Gampa County in Tibet Autonomous Region is a border county in China’s southwest. It borders three countries, and each year there are more than 200 days that register level 8 winds. The oxygen content here is extremely low, and it is still frozen even in July and August. Here, the highest-altitude organization battalion of China’s entire military is stationed: the Gampa Border Battalion of the Tibet Military Region.

Since the 1960s, the Gampa Battalion has been known as a heroic force. In August 2016, it was awarded the title “Model Highland Battalion”. “There are forbidden zones in life, but no blind spots following the Party’s command!” Li Xiaolin, chief of staff of the battalion exclaimed.

Every year when the snow and ice begin to melt, the 5,318-meter-high Chaguola Post welcomes the patrol time. Stationed at this seasonal post, officers and soldiers are prone to vitamin deficiency, sunken nails, and chapped lips. However, for more than 50 years, a large number of applications for this outpost are still received annually.

In Gampa, there are many people who support the military, one of whom is Sonam. Sonam opened a vehicle repair shop, and a red sign on the door of the shop says “free repairs for military vehicles”. Sonam said, “If I can do something for the soldiers, it would made me feel very proud.”

In the rolling northern mountains of the Mt. Himalayas, Gyeru Village is known as the “first village on the border”. The “double support” here is universal praised. Since the construction of moderately prosperous villages on the border in the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Gampa Battalion has organized officers and soldiers to participate in renovations of residential buildings and the construction of supporting facilities, dispatching technical personnel to teach techniques in cultivating greenhouse vegetables and to guide villagers in developing special industries, such as Gampa mutton and snow chicken. At the same time, a vast number of officers and soldiers study Tibetan language, sing Tibetan songs, dance Tibetan dances, and assign counselors and health workers to deliver medicine and offer medical consultations. They minimize the distance between them and the villagers, forming close relationships. Nowadays, in Gyeru Village, you can find the “Love Tree”, “Friendship Well”, and “Collaboration Road”, which signify the deep friendship formed between the people and army.