Over 300 soldiers of a pontoon-bridge regiment of the Jinan Military Area Command, who will be demobilized this year, are still staying in the flood-fighting frontline at the Lankao section of the Yellow River. Yesterday, they sent out a written proposal collectively to express their determination to carry through the important thought of "Three Represents" by "observing the Party committee's decision to stay or to demobilize, I will devote myself to fight against flood."

　　The pontoon-bridge regiment has been fighting the flood for 16 consecutive days along the Lankao section of the Yellow River, including more than 300 veterans who will be demobilized after expiring their service terms. Upon receiving orders of fighting against flood, the veterans volunteered to join the action and organized themselves into 12 contingents of commandos and Party member pioneer teams. They engaged in any heavy and dangerous missions such as evacuating the flood victims, delivering rescue material and reinforcing embankments and building pontoon bridges. When dangerous situation happened at the No. 34 dam of the Taiji Control and Dredging Project, Zhao Daguo, a veteran of the ninth company, was the first to be there. When rescuing the flood victims, Zhao's leg was lacerated by tree branches and he simply bound up the wound with gauze and returned to the rescue operation. NCO Gao Xiaoping was to be demobilized and his home was only 7 km away from the flood area. However, he did not return home though passing by it five times. When reinforcing the small dike, he lost his consciousness because of over-fatigue. In the intervals of fighting against flood, many veterans also told the newly recruited soldiers about how to deal with dangerous situation and how to steer a boat in shallow water. According to statistics, the 300 odd veterans have steered out speed boats and autoboats for 1,129 ship/times, evacuated more than 8,000 flood victims to safe places and delivered nearly 1,000 tons of flood fighting materials.

　　By Li Qishan and Ding Jianmin

　　(October 23, PLA Daily)