Chapter 192: Goal: The Army’s First “all-nco Battalion”!
The Training Team’s subjects arrangement was very compact, with every day spent busy and bustling.
Serious work makes people forget time; this training period seemed to activate acceleration, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.
However.
Although work time passed quickly, every day was extremely fulfilling.
The warriors participating in the training were training others and sharing their own combat experience, which was also self-improvement, making themselves more excellent.
Because in the sharing process, it was equivalent to reviewing the lessons once, consolidating strength, and also finding possible existing problems, facilitating subsequent improvements.
The Training Team’s warriors each had gains, and Chen Jun also smoothly completed his work.
Upon finishing the training lectures for all regiments in T Division and returning with the team to Division Headquarters to report, Chen Jun personally handed over the combined arms battalion preparation preliminary plan he had written, along with the already perfected combined arms tactics theory, to the Division Commander.
The Division Commander, who had long been impatient, began to seriously review it in front of Chen Jun.
Although there was no conversation with Chen Jun during this time, it did not prevent the Division Commander from being amazed by the content, continuously emitting sounds of admiration.
It was evident that the content inside opened the Division Commander’s eyes.
It took a full half hour before the Division Commander finished reading Chen Jun’s preliminary plan and theory.
He was very satisfied with the content; at least he could not find any faults, but there was one point that left him slightly puzzled.
“Deputy Company Commander Chen, your preliminary plan is written very well, and the theory is also very outstanding. With these two pieces of information, I will have more confidence when going to the Military Region, but…”
The Division Commander spoke halfway, then sharply changed the topic: “I see that you emphasize here that the combined arms battalion must be all-NCO; I’m afraid the difficulty is quite high.
Not only does our Group Army not have an all-NCO battalion, but even the entire army has no precedent.
Even in the best case, if the Group Army Leader above supports it, to achieve an all-NCO battalion, one regiment alone cannot do it; it probably requires the efforts of the entire division.
The impact is so broad, the mobilization so huge; if it ultimately fails to form combat effectiveness, this responsibility…”
The Division Commander stopped here, frowning with an unusually serious expression, pausing for a full three seconds, as if making some decision.
Staring into Chen Jun’s eyes, he said in a stern tone: “Deputy Company Commander Chen, I’ll ask you one last time: how confident are you about this combined arms battalion?”
“I have absolute confidence.”
Chen Jun did not hesitate for a second and explained: “The combined arms battalion establishment is very complex, with a broad structure and composition, and not as simple as an ordinary battalion.
Especially as the first to try it, with no experience to draw from, everything must be explored on our own, destined to make this path more bumpy, encountering various problems along the way.
To ensure the combined arms battalion can form combat effectiveness, it is necessary to refine the warriors to the most basic level, gathering the most excellent warriors for the sprint.
With the determination of ‘no success then death,’ the combined arms battalion’s combat effectiveness can be maximized.
I know that an all-NCO battalion requires great effort, but its benefits are equally great. If someone is needed to bear the responsibility, I am willing to sign a military order.”
Non-commissioned officers are the key personnel level of the troops, playing a crucial bridging role.
If the combined arms battalion is all non-commissioned officers, then there is no need to spend time training new recruits, and all time can be devoted to combined arms tactical training.
The warriors’ quality is higher, and the time is more unified.
Just accounting for these two advantages is enough to accelerate the creation of the combined arms battalion by thirty percent.
It is precisely because the advantages of an all-NCO battalion are so great that Chen Jun focused on proposing this new concept of an all-NCO battalion in the combined arms battalion preparation preliminary plan.
“You cannot bear it, and there is no need for you to bear it; I only need this statement from you.”
What the Division Commander wanted was just Chen Jun’s attitude. Having received Chen Jun’s firm answer, he could also make the final choice in his heart.
While organizing and putting away the information handed over by Chen Jun, he said decisively: “Then the matter is settled for now. After you return to the company, continue adjusting the current combined arms company.
Leave other matters to me; I will personally go to the Military Region to find the Leader.
Success or failure, at most one month, I will give you an answer.”
From the Division Commander’s words, it was clear that he had taken on the momentum of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, ready to stake his old face to fight for the combined arms battalion.
With the Division Commander showing such courage, Chen Jun immediately gained full confidence.
He believed the Division Commander could do it!
Even retreating a hundred thousand steps, if the Division Commander really could not handle it, Chen Jun would have to find Gao Cheng to help arrange a private chat opportunity and personally try to persuade Army Commander Gao.
It was two hours later when he came out of the Division Commander’s office.
The other members of the Training Team who returned to the Division to report together had all been sent away by the Division-arranged car, leaving only Chen Jun behind.
However, the Division Commander had separately arranged a car for Chen Jun, which did not affect his return to the company.
But when Chen Jun was waiting at the roadside by the Division Headquarters building entrance for the Division-arranged car to pick him up, a low-spec “Leopard” edition Leopard off-road vehicle suddenly stopped in front of Chen Jun.
“Screech—”
While Chen Jun was still puzzled, the right rear window of the off-road vehicle slowly rolled down, revealing a familiar face inside.
“Regiment Commander good!”
Chen Jun immediately saluted and greeted.
“Chen Jun, a month without seeing you, you’ve gotten much tanner; looks like you’ve been working hard lately.”
Regiment Commander Wang teased with a full face of smiles, then suddenly realized: “Where are the other Training Team members? How come now only you are left as a lone commander?”
While Regiment Commander Wang spoke, his eyes looked left and right.
To see if there were still others.
“Report Regiment Commander, the Division arranged cars and has already sent them away first. The Division Commander called me for a conversation, so I stayed until the end, but he has arranged a car, and the driver has gone to the vehicle depot to get it,” Chen Jun said.
“The Division Commander called you alone for a conversation? That must be praising you. With your teaching this past month, the regiment’s phone has been blown up by other regiments, all calling to praise you to me; they’ve annoyed me to death.”
Regiment Commander Wang said he was annoyed on his lips, but fish tail wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes from smiling.
Exposing his inner joy!
“Praise was not the main point; calling me specifically was mainly to discuss the matter of forming the combined arms battalion with me,” Chen Jun explained with a smile.
“Oh? Combined arms battalion?”
Regiment Commander Wang became interested upon hearing this and beckoned: “Come, get in the car; we’ll chat on the way. Tell me properly, what exactly is going on?”
Steel Seventh Company had just been reorganized into a combined arms company and shone brightly in this exercise.
It could be said to have stolen the show.
If a combined arms battalion were formed on this basis, the establishment would rise one level; even by the crudest calculation, with a scale of five companies.
That would surely be a fivefold increase in combat effectiveness?
The army’s first combined arms company landed in Seventh Zero Two Regiment; if the combined arms battalion could also land in Seventh Zero Two Regiment, Regiment Commander Wang did not dare imagine how comfortable it would be.
“Okay, wait a moment.”
Chen Jun also wanted to chat with Regiment Commander Wang about matters related to combined arms battalion construction; after all, Regiment Commander Wang was his direct superior, so he naturally agreed.
“Sentry comrade, trouble you to pass on a message: if the Division’s car comes later, tell them I have already left, riding our regiment’s car back, okay?”
Chen Jun jogged a few steps to the gate and asked the sentry guarding the entrance to help pass the message.
“Okay, Leader.”
The sentry saluted and agreed.
Only then did Chen Jun jog back, preparing to open the passenger door to get in, but before the door was even opened, he was interrupted by Regiment Commander Wang.
“Hey, it’s inconvenient to chat in the front; you’d have to twist your neck to talk. Come, sit in the back.”
While Regiment Commander Wang spoke, he also took action, personally opening the side door for Chen Jun, meaning for him to get in from here.
The rear seat is the boss seat in outside society, and the leader seat in the troops.
For Chen Jun to enjoy such treatment proved he had completely won over Regiment Commander Wang, who now treated him as one of his own, without distinction of high or low.
After all.
Regiment Commander Wang was not the casual type; he still had quite a temper and tone.
Chen Jun, invited so warmly by Regiment Commander Wang, did not act petty or hesitant, nimbly closed the door, walked to the back, and sat beside Regiment Commander Wang.
“Chen Jun, has the Division Commander confirmed which regiment the combined arms battalion will be placed in? Or will it become a Division direct unit?”
Chen Jun had just settled in the back seat when the driver restarted the car, and Regiment Commander Wang eagerly asked the question he cared about most.
If the combined arms battalion landed in Division Headquarters or another regiment, it would have nothing to do with Seventh Zero Two Regiment.
Regiment Commander Wang had hustled so much for the combined arms company and already enjoyed the fruits of combined arms tactics; how could he let this meat slip away.
If he detected bad news from Chen Jun, Regiment Commander Wang could also act in time to salvage it.
“Where the combined arms battalion will be piloted was not discussed, and there is no way to determine it now, because the Division Commander still needs to apply to the Group Army; whether it will be approved is still uncertain,” Chen Jun said helplessly.
He was confident in his ability to do something well, but the decision-making power was not in his hands, which was indeed quite helpless.
“The Military Region side will definitely approve it.”
Upon hearing that the pilot unit was not yet determined, Regiment Commander Wang relaxed a lot and said confidently: “Now the entire army is talking about modernization and informatization, all talking about reform.
The combined arms battalion establishment is very modernized, the best model under informatization.
As long as the Military Region Leaders see your theory and know you have the ability to create the combined arms battalion, they will definitely agree and not miss this opportunity.
If our army can be the first to create a combined arms battalion, it will also bring light to the Leaders’ faces.”
Regiment Commander Wang laughed haha toward the end.
Regiment Commander Wang wanted the combined arms battalion in his own regiment, the Division Commander wanted it in his own Division level, and the Army Commander would similarly want to lead the reform.
Different positions, but the same thoughts.
Regiment Commander Wang was attracted by Chen Jun’s theory, and after the Division Commander read it, his blood boiled; Regiment Commander Wang had sufficient reason to believe the Army Commander would also fall.
Because there was a core here.
Everyone wanted to enhance the troops’ combat effectiveness, wanted the motherland to have a stronger army.
“I also hope the combined arms battalion can be launched sooner; one day earlier means one step ahead, and step by step ahead accumulates huge snowball advantages.
Dignity is only on the sword’s edge, truth only within the cannon’s range.
As a soldier, I deeply know that only when the motherland has a powerful army can it protect the people, deter all petty aggressors, and prevent the state and people from being bullied again.”
What Chen Jun said was a bit grandiose, but it was his innermost true thoughts.
The 1999 embassy bombing…
The 2001 collision incident…
Recalling these events about to happen, Chen Jun wished he could immediately hack the army, letting the world know what a giant dragon is.
Prevent all this from happening again.
Prevent tragedies from repeating.
“Good one—dignity only on the sword’s edge, truth only within the cannon’s range. Good, good, good, well said; it makes even this old bone of mine want to go into battle and kill the enemy.”
Regiment Commander Wang felt this phrase particularly deeply, excitedly saying good several times.
He then could not help but praise: “I never expected that you have a knack for warfare, outstanding military ability, and could be called a genius without exaggeration.
In literature, you also have such flair, much stronger than those officers in the regimental propaganda section.
When I get back, I must write it down and hang it on the wall in my office for everyone to appreciate your, Deputy Company Commander Chen’s, literary talent.”
When you like something, the more you look at it, the more you like it, and any flaws become advantages.
In Regiment Commander Wang’s eyes, Chen Jun was just like that.
All over his body were merits, almost to the point where even a fart would be fragrant.
“Regiment Commander, this really wasn’t written by me; I don’t know where I saw it, just happened to remember, so I said it casually.”
This was said by Professor Ai Lao Ai; Chen Jun truly could not take credit and immediately wanted to clarify.
But the more he clarified, the bigger the misunderstanding.
“Modest, you’re too modest, haha.”
Regiment Commander Wang confirmed this was said by Chen Jun, then changed the topic, saying in a deep tone: “I came to Division Headquarters for a meeting this time; actually, my pressure is quite heavy, but chatting with you has improved my mood a lot.”
“Could it be… the official military reform order?” Chen Jun guessed.
“Not exactly.”
Regiment Commander Wang cracked the window a bit, took out his cigarette case, and offered a cigarette to Chen Jun, but Chen Jun did not take it, shaking his head to indicate he did not smoke.
“Not smoking is good; unlike me, whenever I encounter something bothersome, I want to smoke one; without it, there’s no energy.”
Regiment Commander Wang smiled, lit the cigarette, took a puff, exhaled, and then said: “The old tanks before sat four people per vehicle; now with the modified new tanks, only three people are needed to operate.
This is just one part; there are many more aspects that must keep up with the era’s pace.
I’m afraid, with this military reform coming down, many warriors who have served in the troops for a lifetime…”
Regiment Commander Wang stopped here, put the cigarette back in his mouth for another puff, gazing at the receding barracks outside, his brows furrowed into a “river” character.
Military reform was the trend of the times.
The existing troops command system was destined to be streamlined, using informatization to replace current manual labor, completing more work with computers.
Completed by computers, the number of people must decrease.
With a large influx of high technology weapons into the army, the mechanized level is increasingly high, and the most basic infantry numbers must also be reduced.
These were things no one could change, destined to be implemented.
Chen Jun knew that next year’s 1998 military reform would be formally implemented across the entire army, cutting a full five hundred thousand in one wave.
That was five hundred thousand troops…
The intensity was truly ruthless!
But to achieve full informatization of the army, without ruthless intensity, it simply could not be done.
As a traverser, what Chen Jun could do was, with foresight, preserve as many people as possible, letting the Chinese Army enter the combined arms unit era earlier and faster.
Nothing more to ask for!
…
On the way back riding with the Regiment Commander, Chen Jun and Regiment Commander Wang did not chat much.
However, Regiment Commander Wang being called to the Division level for a meeting had already begun discussing the upcoming military reform matters; it was likely preheating for the major military reform cuts.
Before every policy officially executes, the preliminary work is very complex.
And after the preheat.
Next comes the formal notification, which is also the last procedure before the order is issued.
After Chen Jun completed the training work and returned to Steel Seventh Company, the next month had nothing much happening, basically just training and sleeping.
Until mid-October.
Just after the joyous National Day holiday, the warriors were still immersed in the holiday feeling, but the military reform guillotine hanging over their heads for nearly two years fell at the moment everyone was most relaxed.
All regimental unit chief officers in T Division received a meeting notification from Division Headquarters.
“It has finally come!”
Regiment Commander Wang realized what it was, standing by the window gazing into the distance while smoking, not moving for a long time, yet unable to suppress the worry in his emotions.
