"What mission does he have? How can he organize the troops to participate in the military exercise if he doesn't come back?"

"This live ammunition exercise is divided into several phases, and it coincides with the fishing season in the East Sea, Yellow Sea, and Bohai Sea. To ensure the safety of the exercise, he must lead the two newly received anti-smuggling boats to the periphery of the live ammunition exercise area, and coordinate with the law enforcement vessels from Marine Supervision, Fishery Administration, and Coast Guard to assist the maritime department in outer vigilance."

Live ammunition exercise means real bullets and shells are fired.

Last year, during the sixth flood peak in Beihu, the superior was prepared to initiate the Jingjiang flood diversion project and blow up the dike. To ensure the safety of the detonation, so many boats were organized on the river for vigilance.

This time, it's about firing shells and launching missiles at sea. It's imaginable that the vigilance task is more significant than last year's flood fighting. We must ensure that merchant ships and fishing boats do not intrude into the exercise sea area and be alert for foreign military vessels possibly collecting intelligence in the exercise sea area.

Moreover, this is a large-scale military exercise.

From the East Sea to the Yellow Sea, several major military districts with Taiwan-related tasks are participating. How many maritime, marine supervision, fishery administration, and coast guard law enforcement vessels can execute the outer vigilance?

The customs maritime anti-smuggling team has just been reinforced and will definitely participate in such a big operation.

Old Ge and Master Han realized, thinking about who would be responsible for the Rescue Boat Team and Linghai Reserve Camp's actions since Salted Fish was not at home. Commander Wang continued, "Master Ge, the Navy is not the same as our Army. Even if Salted Fish returns, he cannot command our Binjiang's combat forces."

"Why can't he command?"

"This is a joint exercise, and it's necessary to conduct formation according to operational plans. The Linghai Reserve Battalion Third Company will transport the officers and soldiers for the beach landing mission together with the Navy landing craft troops, brother reserve forces, and civilian militia."

Commander Wang glanced at the emergency order file issued by the superior and added, "The tugboat squadron must be incorporated into the support formation and be ready to perform rescue tasks for combat vessels at any time. The anti-smuggling boats must cooperate with the marine supervision law enforcement ships and fishery administration ships to execute the outer vigilance mission, only standing guard outside the exercise sea area."

Old Ge scowled and asked, "Doesn't this mean the Rescue Boat Team is fragmented?"

"Fragmented is a strong word; rather, it's a necessity due to the unique nature of the Navy forces. Master Ge, you should be familiar with the East Sea Base, which normally oversees several ship squadrons, but during wartime, various types of ships must be regrouped."

Afraid Old Ge might not understand, Commander Wang patiently explained, "For example, the frigate squadron only has frigates, no other vessels. Or the destroyer squadron only has destroyers. The Branch Captain and brigade Political Commissioner usually manage these many frigates or destroyers, but for missions, the subordinate ships must be regrouped according to the situation."

Old Ge couldn't quite grasp it and pondered, "Managing and organizing separately during peacetime, and being drawn away during wartime to form new combat units, isn't this unscientific!"

Commissar Fang, the Navy Retirement House Political Commissioner and the Rescue Boat Team Political Commissioner, who is a true navy man, understood this well and explained with a smile, "Master Ge, the fleet and sub-fleet setup with all kinds of vessels is actually an outdated organization mode. That kind of small and complete setup is a relic from the age of sails, where individuality in combat was emphasized.

Modern naval powerhouses don't adopt this setup; they classify administrative setups according to vessel type, then form dispatch setups in terms of groups and squadrons. Because the traditional fleet and sub-fleet setup would cause the command relationships of vessels to solidify, unfavorable to vessel rotation and flexible assignment."

Old Ge realized, bewildered yet amused, "So you mean the Rescue Boat Team is just a small base, usually responsible for nurturing soldiers and deploying them in wartime?"

"Pretty much."

"Then what's the point of Salted Fish being the Big Commander here!"

"Master Ge, the Rescue Boat Team is a reserve force, a fundamental part of the national defense reserve strength. Besides, live ammunition exercises are much like warfare, unlike flood fighting, it requires obedience to superior orders, not personal heroism."

"Okay, then how many boats does the Rescue Boat Team need to deploy, and how many reserve soldiers need to be notified for the 'Mobile-3' exercise?"

Commander Wang took out and gently passed the order issued via military line to the Military District to Old Ge: "The Rescue Boat Team needs to dispatch Linggang Tuo 001 and the Shipping Academy's training ship. The Linghai Reserve Camp needs to dispatch six newly constructed power boats. As for participation personnel, you few are most familiar with the officers and soldiers, the selection should be researched and decided by you."

Old Ge looked at the order document and asked, "Aren't the fishery administration ships participating?"

"The fishery administration ships, like the anti-smuggling boats just received by Salted Fish, must assist the maritime department in charge of the outer vigilance of the exercise sea area."

"Understood, we will research the participation candidates now."

"Commander Wang, there's another question."

"What is it?"

"Has the superior mentioned when the exercise will take place, when our ships and soldiers will set out, where they will gather, and whom they will report to?"

Commander Wang responded without hesitation, "The exact time is confidential, I don't know it either. As for where to gather, follow the command of whichever unit when the time comes, we can only wait for superior orders now. What we need to do now is to finalize participation personnel and notify each participant, letting everyone be ready to assemble at any time."

Political Commissioner Chen added, "Meanwhile, we must promptly maintain and service the participating training ships and tugboats. There are many civilian militia reserve forces participating this time, and the maritime transport and logistics support mainly depends on civilian vessels, we can't afford to fail at a critical moment."

"Alright, let's finalize the personnel first."

Old Ge looked at Commissar Fang and hesitated, "The two ships from the Rescue Boat Team need to perform different tasks; each ship must have a team leader, Salted Fish and Captain Wu need to perform vigilance tasks, Commissar Fang cannot leave, it must be Staff Officer Qian Shiming and Political Office Director Qin Weiquan leading."

Commissar Fang hurriedly said, "Master Ge, I can leave; there isn't much work at the retirement home."

"The problem is going to sea. Although you are a navy officer, you've never been on a ship, never been to sea!"

The implication in Old Ge's words was clear, an outsider can't command those within, your presence would just add trouble to the comrades.

Commissar Fang thought about actually partaking in the exercise and definitely getting seasick, potentially causing a big joke, and had to say with some irony, "Failing at critical moments, it seems I'm a fake navy officer."

Commander Wang, waiting to reply to the superior, rapped the desk and urged, "Master Ge, continue."

"Okay, then the captains' selection."

With Salted Fish not at home, Old Ge was in charge for the Rescue Boat Team.

He lit a cigarette and said leisurely, "In terms of marine experience, no one in the whole group is more seasoned than Captain Wu, Teacher Xia, and Instructor Wang. Since Captain Wu cannot participate in the operation, we can only ask Teacher Xia and Instructor Wang to serve as the tugboat captain and supply ship captain. The crew will be gathered by Teacher Xia and Instructor Wang."

"Alright, continue."

"That's all for the Rescue Boat Team, only two ships are deployed, not many people are needed."

"Old Yang, what about the Linghai Reserve Camp?"

Minister Yang from the Linghai Armed Forces Department quickly said, "Commander Wang, Ge Diao is equally familiar with our situation here, let's have Ge Diao arrange it since we are only dispatching one company."

"Alright, Ge Diao, you handle it."

"It's hardly a task for me. I am still a senior expert in the Linghai Reserve Camp."

Old Ge looked at Yang Jianbo and Liu Degui, smiled, and said, "Since only one company needs to be dispatched, Ma Jintao definitely will participate as he is the Company Commander. As for the other officers and soldiers participating, let Ma Jintao decide afterward."

"Sounds good." Commander Wang nodded with satisfaction, then turned and said, "Old Yang, Jianbo, for the two ships from the Rescue Boat Team, there must be a team leader from the group. The same applies to your side; there must be a battalion leader."

This is an unprecedentedly large-scale live troop and ammunition exercise, not just anyone gets the chance to participate.

Yang Jianbo had been waiting for this moment and raised his right hand excitedly, "Commander Wang, Minister Yang, let me lead the team."