Chapter 29 Section VIII

The Mitsubishi jeep stopped at the tent area of ​​the exercise director's department, and Major General Liu Yongjun, commander of the Army Group A, got off the car and walked straight into the big tent of the director's department.The troops outside were singing and it was very lively, but in front of the sand table there was only the old man leaning over to watch carefully, so it was deserted.Liu Yongjun saluted, not daring to say loudly: "Chief." The old man turned his head to look at him, but said nothing.Liu Yongjun strode over, and the old man looked at the sand table: "You think I should praise you for winning the battle, right?"

Liu Yongjun whispered: "No." "Your main division was wiped out by the whole organization system. If it wasn't for your strategic mobile reserve team who came up quickly and evaded the enemy with a left hook and directly killed the blue army headquarters, the A group army would not exist at all." The old man also said Looking at the sand table, "This shows that your tactical literacy is good, and the A army's combat effectiveness is strong and well-equipped-but why do you want the blue army to eat one of your main divisions?" "Chief, it's my negligence." Liu Yongjun said sincerely.

"You are a well-known young and strong faction in the whole army. How could you make such a low-level mistake?" The old man said sadly, "Could it be that the army will stop fighting after the war is over? Look at what your main division is doing , If you can’t find the blue army, why don’t you take the initiative to find the enemy for a decisive battle? Why don’t you use any of the reconnaissance methods?” Liu Yongjun lowered his head. "I should be gratified that you were able to turn the tide in the face of danger; but you can't avoid this kind of loss that should have been avoided, and I feel disappointed." The old man shook his head, "At the Second World War, the Soviet Red Army was paralyzed and underestimated the enemy at the beginning of the war. Let the German army drive straight in, although they won in the end, but the Soviet Union paid a huge price! I thought this should be a wake-up call, and I went back and carefully read "The History of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War."

"Yes." Liu Yongjun saluted. "In addition, the newly established special reconnaissance brigade of the military region performed well in this exercise." The old man said lightly, "You should familiarize yourself with the advanced synthetic command, it will be good for you." Liu Yongjun was taken aback, is this a signal for him to prepare to enter the senior command?Before he had time to react, a "report" sounded from outside.As soon as the old man came in, He Zhijun entered the tent and saluted: "Deputy Commander! Commander Liu!" "You go back." The old man nodded to Liu Yongjun and turned to He Zhijun, "Why, you still look sad after winning the battle?"

"Chief, we have won, but my brigade has been disabled." He Zhijun really looked bitter, "Half of the members of our brigade were killed during the exercise. I have no one left!" A smile appeared on the old man's face: "You, He Zhijun, are playing with me again? Are you thinking about weaving again?" He Zhijun laughed aloud: "Chief, I can't hide it from your eyes." "The report has been uploaded, but the General Staff has not yet approved it." The old man turned to the sand table, "I can't answer you now." "But at the end of the year we will start to have veterans leaving the army?" He Zhijun said anxiously, "There will be 27 at once! There will be 21 next year. If this continues, there will be no cadres left in our brigade!"

The old man smiled and didn't speak without looking at him. "Chief, I want to know if the report of the Special Reconnaissance Brigade's application to select top scouts for training in the entire military region can be approved? We can't have soldiers!" He Zhijun dared not play tricks in front of him anymore, and said bluntly. "I can't approve at this stage." The old man moved the sand table without looking at him, "Institutional problems can only be solved at the level of the general staff." "Then how do our soldiers deal with it?" He Zhijun was really anxious, "I won't even dare to let me participate in the exercise next year, there is no one left!"

"There are no soldiers, you can recruit them." The old man smiled wryly. "Recruitment?" He Zhijun's eyes widened, "Boss! There are only three years of conscripts! One year is just a soldier, two years is a soldier, and the third year is half a special soldier - but, I have to go again; transfer to volunteers and follow It is as difficult as climbing to the sky, and the proportion control is so strict..." "I can increase the proportion of volunteers for you," the old man said. "But I still need time to train!" He Zhijun grimaced, "What should I do during this time? You know that special forces all over the world select members from veterans..."

The old man looked at him coldly: "This is in China! Do you understand? - I can't control system issues at this level. - You select top scouts from other troops, will they let them go? Are you willing to let them go? Don't you want I ordered them to give you the top talents they have cultivated? Just one sentence needs to solve the problem of special forces? How many army chiefs hate you and me? It takes time to develop awareness and habits! Time! ——You should recruit troops first, the team can’t be scattered, and the rest of the problems will be solved slowly.” "Yes!" He Zhijun could only salute.

Back at the brigade headquarters, He Zhijun hadn't recovered yet.Looking at the cadres in the room, he turned around a few times and spread his hands: "Okay! If it doesn't work, recruit yourself! The political commissar organizes and sends a few capable cadres to recruit troops. The key is to have high education and good physical fitness." Urban soldiers and rural soldiers must be above junior high school." "Captain, how do we recruit troops when we go down?" A cadre asked, "What troops?" "Special forces, the hairy kids haven't broken our threshold?" He Zhijun laughed.

"Captain, the current situation may not be as optimistic as you think." The cadre said, "Most urban children have to go to college, and even if they don't go to college, they don't want to join the army. According to that standard, it is difficult to recruit a full number of people. " "What?" He Zhijun wondered, "No one wants to be a special soldier?" "Maybe it's okay if you don't say special forces, but if you say special forces, no one dares to come." Another cadre smiled wryly, "It's the same in the countryside. Now that they are rich, few children are willing to take the initiative to suffer."

"The times have really changed?" He Zhijun looked bewildered. The cadres were afraid to speak, and Geng Hui said with a wry smile: "Everyone, don't talk about being discouraged. The PLA still has a status in the hearts of ordinary people. Our work must be meticulous and patient, and comrades who go to recruit troops must be able to think work, and establish a good relationship with the local armed forces. If it doesn’t work, let’s say it’s not a special force, but a force directly under the military region, so it’s easier to keep secrets.” He Zhijun didn't speak until the end of the meeting. "What's the matter, Lao He?" Geng Hui asked him, "What are you thinking?" "I was thinking..." He Zhijun smiled bitterly, "It was not easy for us to be a soldier, but now... are there really no children who want to be in the People's Liberation Army?"