Bounced around on a train for ten days, then took a bus to the town where I was stationed, and finally hopped on the army’s supply vehicle to return to my unit. The whole back and forth took a total of twelve days. Tiring as it was, the days spent at home had greatly healed the shadows in my heart.
Though the sacrifice of my comrades wasn’t my fault, strictly speaking, could we have avoided needless losses if we had been a little more cautious?
Time moved into the seventies, and Zheng Long became even busier. After being promoted to squad leader, he set even higher standards for himself.
Their Reconnaissance Company, along with the nation’s increasing strength, introduced many advanced weapons and equipment, adding modern training such as armed swims and parachute jumps.
Although there were no major domestic wars, they participated in some high-risk counter-terrorism operations, mostly aimed at Dieter Elements.
Over the next five years, he received numerous commendations, rising from squad leader to Lieutenant and platoon leader.
Eight years into his military service, he now received a monthly allowance of fifteen yuan, and with various subsidies, he could average twenty yuan per month.
At twenty-eight, Zheng Long was the technical backbone of their unit, with outstanding capabilities in reconnaissance and sniping. Check latest chapters at novel·fire.net
Moreover, over the years he had kept busy, self-studying high school courses and many military subjects. This year, as long as he passed the exam, he’d be sent to the military academy to further his education.
After graduating from the academy, at the very least, he’d qualify for a regimental-level officer position.
Usually, graduates from command and staff colleges must first serve as a platoon leader or an equivalent position in grassroots units. After completing their internship, they’d be appointed to a corresponding post. His situation was different, already serving as a platoon leader, attending the military academy was in essence, gold-plating—armed with an education and eight years of rich experience, his future shone even brighter.
His Lieutenant rank was actually earned through his military achievements. Strictly speaking, with his level of cultural education, he did not qualify. Yet he stood out in the unit as an anomaly—lacking a high-level diploma but possessing knowledge equivalent to one, only missing an official graduation certificate recognized by the higher-ups.
He was now twenty-eight years old. By all accounts, that would be considered no longer young. People his age were mostly married with children, some had been discharged, and others had changed careers. Due to his extraordinary abilities, he’d been kept on and promoted to platoon leader, marking a rather arduous eight years.
In August 1974, Zheng Long received the admission notice from the People’s Liberation Army Army Command College (fictional), which astounded the entire regiment.
Especially the regiment leader who had initially brought him into the service, praised him personally at a large meeting, setting an example for the whole regiment as someone solid, diligent, and hardworking.
Consider this, A rural kid with no diploma, advancing step by step to today through his own efforts, how could he not be exceptional?
For veterans like the regiment leader who aspired to further their education, they still required an assessment and selection process to qualify.
Yet this young recruit silently passed the exam, which could only mean that those favored by the heavens can sometimes incite insane jealousy in others.
But it also signaled that the country provided everyone with the opportunity for further education, depending on one’s own abilities and efforts.
Regimental-level officers have always been assessed professionally based on their performance and commendations. Those below regimental level are eligible every year to apply and compete for admission to various military academies. There’s the Army, Armed Police, Air Force, Navy, and other branches with academies targeting different audiences, framed within certain criteria. For example, coming from an army unit, one could only choose among these military academies... (The rest is fictional, please do not delve into it.)