翻山越岭，老兵带我去巡线

Crossing mountains and valleys, the veteran takes me on a line patrol

By | Hou Lei

Putting down the phone receiver and turning my head, I saw a dark, thin face looking directly at the reporter, with humble eyes shining brightly. The veteran in front of me is Senior Sergeant Gao Yuhua from a certain brigade of the Information Support Force.

Next to the red telephone, there is a notebook with curled edges, densely filled with notes. On the bedside, there is a book titled "Mechanical Equipment Information Technology and Applications" with a bookmark. "I’m really sorry, but I have a line patrol task today and can’t chat for too long," the veteran said while adjusting his uniform and tightening his belt, his words crisp and movements brisk.

With 36 years of service, having traversed five major mountains, applying for service extensions seven times, achieving "special first-class" in military physical training at the age of 54, proficient in operating and maintaining over 50 types of equipment, training more than 500 professional technical backbones, and having multiple inventions included in the exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution... Before interviewing the brigade, the reporter had already heard of this "Mountain Guardian King" and his achievements.

Upon hearing that the veteran was leading a line patrol, the reporter applied to join the team and set off with the patrol squad after receiving approval.

After a night of rain, the sky had not yet cleared, and thick clouds gathered overhead. Behind us, a small camp was surrounded by towering mountains; ahead, a winding mountain road extended upward, disappearing into a sea of dark green after rounding a hill.

"We organize line patrols every week, mainly to maintain equipment, inspect lines, and clear obstacles," said First Class Sergeant Tian Kuo to the reporter. He explained that line patrols are fundamental work, involving many trivial tasks, but Sergeant Gao frequently applies to participate. Initially, he found it hard to understand, "Why would such a 'technical expert' engage in such basic work?"

An experience dealing with an unexpected situation changed Tian Kuo's perspective.

"The incident happened right there, and I can still vividly recall it," Tian Kuo said, pointing to a slope not far ahead. At that time, a major task was about to commence, and Tian Kuo was conducting a routine line patrol with a private when Gao Yuhua joined them on short notice—participating in line inspections before major tasks was his habit.

As they passed the slope, Tian Kuo and his comrade conducted a close observation and then deployed a drone for inspection, finding no anomalies, and were preparing to continue. At that moment, Gao Yuhua noticed the scattered tree bark and broken branches on the slope and suggested they check the situation along the slope.

Climbing up the slope, Tian Kuo was startled to see a section of tree trunk, about 10 centimeters in diameter, that was not completely broken, lying across the tangled branches. "If it completely breaks or falls due to strong winds onto the line, it would definitely cause serious consequences," Tian Kuo said. From below, the trunk looked like any normally growing tree, but Sergeant Gao was able to detect the anomaly from subtle clues, which was impressive.

"It's all based on intuition!" Gao Yuhua said in response to the reporter's astonished expression. In his view, developing this intuition is primarily about being attentive, constantly observing changes in rockfalls, vegetation cover, and even the movements of birds and animals, because "every detail may contain information and clues related to the task."

This focus on details stems from Gao Yuhua's heightened awareness gained from participating in major tasks: during cross-regional maneuver training, soldiers would have camouflage backpacks on their beds, ready to grab and go at the sound of the alarm; during joint training with multiple military branches, pilots would stay with their aircraft for 24 hours, taking off immediately upon receiving orders; during command post emergency drills, personnel at each position would gather information and issue commands, working with both hands and racing against time...

"Although we mainly undertake support work during major tasks, we are always enveloped in an atmosphere of 'facing a great enemy, truly engaging in battle,'" Gao Yuhua said. "The more experiences I have, the deeper my understanding, and the stronger the sense of urgency not to slack off becomes."

As he spoke, Gao Yuhua stepped forward with his left foot onto a bare tree root, pushed off with his right foot, and crossed a steep slope. After turning around briskly, he reached out to his comrades behind him.

"People's emotions can be contagious," Gao Yuhua said. Every time he undertakes a major task, he becomes particularly cautious about his breathing, not out of fear of danger, but out of concern that he might disrupt the rhythm and affect the younger soldiers around him. "Completing tasks to a high standard requires not only solid skills but also a strong mindset."

Upon reaching a relatively flat area, the exhausted reporter found a stone to sit on, preparing to take a short break. Gao Yuhua turned his head, and Tian Kuo understood immediately, quickly opening his portable equipment to begin work. Before long, he handed a small black notebook to Gao Yuhua. Power supply technical parameters, power consumption status, potential hazard point analysis... Looking at the information recorded in the notebook, Gao Yuhua nodded in satisfaction.

As a professional backbone trained by Gao Yuhua, Tian Kuo has also developed a strong sense of urgency in recent years, much like Gao Yuhua.

"Nowadays, with more and more new equipment, higher technical content, increasingly complex support needs, and more obvious professional overlaps, I've encountered tricky problems several times, and I've often sought solutions from Sergeant Gao over the phone," Tian Kuo said. Later, the headquarters specially installed a military line phone in Gao Yuhua's dormitory to facilitate his technical consultations for soldiers on external missions, affectionately dubbed the "Old Gao Hotline."

"With Sergeant Gao having extended his service seven times and still working so hard, we have no right to take a break," said Second Class Sergeant Zhong Hui, noting that it is common for Sergeant Gao to work overtime on weekends, sometimes staying in the training room for several days to tackle major issues.

After completing the line patrol, everyone made their way down the mountain. On the downward slope, broken branches lay scattered. The soldiers said that in places where the path is unclear, it is best to walk on the thicker branches to reduce the likelihood of falling.

"Shall we find a place to rest?" someone suggested as they reached a bend. However, Gao Yuhua quickly opened the communication device—signal reception in the mountains is poor, and he was concerned about missing any distress signals, so he checks the area whenever he reaches an open space. Two "missed call notifications" caught his eye, and after calling back, he learned that a brother unit was urgently seeking help for a tricky problem, prompting him to hurry back to the training room to research a solution.

In the mountains, mist swirled, and the greenery was lush. The distant peaks soared into the sky, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting down golden rays. The beautiful scenery is enchanting, but it cannot distract from the green figures; the towering mountains do not slow the hurried footsteps of the soldiers...

Reporter’s Note

Stay close to that leading soldier

By | Hou Lei

A camp surrounded by mountains, though small in size, is a "hidden dragon and crouching tiger": on the light boxes along the roads and the walls of the barracks corridors, portraits and profiles of professional backbones are posted. Most of them are outstanding in their respective fields, and some, like Gao Yuhua, have gained recognition beyond the mountains and are well-known throughout the military. What is most surprising is that they are all soldiers that Gao Yuhua has trained or taught.

When asked about his secret to leading soldiers, Gao Yuhua pondered for a long time and told the reporter, "Consciously do your own job well." During the line patrol, he always walks at the front, and when encountering situations that need to be addressed, he never just issues commands based on experience but instead observes, analyzes, and assesses the situation on-site, thinking deeply before coming up with feasible solutions.

The same goes for his daily routine. In the morning, he is the first to go downstairs to line up; during formation training, he stands tall at the front; during inspections, his "Gao-style tofu block" has always been the benchmark... Throughout the patrol, the soldiers shared several anecdotes that further enriched the image of this veteran. They said that whether in study, work, or training, they fear falling behind or lagging, and staying close to Sergeant Gao is always the right choice.

The mountains are majestic, and the Xiangjiang River flows northward. Clouds drift by, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore occasionally reaches my ears.

This river is named in history for the "rolling red currents dyeing the blue sky" during the Long March of the Red Army. Many revolutionary predecessors, when recalling that period, said their greatest concern was "fear of falling behind" and "daring not to stop." "Fear of falling behind" and "daring not to stop" are driven by reality and tied to their mission. Watching the soldiers on patrol recede into the distance, the reporter silently felt that their hurried steps are indeed a legacy of the urgency and sense of mission passed down from their predecessors.

This legacy transcends time and space, igniting the passion of countless officers and soldiers to strive for a strong military, writing new verses of youth on various training grounds...

Source: PLA Daily