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Chapter 2633 Honor Belongs to Warriors (First Update, Please Subscribe)
"...This heroic self-sacrifice is precisely a manifestation of a soldier's courage..."

In the following days, all the news reports covered Wang Changde's heroic actions.

He protected his comrades with his own body. His helmet was blown into a pile of shredded pieces on the spot, and even his bulletproof vest was damaged to varying degrees.

But what is the most shocking thing?
Of course, it was the Kevlar helmet that was blown to pieces. People saw that helmet on the television news; it was completely reduced to fragments.

It turned into a pile of rags.

It lay there on the table, with two officers standing beside it. They looked at the broken Kevlar helmet and the shrapnel in their hands, their expressions grave. They remained silent.

Because they all knew very well what kind of courage this required.

courage!

Only unparalleled courage would drive a soldier to do such a thing; he is willing to sacrifice himself to protect his comrades.

"In some ways, Wang Changde was undoubtedly lucky. His Kevlar helmet did block most of the shrapnel, and his bulletproof vest also stopped the remaining shrapnel, but a large number of shrapnel still hit his body, causing him serious external injuries..."

On the television screen, the Kevlar helmet, blown to shreds, drew everyone's attention. People couldn't imagine the situation the injured man had been in, nor could they fathom the extent of his injuries.

Many military experts expressed differing opinions about his actions in interviews.

Some people believe that what Wang Changde and his soldiers should have done was not to use their helmets and bodies to shield themselves from the grenade, but to move away from the bomb as quickly as possible and lie down with their feet facing the bomb.

If there is really no time, try to find cover or a shallow pit, or hide on the other side of the vehicle, with your head facing the explosion with the side of your helmet facing outwards. Helmets are for blocking shrapnel.

Yes, a helmet is meant to protect against shrapnel, not his chest.

But everyone acknowledges that it was quite good that he was able to react at that moment. Wang Changde's decision was brave and correct. If he had used that incredibly quick reaction to run away, at least two of his comrades might have been in serious trouble.

"...At least we know that a helmet can't stop a grenade, even the most ordinary fragmentation grenade. But we know that his unparalleled courage allowed him to shield his comrades with his own chest. Now, let us pray for our hero!"

Prayer continued for the next few days for Wang Changde.

Every day, the SEA military medical center in Baghdad updates him on his condition—he is covered in shrapnel and broken bones, has 27 fractures in his right arm, a ruptured eardrum, lost his jaw and teeth, lost an eye, and his face is covered in wounds.

The doctors are doing everything they can to save the injured man. They have performed multiple surgeries in an effort to pull him back from the brink of death.

I don’t know how long it took.

When Wang Changde opened his eyes again, he saw the white ceiling of the National Military Medical Center. The smell of disinfectant replaced the smell of gunpowder on the battlefield, and the intense pain all over his body made him groan.

"Where is this?"

Perhaps it was because he was in an unfamiliar place that he tried so hard to struggle his body.

Just as he struggled to move, a nurse in a white uniform quickly held him down:

"Sir, don't move, you're covered in wounds."

At the same time, the nurse hurriedly called the doctor, her tone filled with surprise.

Wang Changde then realized that his right arm was firmly fixed, or rather, his entire body was fixed to the hospital bed.

It was only then that he remembered what had happened to him. It seemed that he had pressed a grenade, but... shouldn't he have died?
The nurse next to him quickly told him that there were 27 fractures in that arm alone, and bone fragments had even pierced nerves.

"Don't move, Private First Class, you're covered in wounds."

That means I'm still alive.

Feeling the bandages covering his face, Wang Changde tried to raise his hand to touch it, but then he realized that his hand was quite far from his face and that he couldn't move his body.

At this moment, the doctors came out and began to examine him, and the reporters who had been waiting outside the medical center applauded excitedly when they learned that Wang Changde had woken up, cheering for his tenacity.

"He is a brave and tenacious warrior. He is still persevering. I believe he will recover..."

Just as the doctors said, Wang Changde's tenacity was astonishing, and he would need to undergo dozens more surgeries in the days to come.

How should I put it? The battlefield is a place full of miracles.

When Wang Changde miraculously survived, everyone knew what awaited him.

"He will receive the Order of the Two Stars!" The Order of the Two Stars is the highest military medal of the SEA, and according to the requirements, it must be awarded by Your Excellency in person.

Since the landing at Zamboanga, only a handful of people have received the Order of the Two Stars. Most of them were posthumously awarded it after their deaths, and catching a grenade by hand was a routine part of the award.

Some soldiers, despite suffering second- and third-degree burns covering more than 70% of their bodies, continued to do their utmost to save their comrades until they died in battle.

Some fought against hundreds to cover their comrades' retreat and ultimately died in battle.

Some soldiers even used their own bodies to shield their comrades from grenades and bombs thrown from the other side.

Another person single-handedly took down more than a dozen enemies in a fortified position during jungle warfare, making him one of the very few who survived to receive the Double Star Medal.

The award criteria for this medal are:
To be awarded the Order of the Two Stars, an individual must possess acts of bravery, self-sacrifice, and fearlessness in the face of danger. The courage and dauntlessness displayed must clearly surpass those of his comrades. Convincing proof of service performance is required for the award of this medal, and recommendations must be made based on criteria of outstanding merit.

For this reason, everyone believed that Wang Changde would definitely receive the Double Star Medal. After all, his heroic and tenacious deeds, self-sacrifice, fearlessness in the face of danger, and the courage and dauntless spirit he displayed must have clearly surpassed those of his comrades.

In fact, while Wang Changde was still undergoing emergency treatment, his superior commander had already recommended that he be awarded the Double Star Medal.

On the very day he regained consciousness, the award report submitted by the Ministry of National Defense was also delivered to Li Yi'an's desk.

The report detailed his deeds without any formulaic writing; it was simply a truthful description of his heroic actions.

Looking at the report, Li Yi'an nodded silently and then signed his name.

"They deserve this honor!"

Looking at his father's signature on the certificate of grant, Li Yixuan thought for a moment and said:

"Yes, the sacrifices and contributions of these soldiers deserve the highest honor."

Hearing his son say this, Li Yi'an thought for a moment and said:

"Did you know that when the Order of the Twin Stars was first established, some people felt that its award criteria effectively excluded high-ranking military officers?"

After a brief pause, Li Yi'an pressed his finger against the certificate of conferment and said:
"Here's a little-known fact. The highest-level medals in the military of most countries are awarded to senior officers."

Li Yixuan, who had served in the military for many years, nodded and said:

Indeed, most of the time, many medals are awarded to senior officers, while ordinary soldiers and junior officers are often left out.

Li Yi'an snorted sarcastically, then said:
"But our Double Star Medal must be free from this from the very beginning. The conditions for the Double Star Medal are: outstanding performance in actual combat against hostile armed forces, with actions far exceeding the requirements of duty; demonstrating extraordinary courage, self-sacrifice, or completing heroic deeds at the risk of one's life."

These conditions are all indispensable, but the condition of 'extraordinary courage,' self-sacrifice, and risking one's life is tailor-made for soldiers and junior officers, and is almost impossible for senior officers to meet.

Since we established the Order of the Double Star thirty-two years ago, it has only been awarded to soldiers and junior officers, with the highest rank being lieutenant.

No senior officer has received this honor simply because it is impossible for them to meet the requirements for receiving the Double Star Medal at the same time.

Hearing his father say this, Li Yixuan nodded and said:
"Only officers at the front lines have the opportunity to receive the highest medal, while the second-tier Medal of Loyalty and Bravery has become an exclusive medal for senior officers, which is very rare in the world."

The Medal of Loyalty and Bravery is the second-highest medal, and it is basically the highest medal that senior officers can receive. Most soldiers can only receive the Medal of Loyalty and Bravery, the Medal of Distinguished Service, and the Medal of Loyalty and Diligence, which can be obtained as long as they serve. Of course, there is also the Service Medal, which can be obtained as long as one is wounded in battle.

The SEA's principle in awarding medals is simple: it basically favors junior officers and soldiers.

The reason for this is that Li Yi'an does not want a medal emperor to appear on his side.

"Only by making it rare can we prevent it from becoming the exclusive domain of generals, and truly make it a symbol of military honor, courage, and sacrifice, rather than just an embellishment on uniforms."

As he said this, Li Yi'an naturally thought of his "old friend" who was particularly fond of medals, and remembered that he had even hinted at the possibility of awarding him the "Double Star Medal".

Thinking of this, Li Yi'an couldn't help but smile. Were those medals really that attractive?
However, he then wiped the smile from his face and looked at his son, saying:

"Actually, there's another reason for this—to curb people's selfishness; everyone has a desire for fame."

In war, you can never guarantee that someone won't take military risks for fame and fortune. Every decision a general makes affects the lives of thousands. Those soldiers aren't just numbers on a report; they are their parents' everything, the children they raised for eighteen years..."

With this sigh, Li Yi'an turned his gaze back to the report and said slowly:
"Therefore, I would prefer to award the highest honor to ordinary soldiers. They fight and protect with the courage of self-sacrifice. This pure heroism deserves our praise and commendation... The honor should belong to them!"

(End of this chapter)