A graduate's dream to defend the country

（China.org.cn）  08:49, July 19, 2013  

Chu Kewei, a college graduate-turned-commander, cherishes the dream to defend his country.

Chu gave up opportunities to work inside the higher-level offices of the army and Beijing scientific research institutions when he graduated in 2007 from the national defense class of Tsinghua University.

Instead, he joined the grassroots of the army as he believed it was the only road to take for a true soldier. Chu then went on to join China's prominent "Iron Army," the 54th Group Army of the 127th Light Mechanized Infantry Division under the Jinan Military Command of the People's Liberation Army.

Chu has been learning, practicing and undergoing tough training sessions with the regiment whose predecessor was the famous Ye Ting Independent Regiment, a pioneer in the Northern Expedition military campaign launched in 1926 to overthrow the rule of the Northern warlords.

Chu rapidly matured and the green hand's fast growth deeply impressed the veterans who had originally questioned his abilities.

He became his company's commander in 2010. He has won two second-class merits and one third-class merit and was a delegate to the 18th CPC National Congress.