"Old Platoon Leader" letter, remember every word in my heart
Yang Yongchang
The most surprising and exciting thing that has made me feel recently is that I have received a letter from the "Old Platoon Leader" of the army. In the information age, network communication has become a new trend and is also the main bridge for our interactions with the outside world. Looking back, I haven't written a letter for four years, and the keyboard has become my "close friend" I often accompany. I was surprised to receive this letter and felt it was extremely precious. While sighing, I think the most shocking thing about me was the teachings of "Big Brother" to me. Every word is full of his deep expectations, which inspired me deeply. Here, I would like to share the content of this letter with everyone, especially my comrades who are practicing their skills in the military academy like me.
Little brother:
Brothers, we chatted on WeChat recently, and you told me that you are very confused now. Facing the life of a military academy, you feel that it is more difficult than the life of a soldier. You feel that you have a lot to learn, but you don’t know where to start. I also empathize with your troubles. As a veteran who also comes from a soldier to a student to a cadre, I have a few suggestions that I hope you can remember.
First of all, you have to correct your mindset. This is not a cliché. You must know that military school time is the most precious and simplest, and it is also a critical period for you to shape your own personality and cultivate your own abilities. So, the attitude towards military academy life must be positive, and the attitude towards military academy time should be "have and cherish it". I must make severe criticism of your negative attitude. Some new platoon leaders who worked in the army always sighed: "I would have learned to study hard in the military academy, and I would have learned to practice more physical fitness in the military academy..." There were not so many regret medicines, and there were not so many that I knew to know. While you still have the opportunity to temper yourself in the military academy, you should always maintain your fighting spirit. When it comes to defending the country, when it comes to serving the country and the people, there are always people who think that we are "fake and empty", but when you get to the combat post, but when you take over the steel gun, when you shoulder the mission, to be more common, when you hold the lives of your brothers and the happiness of the people in your hands, you will feel that everything "high-end" is what you are doing. In peaceful times, many people do not understand the value of soldiers. When disasters and wars break out, everyone will know what soldiers mean. Brother, don’t convince yourself to fall into depravity with reason such as being too lofty. What you want to do is a very noble thing, and the responsibility you shoulder is so great. Therefore, lofty ideals and lofty attitude are the fundamentals and are also a powerful driving force for you to move forward.
Then, based on the army's needs and my years of experience, I will briefly tell you several abilities you need to cultivate in a military academy. First, put the learning of scientific and cultural knowledge and professional knowledge in the center. Whether you are in command or technical position, having certain professional skills can better help you take root in the army, and be able to teach what you have learned and what you know to the soldiers in the army, help them break through technical bottlenecks and complete technological innovation. This will give you a great sense of accomplishment and will not waste the school’s training of you. Second, strengthening one's physical training cannot be relaxed. Although modern warfare is a high-tech war under information conditions, it does not mean that the competition between remote control and weapons and equipment is a fixed mode of war. Physical energy has always been an important guarantee and basis for winning wars. The role of "human" and the value of spirituality cannot be ignored. Take the Korean War as an example. The Chinese volunteer army won this unequal war and won the competition between manpower, mental power and excellent weapons and equipment, rushing to the mountains and grab positions, and physical fitness and perseverance cannot be ignored. The third is to focus on the cultivation of management ability. When living and studying in the military academy, don’t just focus on being a student, don’t always think about what others ask you to do, and don’t integrate your own thoughts and opinions. You must distinguish the main difference between soldiers and officers. Your responsibility is no longer what your superiors arrange for you to do, but you must lead your brothers to complete the task more efficiently.Under the company-based management of military academy, this is a good platform and a good stage to cultivate your personal abilities. Of course, you must also grasp the difference between the management of trainees and soldiers and better exert your abilities. This is a challenge and a process of training.
Brothers, the military academy time is very tight, you need to study and train, and there is also strict management like the army, but this does not mean that all your time must be spent in these aspects. You can develop some hobbies, write, take pictures, sing, and play... These can be used to enrich your military career and embellish your military life. Don’t be an “honest person” who just follows the rules. You must constantly diversify your thinking, constantly broaden your horizons, dare to innovate, and constantly make progress. The army needs a lot of talents. As long as you have highlights, you will have the opportunity to get your own stage. You must maintain a confident attitude and devote yourself to the construction of the army.
Finally, I also hope that you can recognize the overall situation and development direction of the army's reform, work hard to cultivate your own abilities, strive to stand out in the wave of reform, and contribute your own strength to the development of the army. Remember, don’t forget your original aspirations as time goes by, don’t be worn away by the day-to-day military academy life, and don’t be willing to fall into depravity and not be enterprising. To end with a sentence from President Xi: "We must not forget our original intentions and keep moving forward!"
Old platoon leader
March 19, 2017
A words from the "old platoon leader" are simple and easy to understand but true, like a lighthouse guiding the direction, like a warning bell to motivate forward. As we walk, we are prone to falling into a dilemma, confused and at a loss, easily drifting with the flow, easily degenerate ourselves, and easily go astray. Let us remember the teachings of our elders, remember the truth in our hearts, take over the torch of our predecessors, sound the horn of our progress, and strive for strength.
