"This Man Is an Impatient Type" — A Profile of Wang Yanwen, Medical Corpsman of a Unit Under the Joint Logistic Support Force
In a certain unit of the Joint Logistic Support Force, whenever the name of First Sergeant Wang Yanwen comes up, his comrades' minds immediately conjure the image of a figure always in a hurry: "This man is an impatient type — whatever he does, he does it fast."
Wang Yanwen is a medical corpsman. By conventional wisdom, this position demands extraordinary patience and attentiveness — can someone with an "impatient" disposition do it well? There is no need to doubt it. Since taking up the post, Wang Yanwen has carried out every aspect of his work with distinction, and everyone speaks of him with a thumbs-up. The key to it all lies precisely in that word: "fast."
On one occasion, a soldier came to the medical station complaining of abdominal pain. Because the doctor happened to be out on a call, other comrades suggested the soldier lie down and wait under observation. Wang Yanwen heard the news and came over. He found that the soldier had an elevated heart rate, severe pain, and dark tea-colored urine, and made his judgment: "He must be sent to the hospital immediately!"
Other comrades believed the soldier was simply suffering from gastrointestinal discomfort caused by overexertion and felt Wang Yanwen was making a mountain out of a molehill — but Wang Yanwen was already helping the man out the door with one hand while coordinating for a vehicle with the other. Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor's assessment made the stakes clear: "If you had come half an hour later, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
After that incident, Wang Yanwen's "impatient" reputation became well known throughout the unit. This was not, however, a reference to recklessness, but rather to the fact that when something arises he neither drags his feet nor hesitates — he acts with swift decisiveness (雷厉风行).
Previously, following an adjustment to the unit's table of organization, the unit reorganized its medical support (卫勤) capabilities. The coverage area of the medical station where Wang Yanwen serves expanded substantially: he alone became responsible for medical support guidance work across five companies, visiting each company two to three times per week. These companies are dispersed across different garrison areas, with the farthest nearly three kilometers away. Add to that the work of requisitioning medications, conducting health education, and handling emergency calls, and the workload would be a strain for two or three people together, let alone one.
After the assignment came down, a number of comrades advised Wang Yanwen to ask the leadership for an assistant. Wang Yanwen said not a word in reply, gathered his materials, and headed straight for each of the companies. Sorting and restocking medications, redesigning casualty and illness registration forms, refining the medication requisition process — in under a month, Wang Yanwen had the medical support work across all five companies running smoothly and in order. Comrades asked in astonishment how he managed to keep up with it all. He gave a grinning laugh: "The work is right there — if I can't get it done, that's what makes me anxious!"
Before enlisting, Wang Yanwen had worked in the emergency department of a civilian hospital. It was precisely those experiences of "racing against death" that made him the "impatient type" he is today. "In all things, sooner is better than later — a problem that can be solved right now should not be left for the next second," Wang Yanwen said. "That was true in the emergency department, and it must be even more true in our military. Training must be fast, support must be fast, and saving lives must be fastest of all. Fall even half a beat behind, and what suffers is combat effectiveness."
Recently, Wang Yanwen has been updating the health records of officers and soldiers across each of the companies. One day, as lunchtime approached, comrades urged him to eat before heading out. He waved them off without even turning his head: "No, no — I'm in a hurry!"