Internal Security Political Work

Visiting Patrol Posts and Sentry Points of a Certain Detachment of the PAP Chongqing General Corps: A Staff Officer from Headquarters Brings Cool Relief

探访武警重庆总队某支队巡逻点位岗哨，机关参谋送凉爽

PLA Daily (解放军报) 27 July 2026

Summary

A staff officer from the operations and training section (作训股) of an unnamed PAP Chongqing General Corps detachment conducted a summer inspection of all duty posts during the dog days (三伏时节), personally standing a 40-minute sentry watch to diagnose why guards were still drenched in sweat despite air-conditioned booths, then drove procurement of replacement cooling equipment within two days. The article is standard political-work content in the 'headquarters cadres going to the grassroots' genre, framed around the concept of exchanging 'physical sensation' (体感) for 'real understanding' (实感); its value is as a record of how PAP institutional media reinforces the norm that headquarters staff must conduct hands-on, problem-solving inspections rather than desk-based oversight. The Wei Jie anecdote — a founding PLA lieutenant general who stripped his insignia to serve as an ordinary soldier in Chongqing in 1958 — provides the historical legitimacy the framing requires, but the article documents a welfare and conduct baseline, not a capability or posture development.

Translation

A Reporter Visits Patrol Posts and Sentry Points of a Certain Detachment of the PAP Chongqing General Corps——

"Furnace" Mountain City: A Headquarters Staff Officer Brings Cool Relief

■ PLA Daily Special Correspondent Zhang Yongqing; Special Correspondents Huang Yun

Wei Jie conversing with officers and soldiers. Illustration: Fang Han

During the dog days of summer (三伏时节), the "furnace" mountain city is battered by waves of heat.

The reporter accompanied Staff Officer Jin of the operations and training section (作训股) of a certain detachment of the PAP Chongqing General Corps on an inspection tour of all duty posts.

The sunlight was fierce and blinding; scorching air enveloped the body from head to toe. After only a short walk, the reporter's breathing quickened and sweat poured down like rain.

Staff Officer Jin told the reporter that since the onset of the dog days, the detachment's duty missions have been dense and overlapping, and the garrison area has been under high-temperature warnings for many consecutive days. The purpose of this inspection was primarily to check on the implementation of heat-prevention and cooling measures at each post.

Inside a certain sentry post, Corporal Liu Xingkai stood with vigilant eyes, fine beads of sweat continuously seeping from his forehead, dripping from his chin and soaking the collar of his camouflage uniform.

Seeing Staff Officer Jin walking toward him, Liu Xingkai instinctively tensed up, a flicker of unease passing through his mind: Is he checking military appearance and discipline? Checking duty discipline?

Unexpectedly, Staff Officer Jin walked straight up to the sentry post and said to Liu Xingkai: "It's too hot. Go hydrate right away — I'll stand this watch for you."

Liu Xingkai was stunned on the spot.

"What are you standing there for? This is an order." Staff Officer Jin repeated himself while putting on his gear.

Moments later, Staff Officer Jin stood fully equipped in the sweltering sentry position. Liu Xingkai sat down in the shade of the guard booth and watched as the back of Staff Officer Jin's uniform was slowly soaked through with sweat, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Following Staff Officer Jin throughout the inspection, the reporter came to understand the reason. It turned out that during his inspection rounds, Staff Officer Jin had noticed that even though the guard booths were equipped with air conditioning, some sentries were still drenched in sweat. Why was this? Staff Officer Jin decided to stand a watch himself.

Staff Officer Jin stood that watch for 40 minutes. His cheeks were burned red by the sun, and his camouflage uniform could have been wrung out. When the relief time came, he stepped down from the post, pulled out a small notebook, and wrote rapidly.

Liu Xingkai glanced over. The notebook was filled with densely written problems and observations from standing the watch: "Some guard booth air conditioners are aging, with poor cooling performance"; "The guard booth has glass on all four sides, making cooling effects negligible"……

"Staff Officer Jin, we're all used to it." Taking advantage of the moment when Staff Officer Jin tucked the notebook back into his pocket, Liu Xingkai handed him a bottle of water.

Staff Officer Jin unscrewed the cap and took a long gulp: "This isn't called being used to it — this is called gritting your teeth and bearing it. When it comes down to it, it's because we at headquarters haven't thought things through carefully enough."

The words were few, but every one of them struck home. Liu Xingkai said nothing; his eyes stung a little.

After that, Staff Officer Jin visited every outdoor patrol post of the detachment one by one.

Patrol officers and soldiers standing fixed duty posts on the street. Photo by Li Dong

At a guard booth of a certain company, the crew of a patrol vehicle was conducting a "vehicle party day activity" (车厢党日活动) via live-stream link, taking an immersive tour of Hongyan Village. The reporter walked up close and listened as the guide recounted the following story——

Red Army soldier Zhao Ji, in his piece "Deep Remembrance, Unforgettable Teachings," recalled his time working at the Eighth Route Army's Chongqing Office. He said that Comrade Zhou Enlai showed meticulous care for the office staff — whether it was a cook or a clerk who fell ill, he would find time to visit them. On one occasion, Zhao Ji was hospitalized due to illness, and Zhou Enlai personally came to the hospital to see him, comforting him to rest and recover without worry, and even arranging his meals.

"Chongqing is a land of red heritage. The older generation of revolutionaries left behind many stories of loving soldiers like their own children here. Their exemplary conduct constantly reminds us that we must sink our roots into the grassroots." At this duty post, Staff Officer Jin carefully inspected the guard booth and noted in his notebook: "The western sun exposure face is large; the sunshade canopy extension length is insufficient."

Enduring the blazing sun, the reporter followed Staff Officer Jin to the next duty post. Staff Officer Jin pointed to a spot not far away and told the reporter: "Back then, Wei Jie — then Deputy Commander of the Chengdu Military Region and a founding Lieutenant General — served as a soldier right over there."

In 1958, a wave swept through the entire military of senior commanders going down to companies to serve as ordinary soldiers (下连当兵). Wei Jie voluntarily went to serve as a soldier in the "Red Second Company" (红二连) of a certain regiment stationed in Chongqing. Company cadres, taking into account his special status and age, did not assign him to a combat squad or schedule him for night sentry duty. Wei Jie immediately raised an objection: revolutionary soldiers differ only in their assigned posts, not in rank or age. He voluntarily removed his shoulder insignia and participated in sentry duty as an ordinary soldier.

Although Wei Jie ate and slept with the first platoon, second squad, he also frequently visited other squads in his spare time. He learned that, due to limited training time, the soldiers of the cooking squad had relatively poor scores in the three fundamental skills of shooting, grenade throwing, and bayonet fighting, and some comrades were not at ease with their assignment to the cooking squad. He therefore suggested that the company add one assistant cook per day to reduce miscellaneous chores for the cooking squad and increase training time. From then on, the cooking squad's scores in the three fundamental skills gradually improved, and the comrades who had been dissatisfied with their assignment to the cooking squad settled down.

Revisiting this history, Staff Officer Jin said with feeling: "Only by sitting on the same bench and standing the same watch can you know, from the source, the hardships of the soldiers and resolve their worries."

Traveling from post to post, at every stop the sentries' repeated "it's nothing" and "we can handle it" left Staff Officer Jin feeling unsettled. The more the soldiers proactively overcame difficulties on their own, the more he felt that headquarters could not afford to wait or slow down in solving problems for the officers and soldiers.

By the time he returned to headquarters, night had nearly fallen. Staff Officer Jin immediately gathered several cadres from the relevant functional sections and, in one breath, went through everything he had found that day with complete clarity. "Repair or replace the guard booth air conditioners"; "Install sunshade canopies or sunshade curtains on the guard booths"; "Outdoor alert posts should be equipped with mobile cool-air fans"…… He listed the existing problems and solutions item by item, and everyone listening nodded in agreement.

Within two days, a procurement plan for heat-prevention and cooling equipment for outdoor duty officers and soldiers was placed before the leadership office meeting. Shortly thereafter, the newly procured facilities and equipment arrived together with cooling manuals and heat-prevention medicines.

"We don't have to dread standing watch during the dog days anymore!" Looking at the newly replaced air conditioner, Liu Xingkai smiled from ear to ear. Although the heat outside the guard booth remained unbearable, the cool air blown by the new air conditioner dispersed the stuffiness inside and brought the sentries cool relief.

Thinking what the officers and soldiers think, feeling urgent about what they feel urgent about, worrying about what they worry about — this is both a form of empathy and a form of perspective-taking (换位思考). Reflecting on this experience of high-temperature inspection rounds, Staff Officer Jin said that what appeared to be headquarters helping sentries overcome difficulties was in fact the sentries teaching him a lesson: the real practical things that truly satisfy the grassroots and benefit the officers and soldiers are not conjured up by sitting in an office.

After the heat-prevention and cooling equipment was installed, Staff Officer Jin made another trip to each patrol post. At the sentry positions, the sentries stood tall and alert. The new air conditioners quietly "exhaled" cool air, making the corners of their uniforms sway gently.

"How's the new air conditioner?" Staff Officer Jin asked.

"Cool!" The sentry broke into a grin and stood even straighter.

Exchanging "Physical Sensation" (体感) for "Real Understanding" (实感)

■ Zhang Yongqing

During the dog days of summer, the story of Staff Officer Jin of a certain detachment of the PAP Chongqing General Corps conducting his inspection rounds is deeply moving — amid the steaming heat, one senses a fresh breeze of changing conduct (作风转变). In those 40 minutes with sweat soaking through his back, he not only genuinely felt the stuffiness of the sentry post but also precisely identified the existing problems, thereby driving a package of heat-prevention and cooling measures to take effect.

To resolve soldiers' difficulties, one must first earnestly experience them — exchanging "physical sensation" (体感) for "real understanding" (实感). Headquarters cadres should, like Staff Officer Jin, throw themselves into the grassroots and press their hearts close to it. In these dog days of summer, let your own back be encrusted with salt crystals, let your own forehead be beaded with sweat — only then can you truly appreciate the hardship behind the soldiers' "we're used to it" and "it's nothing."

Headquarters cadres conducting inspection rounds is not merely checking and supervising; it is also an investment of feeling. Only by crouching down can you see the real situation; only by experiencing it firsthand can you truly empathize. Only by "standing the same watch and sharing the same sentry post" will the measures to help and build up the troops carry genuine feeling and nourish the hearts of the officers and soldiers.

Original Chinese

记者探访武警重庆总队某支队巡逻点位岗哨—— “火炉”山城：机关参谋送凉爽 ■解放军报特约记者张永清特约通讯员黄赟韦杰与官兵交谈。插图：方汉三伏时节，“火炉”山城热浪袭人。记者跟随武警重庆总队某支队作训股金参谋前往各执勤点位查勤。阳光炽烈刺眼，发烫的空气笼罩全身，没走一会儿，记者就呼吸加速、汗如雨下。金参谋告诉记者，入伏以来，支队执勤任务密集叠加，驻地连续多日高温预警，这次查勤主要是检查各点位防暑降温措施落实情况。某岗哨内，中士刘星凯目光警惕，细密的汗珠从额头不断渗出，汗水顺着下颌滴落，浸透了迷彩服的衣领。看到金参谋正向这边走来，刘星凯下意识地绷紧了神经，心里掠过一丝忐忑：查军容风纪？查执勤纪律？没想到，金参谋径直走向岗哨，对刘星凯说：“天太热，你赶紧去补补水，这班哨我替你站。” 刘星凯顿时愣住了。 “愣着干啥？这是命令。”金参谋一边穿戴装具，一边重复了一遍。片刻，金参谋全副武装站进闷热的哨位。刘星凯走到岗亭阴凉处坐下，看着金参谋的后背慢慢被汗水洇透，心里有些不解。记者跟随金参谋一路查勤，明白其中原因。原来，金参谋在查勤中发现，明明岗亭配备了空调，有些哨兵还是热得大汗淋漓。这是为何？金参谋决定亲自上一班哨。金参谋这一站，就是40分钟，脸颊被晒得通红，迷彩服能拧出水来。换哨时间到了，他从哨位上走下来，掏出一个小本子，飞快地记着什么。刘星凯瞥了一眼，本子上密密麻麻写着站哨发现的问题和感受：“部分岗亭空调老化，制冷效果不佳”“岗亭四面都是玻璃，降温效果不明显”…… “金参谋，我们都习惯了。”趁着金参谋把本子揣回兜里的工夫，刘星凯递过一瓶水。金参谋拧开瓶盖，猛地灌了一口：“这不叫习惯，这叫硬撑，说到底还是我们机关考虑不周到。” 话虽然不长，可字字戳在心窝子上。刘星凯没吭声，眼眶有点发酸。接下来，金参谋逐一走访了支队所有户外巡逻点位。巡逻官兵在街头定点执勤。李东摄在某中队执勤岗亭边，巡逻车组官兵正通过直播连线，开展车厢党日活动，沉浸式参观红岩村。记者走到近前，听讲解员讲述了这么一段故事—— 红军战士赵继在《深切的怀念难忘的教诲》中，回忆了自己在八路军重庆办事处工作时的情形。他说，周恩来同志对办事处工作人员关怀备至，不管是炊事员还是办事员生病了，他都要抽空探望。有一次，赵继因病住院，周恩来亲自来医院看望，宽慰他安心养病，还为他安排伙食。 “重庆是一片红色热土，老一辈革命家当年在这里留下很多爱兵如子的故事。他们的优良作风时刻提醒我们，一定要把根扎进基层。”在这个执勤点位上，金参谋围着岗亭仔细查看，在本子上记下“阳光西晒面大，遮阳棚延伸长度不足”。顶着烈日暴晒，记者跟随金参谋抵达下一个执勤点位。金参谋指着不远处告诉记者：“当年，时任成都军区副司令员、开国中将韦杰就是在那里当兵锻炼。” 1958年，全军掀起高级将领下连当兵热潮，韦杰主动到驻重庆某团“红二连”当兵锻炼。连队干部考虑到他身份和年龄特殊，便没有将他编入战斗班组，也没有安排夜哨。韦杰当即提出：革命军人只有岗位分工不同，没有地位年龄之别。他主动换下肩章，以普通一兵的身份参加站哨执勤。韦杰虽然吃住在一排二班，但在业余时间，也常到各班串门。他了解到，由于训练时间少，炊事班战士们射击、投弹、刺杀三大技术成绩比较差，有的同志不安心炊事班的工作。于是，他建议连里每天增加一名帮厨的同志，以减少炊事班的杂务活，增加训练时间。从这以后，炊事班的三大技术成绩也慢慢上来了，不安心在炊事班工作的同志也安下心来。重温这段历史，金参谋感慨地说：“同坐一条板凳、同站一个哨位，才能从源头上知兵难、解兵忧。” 一路辗转，每到一个点位，执勤哨兵的一声声“没事儿”“能扛”，让金参谋心里不是滋味。战士们越是主动克服困难，他越觉得机关为官兵解难等不起、慢不得。回到机关，天已擦黑。金参谋立即拉着几个业务股室的干部，一口气把当天摸到的情况捋了个清清楚楚。“将岗亭空调维修或换新”“给岗亭加装遮阳棚或遮阳帘”“户外警戒点应配备移动冷风机”……他把存在问题和解决方案逐条列出，大家听得连连点头。不到两天，一份为户外执勤官兵购置防暑降温设备的方案摆上首长办公会。不久后，新购置的设施设备与降温手册、防暑药品等一并到位。 “三伏天站哨执勤再也不用发愁了！”看着新换的空调，刘星凯笑得合不拢嘴。尽管岗亭外仍酷热难耐，但新空调吹出的凉风，驱散了岗亭里的闷热，给哨兵送来凉爽。想官兵所想、急官兵所急、忧官兵所忧，既是一种感同身受，更是一种换位思考。谈起这段高温查勤的经历，金参谋说，看似是机关为哨兵解难帮困，其实是哨兵给自己上了一课：那些真正让基层满意、官兵受益的实事，不是坐在办公室凭空想出来的。防暑降温设备安装到位后，金参谋又去了一趟各个巡逻点。哨位上，哨兵身形挺拔、目光警惕。新空调安静地“吐”出凉风，吹得衣角轻轻摆动。 “新空调怎么样？”金参谋问。 “凉快！”哨兵咧嘴一笑，把身板挺得更直了。以“体感”换“实感” ■张永清三伏天，武警重庆总队某支队金参谋查勤的故事让人心生触动，在暑气蒸腾中感受到作风转变的一缕新风。汗透衣背的40分钟里，他不仅真切感受到了哨位的闷热，更精准发现了存在的问题，进而推动一揽子防暑降温措施落地。解兵难先要认真体味，以“体感”换“实感”。机关干部应像金参谋一样，把身子扑下去、把心贴上去，在这个三伏天，让自己的后背也结满盐花，让自己的额头也挂满汗珠，才能真正体味官兵口中那些“习惯了”“没事儿”背后的不易。机关干部查勤不只是检查督导，更是情感投入。蹲下去，才能看到实情；亲历过，才能感同身受，只有“同站一班岗，同处一哨位”，帮建举措才会带着真情实感，滋润官兵心田。