Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

In Zhang Anbang's dormitory, four people stood there blankly. Zhang Anbang was a little annoyed by their requests. "What are you guys thinking? What is the purpose of this farewell party?"

This is a time for everyone to bid you farewell as you retire from active service and return to civilian life, so that you can feel the care of the military and the camaraderie of your comrades.

Zhang Anbang took a sip of water and asked the four of them to sit down. "The principle of our farewell party is to encourage voluntary participation and show your talents. However, as you have seen, it might be a little inappropriate for you to be the first to sing. Nevertheless, your idea of ​​actively participating is commendable and encouraging. Let me think of a solution."

The four looked at Zhang Anbang with anticipation. It wasn't that they couldn't sing this song at this time, but they were afraid that with so many people, it might cause the retired soldiers to lose control of their emotions, which wouldn't look good.

"I ask you, if war breaks out and the army calls you back, would you be willing to return?"

The four men immediately stood up at attention. "Reporting, we are ready at any time."

"Okay, I have an idea. Wait a minute," Zhang Anbang pulled out a pen and quickly wrote a few lines. "How about you guys shout this out before we sing together?"

The group took it and nodded vigorously. "That's right, that's exactly what they were thinking!"

The four returned satisfied. Zhang Anbang couldn't help but sigh, "What excellent soldiers they are! They might have been able to stay in other companies, but this is the Steel Seventh Company, where there are too many talented people and too few opportunities."

The Seventh Steel Company is indeed a spearhead unit, but it has also sacrificed the future of some soldiers. Soldiers who could have stayed in the army for a few more years could not. However, this is the general trend at present, and it is not something that individuals can change.

He could only try his best to make some changes; in the face of the tides of the times, an individual's fate is just an insignificant ripple.

The purpose of the retirement farewell party is first and foremost to affirm the value of the soldiers' military service and to remind them of their original aspirations and missions.

They were encouraged to remember the trials and growth they experienced during their military careers, including the tempering of their physical and mental strength, the cultivation of their sense of responsibility, and the deep camaraderie among comrades—all of which are invaluable and irreplaceable assets in their lives.

It should be emphasized that their contributions to the military are not the end, but the beginning of a new stage in their lives, and the soldierly spirit they have gained from this experience is something to be proud of forever.

They are encouraged to maintain their military spirit after retirement, bringing the discipline, execution, resilience, and teamwork cultivated in the military to their local work and life.

They are diligent and hardworking in their new roles, resilient and persevering in the face of difficulties, and upright and responsible when it comes to matters of principle. They are responsible members of their families and accountable citizens in society, making the military a lifelong honor.

It also serves as a reminder to cherish the camaraderie among comrades-in-arms, maintain contact and mutual assistance, and stay in touch and support each other even when separated by great distances.

Comrades-in-arms are not only partners who fought side by side in the past, but also support on the road ahead. This sense of cohesion and belonging will not dissipate when they retire.

It also tells them that leaving the military is not a "farewell," but rather a way to protect others, using the qualities they learned in the military to protect their families and contribute to the stability and development of society.

In the days that followed, the soldiers in the three platoons worked even harder. As they found the right approach, the rehearsal progressed quickly. However, no one knew that the four retired soldiers were still holding back a big surprise.

The soldiers from the other platoons were even more curious, but the word "secret" silenced them all.

We can only wait until the day comes to see what big news the deputy company commander has made. Right now, we can only hear bits and pieces of information from him occasionally.

Although it was only a sentence or two, it was clear that it was quite good, and everyone felt that this was an incredible thing.

This is the Seventh Steel Company, a musical blind spot.

The last time I participated in a group performance like this, well, it was the last time, when we performed group military boxing.

Did the deputy company commander cast some kind of spell upon his arrival, making everyone suddenly understand? The key point is that the company headquarters is staffed 24 hours a day, yet no one has ever seen the deputy company commander set up an altar to perform any rituals.

The cultural troupe also received the document sent by Commander Wang Qingrui. However, Wang Qingrui was a bit cunning and only had the clerk copy the score and write a name on it, without writing the lyrics.

When the cultural troupe received the message, they realized that this was such a small matter that they didn't even need to inform the team leader; they could make a decision on it and replied directly that it was no problem and they agreed to help with the accompaniment.

Normally, all the programs for a farewell party need to be approved first, in order to ensure the solemnity, seriousness and positive direction of the event, while also ensuring a smooth process and a suitable atmosphere.

To ensure the program aligns with the event's theme, it must convey affirmation and blessings for retired soldiers, as well as the passing on of the military spirit. The program should revolve around core emotions such as gratitude for military service, blessings for the future, and deep camaraderie.

It is important to control the direction of the content. Military settings have strict requirements on the political and ideological nature of the content. Inappropriate remarks, sensitive topics, or expressions that are not in line with the identity of a soldier must be avoided. The content should convey positive energy.

It is also necessary to ensure that the process is orderly, and to confirm whether the program length and format are appropriate, so as to avoid the process being delayed due to excessively long programs or chaotic transitions.

We must also respect emotional expression. Retired soldiers express their emotions very sincerely, and we should guide them to present them in an appropriate way.

In short, the review process aims to make the program more in line with the atmosphere of the farewell party, to make the veterans' emotional expressions more appropriate and touching, and to ensure that the event is solemn and warm, leaving veterans with unforgettable memories.

However, all of these procedures were not followed, even though the regimental commander and political commissar assured them that there would be no problems. In this way, the performance of the Seventh Steel Company was scheduled to be the last one.

Time flies like a wild donkey; in the blink of an eye, it's time for the farewell party.

In two days, the retired soldiers on the list will leave the military camp and return to their hometowns to begin their new lives.

Although it was called a farewell party, everyone was not happy at all. Instead, they felt a deep sense of sadness and reluctance to part ways, having lived, ate, and trained together for two years.

We spend about 22 or 23 hours a day together, and suddenly we have to separate. Just thinking about it makes my tears well up.

These past few days, the veterans of the Seventh Company who are leaving have been vying to clean the dormitory, washing everyone's smelly socks and doing their laundry—things they would never have done before.

In their words, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so why not take advantage of the time to do something meaningful and leave a lasting impression on everyone? They joked that they were afraid everyone would forget them.

In fact, they all know that they can never forget them. No matter where they are in the world, they may be too busy with work and life to meet in the future, but they will never forget the friendship of the past two years or these lovely comrades.

On the day of the farewell party, early in the morning, the regimental staff set up a stage on the regimental headquarters' large parade ground, and the members of the cultural troupe arrived one after another.

As for Zhang Anbang, he led the soldiers of the Steel Seventh Company to continue training. Everyone in the Steel Seventh Company, including the soldiers who were about to retire, continued to train normally.

This is the Steel Seventh Company. As long as we are still in the company, training cannot stop. Soldiers only have fighting and preparing to fight. As long as we are on duty, we must do our best.

The persistent rehearsals over the past few days have yielded excellent results. The score has been handed over to the cultural troupe, and the soldiers only need to sing it well.

As the last glimmer of light faded on the horizon, in the darkness of the early night, each unit took their seats in their designated areas on the vast playground.

All members who participated in the performance were seated on the left side of the stage, which made it convenient for everyone to watch the show and for them to go on stage directly when it was their turn to perform.

At the front of the stage, sitting in the middle were the division commander and deputy division commander, with the regimental commander and political commissar on either side. Further out were Captain Wang of the cultural troupe and other cadres and personnel from the division and regiment.

As the scheduled time arrived, the host went on stage to announce the start of the farewell party. First, the division commander was invited to speak. As a key unit, it was normal for the division commander to personally attend and give a speech at the 702's retirement farewell party.

"First of all, on behalf of the Party Committee and the headquarters of the division, I would like to express my highest respect and heartfelt thanks to all the retired soldiers for their outstanding contributions to the building of the armed forces."

……

May you carry the lessons learned in the military and have a smooth journey ahead on your new journey in life, achieving even greater success. The military and your comrades will always remember you!

Subsequently, the regimental commander and political commissar also spoke, expressing their care and gratitude to the retired soldiers.

After the leaders delivered their speeches at the farewell party, the evening's performances began, hosted by two handsome and beautiful emcees from the performing arts troupe.

The cultural troupe and soldiers performed one program after another. The young men of the army are truly different. Although there were some problems with their singing in terms of pitch and other aspects, it still had a unique charm.

Even a popular song here can carry the flavor of iron and blood.