For the first time, China's young and mysterious special forces are likely to grab plenty of attention on October the 1st, when they march in a military parade. It's an honor for them to be taking part, but the practice has been challenging.
It's 9:30 at night, when other soldiers have already gone to bed, members of the square formation of special troops are still practicing their marching. The elite troops want to take every possible minute to perfect their drill training. Preparations for the October 1st parade have been particularly hard on them.
In the past, the team has focused in on tactical training and on handling emergencies. They are accustomed to being very flexible and to walking with their toes pointing outwards, to minimize the sound of their footsteps. But the parade-ground training has completely different requirements.
Liang Pengju, member of Special Troop Formation, said, "A special forces soldier's body is usually in the shape of a bow. That's why, in formation drills, we always have problems with our legs, feet and upper bodies."
They try their best to make sure they can meet the parade requirements.
Another challenge for the team is the speed of the parade. The exact pace of the formation is one hundred and sixteen steps per minute. Each step is 75 centimeters.
32-year old battalion commander Fang Yuhu is the leader of the formation. A metronome to count steps has become his best friend on the training field. As the first line of the formation, every step Fang makes decides the order of the whole team.
Fang said, "We represent all special soldiers in the army. We cannot fail, and we will not fail. We have to improve our actions, step by step."
The elite troops are all from the ranks of the Beijing Military Command Area. The indomitable will of the team, and their persistence of spirit is ensuring everyone works hard at the training sessions.
Jin Ming, Sepcial Forces Officer of Beijing Military Command Area, said, "This is the first time for us representing China's special forces to join the military parade. We felt very honored, as well as feeling responsibility. Although we do not have any experience with a military parade, we still believe that we can make it the best. And I have confidence in our forces."
China's special forces, which were established in the 1980s, are among the newest branches in the People's Liberation Army. The highly trained team is usually used for high risk operations, such as reconnaissance work, unconventional warfare, direct action and counterterrorism operations. Ever since the force was founded, its members have kept relatively low key. Now they are marching into the public's view, with their firm and energetic steps.
(CCTV September 9, 2009)
