In recent years, under the care of leading bodies at various levels, the specific difficulties of officers and men of the first line frontier companies under the Inner Mongolia Military Area Command have been gradually solved. In mid-February, the reporter visited several first line frontier companies, during which I saw the problems that had long bedeviled first line frontier officers and men, such as drinking water, electricity supply, housing and vegetables problems, had been completely or partially solved.
--- Drinking water for first line frontier companies are now up to the hygienic standard. By digging water wells and laying water pipes, officers and men of the first line frontier companies have said goodbye to the bitter water, and water purifiers have been installed at 59 companies. During my eight-day visit to the frontier companies, I had never suffered from diarrhea, and basically speaking officers and men were no longer suffering from illness resulting from poor water quality.
--- Small sentry posts have access to electricity day and night. Two years ago, Qin Ming, political commissar of a frontier regiment, strongly suggested to install three sets of "wind and solar power generator" for small sentry posts after careful investigation. From then on, these small sentry posts with only three soldiers at each post have more than even electricity for lighting purpose, and for watching television and small refrigerators. This technology has now been introduced to many small sentry posts and 39 frontline companies have now had access to electricity.
--- Nearly half of the front line companies have built storied buildings. On Feb. 10, when the reporter arrived at the 6th Company of a regiment, its officers and men happened to move into their newly built storied building, with shining terrazzo floor and warm central heating system. With the completion of new building, the problem of going to toilet at winter night was solved as well. In addition, houses for more than 10 sentry posts have also been reconstructed. In the past, sentry posts had to burn sheep dung for heating purpose, and the walls of these sentry posts were frozen with ice, soldiers in the posts could hardly fall asleep at night even if they clad themselves tightly in their leather coats. Now, indigenous heating system has been installed at these sentry posts, and rooms for studying and entertainment have also been constructed.
--- Also, there are more vegetable dishes on the dinning table in winter now. "Too much meat in winter" was the complaint of the officers and men in the first line frontier companies. By allocating refrigerator cars and building greenhouses, the supply of fresh vegetables to front line frontier companies has increased by 30%.
According to the sources, the Inner Mongolia Military Area Command so far has invested tens of millions of Chinese yuan to help solve specific difficulties of the officers and men of the first line frontier companies with the support of the PLA general headquarters and local governments.
By Wang Yongsheng and Du Xianzhou
(Feb. 17, PLA Daily)
