Five Years After Retirement, He Was Granted the Rank of Lieutenant!

“Those who serve in the military

will never forget that uniform for a lifetime!”

This sentence

has always been etched in the heart of Du Hao,

a direct recruit officer in the Information Support Force.

From enlisting as a college student

to pursuing further studies at Zhejiang University

and then becoming a direct recruit officer,

he has walked this path with determination and composure.

Today, let’s delve into Du Hao’s story.

“I want to undergo training in the military as soon as possible!”

Du Hao hails from Bozhou, Anhui.

He has long yearned for military life.

Du Hao’s uncle served in the Army for three years,

and although he has been retired for many years,

the family has always kept a yellowed photo of his military uniform.

His uncle occasionally shares stories from back then,

always concluding with,

“Those who serve in the military

will never forget that uniform for a lifetime.”

In September 2016,

Du Hao was admitted to China University of Geosciences (Beijing)

for a major in Resource Exploration Engineering.

In his first two years of college,

he studied diligently and achieved excellent grades.

In his sophomore year,

Du Hao received a registration form

at a military recruitment presentation.

He shared his desire to enlist with his family.

His mother paused for a moment and asked,

“Child, can’t you wait until you finish your studies?”

He replied earnestly,

“I want to undergo training in the military as soon as possible!”

Du Hao's enlistment photo (first row, far right)

“Once I finish my studies, I will definitely return to the military!”

In September 2018,

Du Hao enlisted in the military,

becoming a new recruit in the Ordos Detachment of the Inner Mongolia Armed Police Corps.

In the harsh cold of minus thirty degrees Celsius,

he stood guard, trained, and participated in emergency assemblies…

each task was a test of will.

He applied his learning methods from college

to the training ground,

understanding the key points of actions,

recording problems,

and then quietly reviewing and improving.

His training results steadily improved.

In 2019 and 2020,

Du Hao was consecutively recognized as an

“Outstanding Soldier with Four Qualities.”

When his instructor asked if he considered staying in the unit,

he thought seriously and replied,

“Once I finish my studies, I will definitely return to the military!”

“Those who serve in the military

will never forget that uniform for a lifetime!”

In September 2020,

Du Hao returned to campus to complete his studies.

He cherished the learning opportunities even more.

“The two years in the military

made my direction of effort clearer.”

In 2022,

he successfully gained admission to Zhejiang University,

majoring in Marine Technology and Engineering,

to pursue a master’s degree.

During the three years, he maintained a soldier's discipline,

exercising in the morning, conducting experiments during the day,

and organizing data at night.

In the graduation season of 2025,

Du Hao applied to become a direct recruit officer.

During the interview, the examiner asked,

“Why do you want to return to the military?”

He answered:

“When I first enlisted,

I decided to dedicate my life to national defense.

Studying further is to better use the knowledge I have learned

to serve the strong military cause.”

From being admitted to university in 2016

to graduating with a master’s degree and enlisting in 2025,

and then returning to the front-line position,

now,

Du Hao, who has been awarded the rank of Second Lieutenant,

understands even more

that the reason that uniform is unforgettable

is because it carries the sentiment of soldiers dedicating themselves to national defense.

Wishing Du Hao a bright future!

Source: People's Daily WeChat, compiled from China Veterans Affairs and the Information Support Force