Ordinary battle positions and struggling youth丨Warehouse guards: Carving loyalty into the mountains
2024-08-06
한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina
Inheritance and relay on patrol
■ Han Xiaotao, special correspondent of the People's Liberation Army Daily, Liu Huibin
Facing the morning light, the squad leader of a warehouse in Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center, 1st Sergeant Zhang Zhongjie and Sergeant Yang Hao, headed to the warehouse area from the dormitory. A dog called "Xiao Hei" by his comrades-in-arms, wagged its tail and escorted the two to the gate of the warehouse area.
Two soldiers and a dog walked along the patrol path at the foot of the mountain, in the quiet and deep valley. This scene was the most familiar scenery to Yang Hao.
Deep in the mountains, generations of warehouse officers and soldiers were responsible for the receipt, delivery, storage and protection of the "blood of war". When the new recruits first arrived in the ravine, Yang Hao was full of curiosity: "The rock is so hard, how was the cave dug? The oil pipeline is so long, what if there is an oil leak? There is a little rust on the valve, why do we have to remove the rust and paint the whole valve?" While patrolling the line, Yang Hao kept asking questions, and Zhang Zhongjie patiently explained.
In less than three months, Yang Hao had mastered the basic skills of a warehouse keeper. Zhang Zhongjie was delighted to see this. However, in the following months, Yang Hao, who used to ask the squad leader "why", gradually became less talkative.
That day, Yang Hao, who had a lot to say, suddenly asked Zhang Zhongjie: "Is the pressure value normal? Is there any oil leakage in the valve? ... What's the point of repeating these checks over and over again every day?"
At the entrance to the reservoir area, Zhang Zhongjie asked, "Do you know how many steps it takes to walk through the reservoir area?"
Yang Hao shook his head in confusion.
Zhang Zhongjie blurted out: "According to the standard stride length, it will take nearly 10,000 steps!"
Zhang Zhongjie then patted Yang Hao on the shoulder and said, "Ten thousand steps may seem like a lot, but any negligence in the inspection along the way may cause an irreversible major accident. Every step must be taken carefully and meticulously, so that there will be no accidents in the reservoir area."
Yang Hao nodded vigorously. At this moment, he suddenly felt that his work was so important.
Since then, Yang Hao has started to talk again, but the topics have changed. When he was in primary school, he climbed trees to take bird eggs, when he was in middle school, he put caterpillars into his deskmate's pencil case, and when he was in college, he worked part-time with his classmates to pay for his studies... He wanted to tell the monitor everything about his student days.
During the inspection, Yang Hao spoke with great enthusiasm and Zhang Zhongjie listened patiently. Although Yang Hao told some stories several times, with different versions each time, Zhang Zhongjie never interrupted him and always listened to him quietly.
One day, Zhang Zhongjie suddenly interrupted Yang Hao. Zhang Zhongjie leaned over and touched Xiao Hei's head, with a blush in his eyes.
"Perseverance is a training for growth. Only by persevering in loneliness can we protect ourselves and the cave." Zhang Zhongjie looked at the distant mountains and said, "In just over a year, I will retire, and I will leave this place to you."
On the hillside, "Xiao Hei" squinted his eyes and lay at Zhang Zhongjie's feet. Yang Hao's tears suddenly flowed down his cheeks uncontrollably: "Squad leader, don't worry! I will walk this patrol route well every day..."
Warehouse Guards: Carving Loyalty into the Mountains
■ Han Xiaotao, special correspondent of the People's Liberation Army Daily, Liu Huibin
In summer, the deep mountains are green and lush, and in a warehouse of the Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center stationed here, there are dotted mountain flowers.
Following the military training call, Sergeant Yang Hao began a new day of inspections, inspecting pipelines, maintaining equipment, and measuring... Every morning, he had to cross this narrow ravine less than 100 meters wide, and also cross an indissoluble bond with the mountains.
In the early winter eight years ago, when Yang Hao first walked into the warehouse, he rubbed his eyes and looked around. Looking up, he saw mountains, and looking down, he saw ditches. Except for a small barracks hanging halfway up the mountain, all he could see were stones.
"What can I achieve if I stay in this mountain valley?" The nearest supermarket is half an hour away by car; if I want to use my mobile phone, I have to climb up the mountain to find a signal. Yang Hao admitted that he wanted to leave the mountain valley as soon as possible.
However, eight years have passed, and Yang Hao has become one with the ravine. The ravine has not changed, but Yang Hao has. "I have fallen in love with this ravine and cannot leave it." His once childish face has now become resolute and strong. "Next year, when the sergeants are promoted, if the organization needs me, I will apply to stay in the team."
Behind the change of a soldier is the perseverance of a group of soldiers. The leader of the warehouse said with emotion: "Generation after generation of soldiers guarding the warehouse have engraved their loyalty on the mountains and melted their blood into the cave, building a spiritual monument in this mountain valley."
"Only if we protect oil like blood in peacetime can it be used at any time in wartime"
The wind in the ravine came quickly and blew fiercely, and fist-sized rocks were easily lifted up and poured down the hillside toward the work area like raindrops.
The wind stopped. Squad leader Zhang Zhongjie put on his safety helmet and told Yang Hao to stay away from the mountain. While observing the surrounding environment, he quickly cleared fallen rocks and inspected pipelines.
Walking into the deepest cave in the storage area, Yang Hao put his ear close to it and heard the sound of oil flowing. He seemed to see various types of equipment being quickly refueled and rushing to their positions on the training ground thousands of kilometers away.
Whenever he thought of this, Yang Hao was filled with pride: "Whether it is squatting in the mountains to guard the warehouse or participating in major training and exercise missions, high-quality and efficient support capabilities are the specialty of our warehouse guards."
As a professional backbone of the field refueling team, Yang Hao and his comrades traveled thousands of kilometers deep into the desert to participate in the training of mobile support forces. They maneuvered, drilled, and provided support, and continuously carried out inspections and assessments of dozens of difficult and dangerous subjects under complex conditions.
"I'm not afraid of hard work or fatigue, but I'm afraid of special situations." Yang Hao recalled that what he was most worried about was static electricity. When the ambient temperature exceeded 40℃, the oil tankers were hot to the touch, and the training uniforms were smoking from dryness. The slightest static electricity could detonate the oil vapor. The oil tanker trucks, which weigh more than ten tons, had to quickly pass through complex road conditions to reach the target area before the task force, and the hidden dangers were not small.
After completing the training mission, Yang Hao was deeply touched when reviewing and summarizing: "Although we are squatting in the ravine, we are very close to the battlefield, and every drop of oil is related to us. Only by guarding the oil like blood in peacetime can it be used at any time in war."
The love of the soldiers guarding the warehouse is touching and admirable. Last year, the garrison was hit by heavy rain, and the flood rushed down with rocks.
Yang Hao stamped his feet anxiously as he watched the raging flood in the video surveillance. When the water level subsided, he and two of his comrades put on their raincoats and ran to the reservoir area.
Carrying sandbags to block the cave entrance, opening the warehouse door to drain the flood, going into the cave to inspect one by one... Yang Hao and his comrades waded through waist-deep floods to eliminate one dangerous situation after another.
"Every drop of oil is connected to the battlefield. If we can't protect the oil, how can we win the battle?" These words blurted out by the soldiers guarding the warehouse are awe-inspiring.
At the beginning of this year, the warehouse received a task: to complete the large-scale transfer of old fuel within a time limit.
Before the military exercise bugle sounded, Zhang Zhongjie and Yang Hao walked into the warehouse area and started working. When they entered the work site, they put on safety helmets, changed into anti-static clothing, touched the anti-static handrails, and checked each other's soles to see if there were any metal fragments accidentally embedded.
"This is a tough nut to crack!" After 15 years of military service, this is the longest, most dangerous, and largest number of missions Zhang Zhongjie has ever undertaken. The challenge is self-evident.
Rotating valves, adjusting pressure, controlling flow... As one of the few pump operators in the warehouse, Zhang Zhongjie can accurately judge and adjust various indicators with his hands and ears. "This 'war blood' can be rejuvenated after being refined in the factory!" he said.
Information technology has brought a new management and control model to a warehouse in Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center. Photo by Wang Zhen
"Technology empowers the old caves and gives them new vitality"
Earlier this year, a new glass house was built next to the warehouse kennel. Judging from the metal floor and charging device inside, the owner here is extraordinary.
"This is Lingfeng's home." Yang Hao introduced that the owner of this kennel is a simulated electronic dog that can run, lie down, cross ditches and climb hills. It can also patrol the lines regularly and issue danger warnings.
"Lingfeng" was originally the name of the last military dog in the warehouse. During those years, when patrolling the warehouse, the military dog "Lingfeng" fought poisonous snakes, wild boars, and monkeys, and was once the closest comrade-in-arms of the soldiers guarding the warehouse.
Two years ago, the military dog "Ling Feng" fell seriously ill, and Yang Hao and his comrades buried it in tears on the hillside of the warehouse area. Later, the superiors distributed this simulated electronic dog to the warehouse. Yang Hao proposed to name this electronic dog "Ling Feng" to commemorate the silent comrade who had fought together.
"Compared to military dogs, electronic dogs incorporate a lot of high-tech means. They are very powerful and can be operated more precisely." As he spoke, Yang Hao took out the control platform, started the switch, and input the command. "Ling Feng" then quickly stood up and staggered along the patrol path towards the depths of the storage area.
Whether the ventilation door is closed, whether the valve well is open, whether there is rockfall in the reservoir area, whether the oil and gas concentration exceeds the standard... Wherever it arrives, "Lingfeng" will stop and use the smart monitoring, laser probe, perception system, etc. on its body to report the situation and check for risks.
"Technology is the core combat power." Walking in the warehouse area, Yang Hao felt that the line patrol task was much easier. The grassroots is the end of the application of technology. The warehouse fully applies scientific and technological means to service and support practice, relying on technological empowerment to create a new growth point for support.
Ding Haifeng, a retired oil chemist, is Yang Hao's role model. Before joining the army, Ding Haifeng wanted to vomit whenever he smelled gasoline. In order to overcome his physiological reaction, he repeatedly conducted instrument identification training and also conducted manual identification training on various oil products under various lighting conditions.
Over the years, Ding Haifeng has developed the skill of "one touch and one breath", and can accurately judge the quality of oil just by "touching and smelling". He has also been invited to participate in special programs recorded by CCTV several times, and performed his unique skills in identifying oil on the spot.
Yang Hao repeatedly asked Ding Haifeng to teach him the technique of "touching with hands and smelling with nose". One day, Yang Hao caught a cold and could not smell anything. He could not help but think: "In the ever-changing support environment, experience is far less reliable than scientific and technological means."
Once, Yang Hao discovered that a new type of oil density meter appeared on the market. This thermometer-sized density meter was inserted into the oil and the switch was pressed. In less than 10 seconds, the oil quality could be accurately identified. He then suggested to the warehouse to introduce this type of equipment.
"If we practice our skills well in peacetime and empower them with technology, we will be more confident in our battlefield support!" Yang Hao excitedly called Ding Haifeng.
Last year, the superiors gave the warehouse the task of "setting a benchmark and setting an example". Yang Hao and his comrades set up a visual security system for the entire camp, painted anti-infrared paint on a pipeline, installed automatic fire detection equipment in the warehouse area, and drones also joined the patrol team of officers and soldiers...
Yang Hao is pleased with the new changes and said: "Technology has given the old cave a new lease of life!"
Soldiers at a warehouse in Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center are working while patrolling the line. Photo by Wang Zhen
"Generations of soldiers guarding the warehouse not only protect the cave warehouse, but also protect the loyalty of the soldiers"
When spring comes, Yang Hao likes to climb up the hillside and overlook the two views of the ravine: green grass and trees on one side, and silver snow on the other side, hence the name "Qingyingou".
As the sun sets, standing on the top of the mountain and looking at the city not far away, there are two pictures: quiet and deep below and brilliant lights in the distance.
Wang Taichun, 60 years old this year, has been with this scenery for more than 40 years. He served in the army, was promoted, retired, and was re-employed, but he never left. During this period, as a specially-appointed expert of the warehouse, he was responsible for the business guidance of cave warehouse renovation and smart restaurant construction. He also went to the education classroom and held a big discussion with officers and soldiers on the "new era struggle concept".
In 1983, 19-year-old Wang Taichun joined the army and went to this mountain. Later, he became a squad leader and joined the party, and worked there for 7 years. Later, Wang Taichun was promoted for outstanding work performance and went out of the mountains for the first time to participate in intensive training.
After returning from school, the organization considered Wang Taichun's strong professional qualities and the fact that he was an old mountain villager, so they planned to keep him as an assistant in the office's business department. Unexpectedly, Wang Taichun sincerely requested to return to the mountain village. He said that there were few business backbones here and people were needed at this time. In this way, he returned to Qingyingou and took the initiative to apply to go to the most remote northern outpost.
Recalling that experience, Wang Taichun said fondly: "It was very hard and lonely in this ditch, but it was a good place to experience life."
It has been awarded honorary titles twice, won the third-class collective merit twice, and been named "Advanced Unit in Comprehensive Construction" 29 times... What kind of force is behind so many honors that leads and drives generations of warehouse guards?
"The valleys lack the sunshine of nature, but they never lack the light of spirit." Wang Taichun's words deeply touched the young comrades. "Living in the mountains, they are determined to win, delving into scientific research and daring to innovate, and strengthening their beliefs to maintain their true colors. Generations of soldiers guarding the caves and the caves have also guarded the loyalty of the soldiers."
After the discussion, Wang Taichun led Yang Hao and his comrades northward along the reservoir area to the northern outpost in the deepest part of the reservoir area.
More than 40 years ago, the officers and soldiers of the warehouse took root on this rocky beach. The initial construction tasks were very heavy. The then instructor Chen Huailin dragged his sick body to lead the officers and soldiers to sleep in the open air, dig ditches and pave roads, pile stones and build slopes... The continuous high-intensity labor made him cough up blood and eventually he fell ill and died at the age of 36.
In front of the low wall with 38 bright red handprints engraved on it, Wang Taichun slowly bent down and gently placed his palms together with the handprints on the wall.
These 38 red handprints represent the 38 comrades who once stood firm at the North Outpost. Although many of them have left the army, their handprints and loyalty are forever engraved here.
"After entering Qingyingou, I became a soldier in charge of oil... The responsibility of defending our country is heavy, no matter in the mountains or in the capital." Wang Taichun stood up and hummed the song "Soldiers in Qingyingou", and the officers and soldiers beside him also sang along loudly.
The soldiers in the mountains love to sing, and they especially like this song, which was written and composed by the group. They say, "There is responsibility in the lyrics and loyalty in the melody."
As the melodious and soulful song played, Yang Hao also squatted down and placed his palms on the red handprints one by one, and a sense of power surged in his heart.
【Eyewitnesses say】
The road of growth carved in stone
■Dong Jinxin
In March this year, I was assigned to a warehouse in Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center as a warehouse guard. Two months later, I mastered the basic warehouse management business. Deep in the mountains, day after day, standing guard, patrolling the line and checking the warehouse, how meaningful is this repetitive and even somewhat mechanical work? I was a little confused.
The first time I felt "pressure" was from a pressure gauge. During a warehouse inspection, I suddenly found that a pressure gauge showed an abnormality. My eyes bulged with anxiety, but I didn't know what to do, so I reported it to the squad leader in a hurry. The squad leader smiled slightly, quickly turned on the breathing valve to exhaust the gas, and the pressure gauge immediately returned to normal.
Not long ago, the squad leader took me to perform oil receiving and dispatching operations. There were more than a dozen valves along the pipeline, and they had to be opened one by one. If the valve was opened too fast, the oil pressure would be too high and the next valve would not be able to open; if the valve was opened too small, the oil pressure would be too low, affecting the receiving and dispatching process. The squad leader operated and explained, and I followed behind to learn. However, when it was my turn to operate, I panicked and did not dare to move a single valve. That day, I sat on the stone steps in the reservoir area, thinking over and over again about the squad leader's smooth operation. The more I thought about it, the hotter my face felt and the heavier my shoulders felt.
In midsummer, Qingyingou was hit by another storm. Before the rain had completely stopped, my squad leader and I put on life jackets and helmets and went to the reservoir area. On the patrol road, there were large and small stones scattered. I followed the squad leader's example and picked up the stones one by one and neatly stacked them on the side of the road.
Year after year, stones of different sizes gradually accumulated into a stone wall with ups and downs. The squad leader took out the brush and paint he brought with him, squatted beside the stone wall, and carefully traced the blurred handwriting on the stone.
The squad leader told me that these words were left by generations of soldiers guarding the warehouse. They engraved these words on the stone and in their hearts. "Just like us squatting in the mountains to guard the warehouse, the significance cannot be measured by the length of time, but the value of the soldiers guarding the warehouse should be reflected by hard work and contribution." said the squad leader.
I took the squad leader's brush and solemnly wrote the following words on the stone wall: I am a stone from Qingyingou. I use my hard body to support the caves and warehouses. Even if I weather into sand, I will be laid on the journey to build a strong army.
Looking at the bright and eye-catching words on the stone wall, I felt very confident. I had a clear direction for my future military career...
Source: China Military Network-People's Liberation Army Daily
