To those who serve/served in the armed forces: WHAT DO YOU ENVY ABOUT THE PLA?

chicket9

New Member
Ok,

In every thread I read, I am so thankful there are quite a few people who have served or are serving in militaries from Western nations who have such significant input into this forum.

But seems, quite understandably and naturally, that you guys mostly critique the PLA. Yes the PLA has many faults and problems, and they all do deserve commenting from your skilled perspectives.

But from your stand point, veterans and current servicemen and women,

what are things you can highlight about the PLA (as well as PLAAF and PLAN) that you envy, or what Chinese forces do practically better than the armed services you serve in, or something that you can say to any PLA soldier/general with two thumbs up?

I'm interested to hear...
 

Gollevainen

Colonel
VIP Professional
Registered Member
well by nature, when You have served in the military, You hardly find anything positive about them in general, only those penny deatails that you remembered suffering that could have been done otherwise. But in the west where everything is plentifull;) the situations where you lacked something the purpose was that you were supposed to lack something at the first place.
When one has served in the military, he quickly builds up an soldiers point of wiev which helps to see things in the bigger perspective, if reflected by the ones rank, but still. That usually methaphorsis as ones keen eye to spots the mistakes or wrong dooings from foreing armyes according to ones subjective wiev. From my point of view those critics falls mostly to the supporting elements of the military, the basic supply and safety regulations (im still shocked to see pictures of chinese artillery men whitout any ear protection. Those poor bastard wll face their final years whitout hear-sense for 99% certainity)
But other than that i see PLA as a army, basic army that can do its purpose and there isent anything to envy about (so far i havent seen any extra big food dozes or comfortable field beds...)
Perhaps the clean and spotting-range style fire positions where the guns are like in drill field firing:D :D :D
 

Inst

Captain
Someone posted a picture of a tanker's banquet in CDF, so I believe. So, I suppose at least they eat well.
 

Gollevainen

Colonel
VIP Professional
Registered Member
soldiers never eat well:D :D one of the things that you will learn when you have served
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
soldiers never eat well one of the things that you will learn when you have served

Maybe in Finland. Not in the US. Even though guys will complain about the chow it is really pretty good. Espically in the USN...Great Chow.:D

When one has served in the military, he quickly builds up an soldiers point of view which helps to see things in the bigger perspective, if reflected by the ones rank, but still. That usually methaphorsis as ones keen eye to spots the mistakes or wrong dooings from foreign army's according to ones subjective view.
...(Some of golly's spelling corrected)

That is the very reason I do not watch many military movies. I can't help but be critical. Golly is so right when you serve it is to spot mistakes and stupidity.

Basically I agree with Golly. I do not envy the PLA at all. The pay sucks. They really do have a lot of unsafe drills/practices in their service. Very unsafe from some of the pics I see. They lack logistical suppourt. I would not want to be a field soildier in the PLA in a real war. I would be very hungry. I feel they lack training by senior seasoned NCO's. I'm not talking about basic training. I mean real training like going to sea, operating the equpment. Firing that artillery like Golly did. Day after day. Learning the job and doing it correctly.

Now as a 20 year USN veteran I do not at all envy the PLA. No way.

I'm sure that the PLA forces are very proud that they serve their nation.
 

zraver

Junior Member
VIP Professional
I admire the PLA has not built a one sized fits all force like the top heavy US Army. The US Army has the worlds best heavy and airmobile forces and thats it. The PLA buys equipment to fit a geogrpahical or localised tactical need.
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
I admire the PLA has not built a one sized fits all force like the top heavy US Army. The US Army has the worlds best heavy and airmobile forces and thats it. The PLA buys equipment to fit a geogrpahical or localised tactical need.

Please fully explain what you mean by this post. When you make a general statement like this in our forum expect to be challanged. Thank you.
 

Gollevainen

Colonel
VIP Professional
Registered Member
well navyes are by tradition offered better foods than army...no matter what nation....:D :D But if to be honest, when we were on long war games, expecially in the unmotivating lappland tournee, they treated us whit wery delicious breakfeast and evning snacks containing normal civilian yougurts, micro-wave pizzas and meat burgers and stuff so you couldn't really complain....but still you did, but thats the soldiers nature...


Basically I agree with Golly. I do not envy the PLA at all. The pay sucks. They really do have a lot of unsafe drills/practices in their service. Very unsafe from some of the pics I see. They lack logistical suppourt. I would not want to be a field soildier in the PLA in a real war. I would be very hungry. I feel they lack training by senior seasoned NCO's. I'm not talking about basic training. I mean real training like going to sea, operating the equpment. Firing that artillery like Golly did. Day after day. Learning the job and doing it correctly.

Well mostly the attention gets aways from the support branches, or at least I havent been treated whit sigths of PLA soup-cannons or food lines...but the rear services doesent intress kids that want to know about SOWs or fancy tanks...and only those who have served, expecially in the land forces can only understand the underminding and ignorance that the big puplic gives to the support&service branches, where as we also know that they hold the key for military succes. At the end, all operations comes down to the fact that there are humans performing the missions and strategies. And whit out food, clean clothes, dry firewood, unpierced tents and occasional visits of the cantine trucs, the humans will not sufcces...
 

zraver

Junior Member
VIP Professional
Please fully explain what you mean by this post. When you make a general statement like this in our forum expect to be challanged. Thank you.


The PLA has wheeled and tracked APC/IFV (type 77, 501,503, 504 AT,523,531,534,307,309) chassis assinged to formations that can best make use of the type. Like tracks in the desert, wheeled chassis farther north etc. machine gun equipped units in the ointerior cannon equipped near the borders etc. They have two main tank types in production right now and an amphibious tank. Indivaully each one might not be upto western standards but it gives them a lot of tactical flexability.

In the US we have 1 choice for armor (Abrams) and it is hard to deploy and can't swim. We have only 1 choice for a cannon armed IFV and 1 each wheeled or tracked APC choices both armed with HMG's only (in the army) to add a canon armed wheeled IFV the USMC has the LAV-25 and also has some tracks that swim but are not IFV's but APC's.

We are still using bradelys and Abrams Abrams in Iraq and need more Strykers and the Stryker gun system. All the wear and tear we ar eputitng on those tracks is causing billions in maintenc eshortfalls. Wheel armored in an urban and patrol enviroment is much more effective, both tactically and economically.
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
golly sez;
And whit out food, clean clothes, dry firewood, unpierced tents and occasional visits of the cantine trucks, the humans will not sufcces...

You are so right. Soildiers need suppourt of the things civillians take for granted....

The service is not a video game. It is real life. It isn't a game. it is real.

but the rear services doesent intress kids that want to know about SOWs or fancy tanks...and only those who have served, expecially in the land forces can only understand the underminding and ignorance that the big puplic gives to the support&service branches, where as we also know that they hold the key for military succes

Members when you read that paragraph above remember it is written by a man that actually served in a artillery unit and participated in some real world training. He spent a lot of time in the field under all sorts of condidtions. He knows of what he speaks.

Good post golly.:)

Good post Zraver..You seem to have some knowledge of mechinized armour. I don't. thanks for explaining your post! Maybe someone like Utelore will answer that...
 
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