Welcome the first ray of sunshine into our motherland

The knife like cold wind swept over the ice surface of Heilongjiang, with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, and ice crystals covered the cold mask. This is my battlefield - Heixiazi Island in the eastern pole of our motherland. In the morning, I stood on the "Eastern First Whistle" watchtower, once again welcoming the first ray of sunshine into our motherland

I am a post-05 soldier and also the youngest soldier in the company. I remember last spring, I traveled from Hunan to the East Pole, and military life was full of unknowns for me. At that time, my physical fitness was poor, I couldn't even pull up a single pull, and I had to lie down to do a few push ups. Standing in the honor room of the company, seeing the glorious history of the company and the stories of the predecessors who worked tirelessly on construction when they first arrived on the island, I feel a heavy responsibility on my shoulders. I thought at the time that I couldn't hold back

In our company, excellent is considered qualified, and full marks are the goal. During that time, I practiced every morning and evening, and the feeling of sweat soaking through my workout clothes made me feel at ease. The thick calluses on my hands are a badge of growth. During the next round, I lost over 20 pounds in weight, but my physical fitness improved significantly. I also met the standards for the courses that were lagging behind

I will never forget the day when I first set foot on the patrol road. In October, the birch forest shook off its yellow leaves, and I followed in the footsteps of the class monitor, gazing at the scenery along the riverbank. When I patrolled to the boundary marker and touched it with my fingertips, my heart beat faster than when a new recruit was appointed - at that moment, over 9.6 million square kilometers of land were transformed into every blade of grass and every tree under my feet

Life may seem mundane, but I believe that glory lies in its simplicity. As I whistled, I walked up to the barracks and saw the sunset dyeing the sky red. The five-star red flag flutters in the wind, becoming even more vibrant red against the backdrop of the sunset. Seeing such a beautiful scene, exhaustion swept away. I think this is a romance unique to the Eastern Frontier Defense Forces

Thousands of miles at the border, youth dreams. Now I am extremely familiar with this land: in the early morning of summer, the wings of river gulls will be bathed in the morning light; In July, when mosquitoes and insects were rampant, we painted the boundary markers red one by one; During the Blizzard lockdown season, patrolling car tracks is like the annual rings of the earth... Although it's a bit tough and tiring, I never regret my choice. Everyone's age is different at 18. As the 587th "East Pole Defender", I am willing to devote my youth to patrolling the road and guarding the east gate of our motherland

The dawn of the new year has arrived. When the first ray of sunshine penetrates through the thin mist of the border, it is not only the sunrise of the New Year, but also the rays of youth relay by the "East Pole Guardians". My youth is growing into the appearance of a birch forest on this land that first welcomed the sun