The humble bugler, a symbol of bygone times in most modern armies, has returned to front line duty with the Chinese army at the "Queshan 2007" military exercise which showcases advanced technologies.
In the exercise which began on Sep. 22, People's Liberation Army buglers have been delivering combat orders after their radio signals were jammed by a strong electrical disturbance.
With a range of 108 tones, bugles have delivered orders for attacks, retreats, and calls for assistance, among other commands.
"Being a bugler was not a promising career in the past," said bugler Zhang Gaosen, a sergeant of the Jinan Military Area Command.
Zhang Zhongyi, vice captain of the Zhang Gaosen's company, said science and technology -- it was once thought -- had made the bugle obsolete in the modern army.
But in a military exercise in 2004, Zhang Gaosen realized the bulge's value when the communications signal was disturbed by the "enemy" and his bugle successfully delivered the command to retreat.
Since then, he has been training to blow the instrument in different positions, such as on his back or on the run.
Other basic communications tools, including hand gestures, lights, signals, sounds and smoke, have also become essential subjects for buglers.
The seven-day Queshan 2007 exercise, involving a motorized division of the Jinan Military Area Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), is divided into four stages: change of combat readiness, long-distance maneuvers, strategy planning, and combat.
Source: Xinhua
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