Chapter 815: Chapter 556: Buying Tradition with Money
"Old platoon leader, we know what you’re saying, and we understand your feelings, but the regiment indeed has its difficulties."
"Then don’t engage in reserve activities, just focus on training the civilian soldiers well!"
"Old platoon leader, don’t get worked up, we’re trying to find solutions."
Investor Zhou looked distressed.
Yang Jianbo hesitated to speak.
It seems the regiment is truly poor and genuinely unable to solve these most basic needs.
Han Yu can only say, "Uniforms will be handled by our camp. The spring and fall regular uniforms and winter regular uniforms are too expensive, so we won’t issue them for now. Everyone, including the camp’s staff officers, will be issued camouflage uniforms!"
The Armed Forces Department is said to be under dual leadership from the Military District and local authorities, but essentially, it mainly receives leadership from the Military District. But in situations like this, at least we can ask for money from the local [party] committee government, and the organizational structure is sound, with military departments in each town.
The Reserve Regiment has nothing, besides asking Vice Mayor Qin, whom else can we ask? But Vice Mayor Qin isn’t a standing committee member, and his ranking among Binjiang’s vice mayors is quite low due to his seniority.
The position is quite high, now at a vice director level, but without substantial authority, unable to help solve funding issues.
Liu Degui realized that slamming the table was useless and pondered aloud, "We are a Flood Control and Rescue Mobile Assault Battalion, and during flood season, which generally falls in summer, it’s already hot, and working makes it even hotter. If we actually undertake rescue missions, we could be drenched within half an hour.
One set of camouflage uniforms isn’t enough; at least two sets should be issued, otherwise we won’t have anything to change into. Forget about the army’s big shorts, they’re uncomfortable, but vests should be issued more, and shoes and socks should also be provided in greater numbers."
Han Yu glanced at the price list provided by Investor Zhou, secretly calculated that the camp could bear the costs, and said, "Alright, the expenses for purchasing camouflage uniforms, vests, socks, and rubber shoes will be covered by our camp. We ask your military supply department to help us with the procurement. We lack procurement channels and cannot buy counterfeit military gear."
"Camp Commander Han, rest assured, as long as there’s funding, I’m responsible for procurement, and shipping costs will be covered by the regiment."
"Wait a moment."
Liu Degui lit a cigarette and continued, "Working leads to sweating, and if you sweat too much, you’ll need to drink water, otherwise dehydration or heatstroke could occur, so water bottles are also essential. Considering we might undertake flood control rescue missions, meaning we might fight in the rain, raincoats must also be issued."
Han Yu agreed and said, "Just camouflage uniforms and pants aren’t enough; belts also need to be issued."
"Camp Commander, why not add towels and toothbrush holders? Since we’re about to organize training, we should look like a proper unit, aligned and uniform."
"Alright."
Han Yu and Liu Degui quickly finalized the list of necessary equipment.
Considering the varying sizes of military uniforms, we have to wait until the company leaders complete collecting height and waist measurements of the soldiers before we can finalize the sizes needed for the military gear.
...
Districts and counties perform better than cities.
Conditions in the camp are better than in the regiment.
This seems to have become Binjiang’s tradition.
Investor Zhou found it all so absurd and recalled how the regiment’s Political Commissioner said that since the Linghai Reserve was to be made a "model camp," the regiment must make some gestures, quickly added, "Camp Commander Han, old platoon leader, there’s one thing I nearly forgot to report to both of you."
"You’re an investor, I’m a camp commander, we’re on equal footing; what are you reporting to me?"
"Then it’s an update."
Investor Zhou smiled, put away the form he took out earlier, and said, "You’ve established the camp area and made it so well, with hardware conditions in place, the software conditions also need to catch up. The regiment’s committee has decided that Friend Jianbo will be stationed at the camp permanently starting today."
Han Yu replied, "This is a good thing, welcome, welcome."
"Considering the transportation unit currently has no tasks and can’t just go out helping others like before, the regiment has decided to station the transportation unit’s three trucks and five soldiers in the camp area to be managed by the camp during regular times, and follow the regiment’s leadership when there’s a transportation task."
As soon as Investor Zhou finished speaking, Yang Jianbo smilingly added, "Camp Commander, there aren’t many transportation tasks in our camp, so we can have some of the soldiers rotate and stand guard."
Han Yu jokingly asked, "Is it both a transportation unit and a guard unit?"
"Hmm."
"Alright, having guards at the entrance makes it feel like a military camp!"
Seeing the Binjiang Water Army Commander so pleased, Investor Zhou seized the opportunity and said, "Camp Commander Han, those five soldiers can all drive, but we only have three Liberation trucks. The regiment head has decided to allocate the Cherokee from the small car unit to you."
Han Yu had visited the regimental headquarters and was not completely unaware of the regiment’s situation.
The regiment has several jeeps, mostly old 212 Jeeps, with only one Cherokee SUV issued by the superior last year, which is also the best vehicle in the regiment.
The regiment leadership intends to allocate the best vehicle to the Linghai Reserve Camp. Han Yu whispered, "If that vehicle is allocated to us, what will the regimental commander and the political commissioner use when they go out for work?"
"There are several small vehicles in the regiment. The regimental commander has said that the Cherokee’s condition is the best, and the camp needs it more than the regiment."
"Thank you, regiment leadership, for your concern."
"Don’t be embarrassed, Camp Commander Han, what the regiment can do is limited to this."
You have to be willing to give in order to gain support in work.
Investor Zhou paused, then changed the topic, "Before I came, the political commissioner instructed that once the camp is completed, you should reserve a room for the honor room, at which time the political office will help with the setup."
Han Yu asked with a smile, "Our camp has just been established, what honor do we have?"
"You do have honor."
Investor Zhou took out a stack of documents from his bag and explained with a smile, "The predecessor of our regiment was the Binjiang Reserve Division, which was formed based on an infantry regiment that was transferred to the Provincial Military District after being disbanded. The predecessor of that infantry regiment’s battalion was an independent regiment from the West Sea Military District in the Jiaodong Military Region during the anti-Japanese war. It underwent multiple restructurings and was successively affiliated with the Dongshan Army, East China Field Army, Third Field Army, and Nanjing Military Region."
Han Yu immediately became interested and eagerly asked, "Investor Zhou, are you saying our regiment has the lineage of the Third Field Army?"
"It should be said to have the heritage of the Third Field Army."
"That’s great! My master is referred to as Third Field Army, and my master’s father was an old revolutionary in the Third Field Army!"
"What a coincidence."
Investor Zhou smiled and continued, "This battalion is a heroic unit with outstanding battle achievements and talents. During the Liberation War, it participated in 79 major battles, including Jinan, Huaihai, crossing the river and liberating the East Sea, annihilating over 20,000 enemies, and was bestowed the ’Heroic Assault Battalion’ honor title by the Central Military Commission. To date, it has produced 39 generals!"
In September 1965, the battalion’s Second Company excelled in the entire military competitions and was awarded the ’Red Saber Battalion’ honor title by the Ministry of National Defense.
Camp Commander Han, you mentioned earlier that our regiment has the lineage of the Third Field Army. The political commissioner asked me to inform you that from now on, the predecessor of your camp is this heroic ’Heroic Assault Battalion’, and your camp has one company that can inherit the ’Red Saber Battalion’, but you must inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of the ’Heroic Assault Battalion’ and the ’Red Saber Battalion’."
The development zone’s investment attraction requires soft power.
For the military, this is also "soft power", and having a fine heritage and tradition is very important.
As an old soldier who has been to the battlefield, Liu Degui knows that the long-disbanded ’Heroic Assault Battalion’ and ’Red Saber Battalion’ are the most valuable assets of the Binjiang Reserve Regiment, and cheerfully said, "Investor Zhou, thank the regiment party committee for trusting our camp. Please help us convey to the regiment leadership that we will definitely inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of our predecessors and will not bring disgrace to the regiment!"
My master was right when he said, whatever you do, strive to be the first.
If the Linghai Reserve Camp had been formed later and didn’t have its own camp area, how could the regiment give us these two golden signboards? Even if they wanted to give them, the brother reserve camps would compete for them.
Han Yu realized he had hit the jackpot, and considering the significant gift from the regiment, the camp must reciprocate. After weighing the options, he said, "Investor Zhou, the regiment’s funds are very tight. We need to share the regiment’s worries. Although our camp’s funds are also tight, we should be able to squeeze out fifty thousand to support the regiment’s work."
Investor Zhou was here for this matter but was embarrassed to mention it earlier.
Seeing Han Yu proactively bringing it up, he awkwardly asked, "The division might borrow the assessment of your camp’s reserve officer training performance as an opportunity, and by the way, check other camps to verify whether there are so many soldiers. Other camps have encountered some difficulties with organizing soldiers, mainly due to funding issues. Camp Commander Han, in addition to the sponsor of fifty thousand just mentioned, could you lend another fifty thousand to the regiment for circulation?"
Last year, when typhoons hit and floods occurred, the civilian soldiers and reserve forces’ performance in rescue and disaster relief was unsatisfactory, so the superior placed great importance on the civilian soldiers and reserve forces work. Otherwise, the Provincial Committee, Provincial Government, and Provincial Military District would not have jointly issued documents requiring the reserve division and military districts to form flood control and rescue civilian soldiers reserve forces.
The Military District last time came to investigate whether there were so many civilian soldiers; one can imagine that the reserve division leadership would similarly arrange personnel to come down for inspections.
Compared to the armed forces departments of counties and districts, the work of the Binjiang Reserve Regiment is more difficult to carry out.
Han Yu suddenly realized that the regimental commander, political commissioner, and chief of staff have been having a tough time recently; otherwise, Investor Zhou wouldn’t have been asked to raise this issue.
Even though lending the fifty thousand means it’s likely not coming back, considering the golden signboards of ’Heroic Assault Battalion’ and ’Red Saber Battalion’ are worth that price, he readily agreed, "No problem, administrator, let’s handle it now. You prepare the fund application, and I’ll contact Secretary Qiu to try to transfer the money to the regiment’s account as soon as possible."
The camp has a dedicated account and a financial management system.
Liu Degui took out the keys to open the drawer and filled in the fund application form, with Han Yu and Yang Jianbo signing approvals on it.
Liu Degui is equivalent to the general accountant, managing the finances but not allowed to withdraw funds.
Camp Secretary Qiu Xueliang is equivalent to the cashier, and only upon seeing both the Camp Commander and Instructor have signed the application will he go to the bank to withdraw funds or process the transfer.
Liu Degui also thought this deal was worthwhile, smilingly said, "Investor Zhou, I don’t know the regiment’s account number, so why not go with me to Linghai later, and then go with Secretary Qiu to the bank for the transfer."
"Going today?"
"Swift actions are crucial for soldiers; we are the Flood Control and Rescue Mobile Assault Battalion, we must emphasize efficiency!"
