Chapter 807: Chapter 549: Being Camp Commander Is More Conducive to Work! (2)
"Don’t worry, Mayor Qin, no, Political Commissioner Qin, Comrade Han Yu is a very competent instructor. If it weren’t for the regulation that reserve officers can only serve as instructors, we would all want Comrade Han Yu to serve as Camp Commander of the Linghai Reserve Camp."
"Is there such a regulation?"
"To be honest, there isn’t any explicit regulation, but by convention, active-duty officers always serve in the main military roles."
"Since there’s no explicit regulation, why can’t we be flexible?"
Just as Vice Mayor Qin finished speaking, Secretary Ye came over accompanied by Deputy Mayor Shen and said with a smile, "Captain Xia, Political Commissioner Jiao, I also believe that having Comrade Han Yu serve as Camp Commander is more beneficial for our work. Besides, even though Comrade Han Yu is not an active-duty officer, he has been recognized with a first-level merit by the General Politics department and awarded as a second-level model by the Ministry of Police, making him fully qualified to be Camp Commander!"
Director Tang and Deputy Director Zeng from Customs gathered around.
Director Tang agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "Captain Xia, I’m not saying Comrade Yang Jianbo is incompetent, but reserve work has its special aspects. Moreover, the Linghai Reserve Camp is more like a special forces camp. I too believe that having Comrade Han Yu as Camp Commander and Comrade Yang Jianbo as Instructor is more conducive to our work."
Although in the military, the roles of Camp Commander and Instructor are equivalent, in reality, the Instructor is just a bit less prominent than the Camp Commander.
Salted Fish was cultivated by several units to become the "Binjiang Water Army Commander", and this reserve was also established with the support of many units. How could Salted Fish not be in charge?
Director Zeng felt that Vice Mayor Qin and Secretary Ye’s words held a lot of sense and earnestly said, "Captain Xia, Political Commissioner Jiao, they say you prepare for the military for a thousand days and use it for one, if the superiors need the Linghai Reserve Camp, all personnel must be ready to sacrifice themselves for rescue operations! Last year during a typhoon and flood, Han Yu was ordered to lead a team to evacuate the people on Jiangxin Island. Do you know what he said to Political Commissioner Ma from the Water Police Station and the officers participating in the operation?"
"What did he say?" Captain Xia asked softly.
"At the time, the wind was strong, and the waves were high on the river. Political Commissioner Ma asked him to ensure the safety of the police officers participating, but he couldn’t guarantee it. He didn’t even know if he himself would be back."
Deputy Director Zeng pointed to Ma Jintao and others and continued, "As far as I know, Salted Fish told Xiao Ma and the others when departing that he couldn’t ensure everyone’s safety but hoped everyone could ensure the safety of the people."
Director Tang, understanding the implication in Deputy Director Zeng’s words, earnestly added, "No matter what task is executed on the river, there can only be one voice! For example, in fighting water fires, our Port Supervision Bureau has agreements with the Binjiang Fire Department, Water Police Station, and Changhang Bureau that an outsider can never command an insider, and the on-site commander can only be appointed by members from the Water Fire Fighting Association."
Rescue operations aren’t like any other task, especially since the Linghai Reserve Camp only carries out perilous rescue missions when they act at all.
The officers and soldiers of the Reserve Camp are almost all subordinates of the present unit leaders, and they must ensure their subordinates’ safety. They only trust Salted Fish!
If it were to be left up to Salted Fish to command, even he wouldn’t believe in himself.
After all, once a mission is executed, reserve camp must operate according to military rules, with the military leader responsible for military business. Only if the military leader faces special circumstances and is unable to perform, can the political leader take over command.
Seeing the consistent and determined stance of vertical management unit leaders and local party and government leaders on this matter, Captain Xia had no choice but to smile and say, "Then we’ll follow the opinions of the leaders, appoint Comrade Han Yu as Camp Commander and Comrade Yang Jianbo as Instructor. If the superiors inquire, Political Commissioner Jiao and I will explain to them."
"That’s the right decision."
Vice Mayor Qin nodded with satisfaction, then turned and asked with a smile, "Director Liao, didn’t you have something to say to Salted Fish?"
"I do!"
Director Liao, being a deputy department level, didn’t have the earlier opportunity to come forward.
Once Vice Mayor Qin called his name, he quickly squeezed in with a smile and said, "Camp Commander Han, the Provincial Defense Command and the City Committee and Municipal Government have just issued two documents, requesting our Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Center Office to prepare materials for rescue operations. That means each unit needs to establish a reserve warehouse for rescue materials and purchase corresponding rescue materials.
At the city level, it’s mainly our Water Resources Bureau taking responsibility. Didn’t you say before that you wanted to stockpile some rescue materials? If you have room in your camp, we can build a warehouse there. The costs of construction and procurement of rescue materials will be borne by our Water Resources Bureau."
The City Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Center is set up in the Water Resources Bureau.
Director Liao not only serves as the Deputy Director of the Water Resources Bureau but also as the Director of the City Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Center Office.
Han Yu, who was worrying about funds to procure several batches of "ammunition", quickly smiled and said, "We have space in our camp, thank you, Director Liao, for supporting our work!"
"You got it wrong; it’s not we supporting your work, but you supporting our defense command’s work. Previously you helped our command in forming a rescue team, and now you’re forming a Flood Control and Rescue Mobile Assault Battalion. We in Binjiang can only have too few such rescue teams, never too many."
Last year’s typhoon, storm tide, and heavy rain disasters caused significant damage to Linghai.
Secretary Ye, once bitten twice shy by past experiences, immediately took over the conversation when Vice Director Liao spoke, "Salted Fish, we in Linghai also need to establish a specialized flood control and rescue team. We’ll discuss this with Mayor Qian and then consult the Armed Forces Department.
The city will solve the funding, and the Armed Forces Department will lead the formation of a militia emergency rescue team. You can use your camp as a training base, and have them train with you at that time."
...
The words said by the leaders were heard clearly by Yang Jianbo at the back.
Since he can’t be Camp Commander, he can only be an Instructor, but he’s not disappointed, as the position of Camp Commander is indeed challenging.
He summed up the situation earlier and figured that to do well as Camp Commander, he’d have to handle "five relationships" well.
First, there’s the relationship with the reserve instructor, since you don’t have much authority, and the actual work in the camp is led by the instructor, so how do you handle this relationship?
Next, there’s the relationship with the reserve company commander and instructors, as they may not be familiar with you, and their prior ranks and positions before demobilization might have been higher than yours, so on what grounds do you lead them?
Third, there’s the relationship with the supporting units. The Linghai Reserve Camp is not only supported by the Linghai Economic and Technological Development Zone, but also by several major units and dozens of enterprises and institutions. Those leaders support reservist construction out of respect for Salted Fish, yet if you approach them for discussions, might they even bother with you or how would Salted Fish perceive that?
Fourth, there’s the relationship with superiors. It’s easy to say for the battalion, as the Captain and the Political Commissioner are indeed his superiors, but how does one handle the relationship with Deputy Mayor Shen, who’s also the first secretary? He’s a member of the Linghai Standing Committee and a Vice Department level leader; his main job is very busy, and he might not even have time to meet you.
Finally, there’s the relationship with the local Armed Forces Department. The reserve work and their militia work inherently overlap or even contradict, and they naturally dislike each other, so how could such a situation be handled by a small, solitary Camp Commander?
Why not give way to someone who can handle these relationships well, like the "Binjiang Water Army Commander," being the Camp Commander suits them better!
Yang Jianbo was thinking about finding an opportunity to have an open and honest talk with Salted Fish to express his thoughts on the role adjustments, in case Salted Fish feels awkward due to these changes. All of a sudden, Xiao Yu squeezed over and asked, "Camp Commander Yang, the leaders just mentioned reserve officers. Aren’t we reserve officers too, why are we considered reserve officers now?"
"A reserve officer is just another name for a reserve officer, much like how judicial police include both judges from the court and prosecutors from the procuratorate who aren’t police, yet are collectively called judicial police."
"It’s just a naming convention?"
"Yes, reserve officers are certainly reserve officers, but not all reserve officers are reserve officers. For instance, I’m an officer in the reserve forces, but I’m active-duty, it’s somewhat different from you all."
Xiao Yu grasped it, reflecting on how odd the title of reserve officer sounded. Yang Jianbo then chuckled and said, "Xiao Yu, don’t call me Camp Commander Yang anymore; I won’t be Camp Commander soon."
"You’re transferring?"
"No, I’m not transferring; my position will be adjusted soon. Secretary Han is going to be Camp Commander, and I’ll become the Instructor."
"Salted Fish deserves to be Camp Commander, don’t be upset; Salted Fish should be Camp Commander!"
Xiao Yu grew more pleased the more he thought about it, patting Yang Jianbo’s shoulder, "Actually, for Salted Fish to be a Camp Commander feels like a loss. I’ve seen many Camp Commanders who’ve transferred to our police system and ended up just average officers, not even squad leaders."
"..."
"Camp Commander Yang, am I wrong?"
"No, you’re right. If I ever have the chance to transfer to the Changhang Bureau, perhaps I’ll be under your command."
