigarette case, gave one to each of them, and lit them while shielding each other from the wind.

"Didn't we hear that the 182nd Regiment of the 61st Division was coming?"

"Isn't our battalion going to develop a combat plan this time?" Zhang Chuan asked curiously.

"There's nothing to set."

Chen Mo exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly, "Having dealt with the 61st Division so many times, I can guess what kind of combat tactics they have."

"First, we arranged for scouts to infiltrate the battlefield in advance to gather intelligence, while also placing snipers everywhere in an attempt to decapitate lower-level commanders and weaken command efficiency."

"Second, disguise, hide troops, sneak around as if they are not to be seen by anyone, break up the main force into small groups and send them in."

"Third, lure the enemy deep into our territory. The 61st Division has fought us so many times, and their command post has been destroyed twice. They will surely learn their lesson and know how to avoid drone infrared and aerial reconnaissance."

"These three plans are not in any particular order, but the other side will definitely implement them. The 61st Division's combat style is extremely cautious and extremely aggressive; there are no other tactics."

Chen Mo spoke casually.

Zhang Chuan was utterly speechless. Damn it, no wonder the Blue Army always performed so fiercely on the battlefield.

With a commander like this, who knows the enemy's entire deployment before the enemy even arrives, how can you fight a battle like this?
Indeed, combat training is not an exercise, but it's damn much more brutal.

In a drill, dying means elimination. You only have to die once. It's not a big deal if you feel pathetic. You can just bear it and get through it.

Even if the training unit dies today, it will be forced to revive tomorrow and continue to formulate new combat plans to attack the training unit.

Before this so-called joint combat training had even officially begun, Zhang Chuan already imagined how difficult the days ahead would be for the 182nd Regiment.

However, every disadvantage has its advantages.

Spending a long time fighting against units like the Blue Army will hone even the weakest units into having a surprisingly good response speed.

What seems like a loss may actually be a blessing in disguise!

"Chen Ying, do you mean that the scouts or main force of the 182nd Regiment will arrive at Zhurihe ahead of schedule tonight?"

Zhang Chuan's tone was somewhat solemn. As the captain of the guard battalion, his duty was to protect the area where the entire armored regiment was located.

"if not?"

Chen Mo smiled and countered, "Given your 'Sound Arrow' combat habits, would you really let tonight's best reconnaissance opportunity slip by and wait for the enemy to completely stabilize before taking action?"

"will not!"

Zhang Chuan stood up abruptly: "Reporting to the battalion commander, the guard battalion has applied to join the combat training."

It was obvious that Captain Zhang had also considered it.

Zhang Chuan came from Xiangjian, and the members of the guard brigade were all soldiers from the Yangcheng Military Region's reconnaissance battalion and guard regiment.

At that time, Chen Mo separated the guard brigade from the Blue Army battalion and placed it directly under the regiment.

From the perspective of hierarchy and superior-subordinate relationships.

Zhang Chuan is not Chen Mo's subordinate; they are more like equals.

Therefore, he always referred to him as "Chen Ying" instead of "Battalion Commander".

Now they probably know that Chen Mo is participating in the training program and will return sooner or later to serve as the commander of the armored regiment.

Perhaps they were shaken by the conversation they had just had.

In short, he called out to the battalion commander and applied to join the combat training, wanting to test his skills against the reconnaissance soldiers of the 61st Division.

Having come from a humble background, he has the confidence and the temperament to back it up.

"I'll participate then."

Chen Mo waved his hand: "It's good to get some training. The Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company of the 182nd Regiment is one of the best in the whole army. It's not necessarily worse than your Arrow Reconnaissance Company."

"Since we're going to participate, let's have a reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance contest before the combat training begins."

"But you'd better be careful, or I might wake up tomorrow morning to find my head in the hands of those Night Tigers."

After Chen Mo finished speaking, he took off his coat, handed it to Zhang Chuan, and left.

Captain Zhang was left alone, so angry he was practically fuming.

Both he and Wang Jianbin came from Xiangjian, and they couldn't stand hearing others say that Xiangjian was no good.

Damn it, it's just a night tiger, how can we tolerate that?
Enraged, Zhang Chuan threw his coat into the duty room and began calling on the officers of the guard brigade to secretly plot.

How to kill those bastards who sneaked in?
(End of this chapter)