Chapter 348: Competition for Spots (1)
The establishment of the Marine Elite Training Camp was historic for the Marines.
In the past, it wasn't that training camps didn't exist; even various Navy Branches would provide simple training for newly joined recruits.
And at Marine Headquarters, there was also the existence of the Navy Academy.
Even Fleet Admiral "Steel Bone" Kong had gathered some excellent young Marines together for training.
That was actually the prototype of the Marine Elite Training Camp.
The core role of the Marine Elite Training Camp is to cultivate strongmen, to cultivate military officers who possess high-level military literacy and the ideals of justice.
The instruction at the Marine Elite Training Camp is not just about improving strength; it also requires a large reserve of knowledge.
It cultivates talent in politics, military affairs, and management.
This is elite training.
For the establishment of the entire Marine Elite Training Camp system, Kong gave Zephyr one month's time, and anything needed could be provided.
This is only the first session, so there's no need to rush.
Adjustments can be made at any time after discovering problems.
Kong gave Zephyr sufficient power to fully showcase his abilities.
Immediately, Zephyr began forming the Marine instructor group.
Cultivating young officers requires having enough teachers.
Zephyr's main mission is to improve strength, while other aspects require instruction from excellent officers within the Marines.
At the same time, news of the Elite Training Camp's establishment quickly spread throughout Marine Headquarters.
The various Navy Fortresses also received this news.
Next, each Navy Branch Base Commander began internal selection, having the authority to recommend candidates to enter the Elite Training Camp.
The number of spots is roughly limited within a certain range.
After being selected, they will be uniformly sent to the Navy Fortresses for a second selection.
Finally, they will be sent to Marine Headquarters.
For the future development of the Marines, Marine Headquarters released a large number of spots in order to discover talent as much as possible.
They also gave some general officers the right to recommend one young Marine with potential whom they discovered themselves.
The foundation of some Marines is relatively weak, but they possess high growth potential; it just requires time.
Having a slightly large number of recommended people is not a problem.
Upon arriving at the Marine Elite Training Camp, they will be further screened, removing those who are merely filling numbers or got in through connections.
Once discovered, the Navy Officer who recommended them will be severely punished and held accountable.
This concerns the future of the Marines, and those who abuse power are always severely punished without leniency.
Moreover, as long as they enter the Elite Training Camp, it will be easy to discern their strength and potential after training.
As the first session of the Elite Training Camp, with Marine Admiral Zephyr as the chief instructor, it can be said that all of the Marine High Command are paying attention.
Wanting to exploit loopholes is completely impossible.
Therefore, the officers of each Navy Branch Base attach great importance to this matter.
To some extent, this concerns their achievements.
If excellent talent emerges among the recommended candidates, it will definitely be credited to them, and for these talented individuals with potential, there is also the kindness of promotion.
As for recommending oneself, that is impossible.
Marine Headquarters has clear regulations that the age of young Marines recommended to enter the Elite Training Camp must not exceed thirty.
Those above want to gain upward space, while those below want to reach the top quickly.
Just like this, starting from the lowest level Navy Branches, intense selection activities began in every Navy Branch, including within the Navy Fortresses.
This kind of selection is related to strength, so the competition is very fierce.
If they don't have sufficient strength, even if their potential is strong, others will not give recognition.
And these recommendation spots from Navy Officers are precisely prepared for those young Marines who possess sufficient potential but have not yet transformed it into strength.
This is an opportunity for all Marines.
Even if they are not selected to enter the Elite Training Camp, as long as they perform excellently in the competition, they can still enter the sights of those Navy Officers.
If not this time, then the next session.
There were no opportunities to perform before, but now the opportunity is right here.
This is the most important thing.
If there had been such an opportunity earlier, Zephyr wouldn't have been promoted to Corporal only at age 28.
On the Grand Line, Navy Fortresses, including Affiliated Navy Branches, each Navy Fortress has fifty spots.
And in the more vast Four Seas, the Four Seas Governor-General's Office, including all Navy Branches in each sea area, respectively have two hundred spots to enter the Marine Elite Training Camp.
Counting the candidates recommended by some Navy Officers, and the talent selected by Marine Headquarters itself, ultimately there will probably be more than eighteen hundred people sent to Marine Headquarters.
Intense competition is unfolding fiercely in the various Navy Branches and Fortresses.
In some bases, the spots can easily be determined.
While in some bases, intense battle contention is still required.
Later on, at the Governor's Mansion, and also at Marine Headquarters, further selection will be conducted.
News of the Marine Elite Training Camp did not spread on the Great Sea.
Those pirates are also not interested in this kind of thing.
While certain factions immediately focused their attention on the Marines.
The establishment of the Elite Training Camp is a major measure for the internal Marines.
It is equivalent to directly jumping from a recommendation system to a merit-based examination system.
People with foresight can see what kind of changes its appearance will bring to the Marines; a large number of talent will emerge.
Some hidden talent will be discovered.
At the same time, many factions have all started mobilizing the people they have planted within the Marines, hoping to contend for a spot to enter the Elite Training Camp.
Or start planting spies in the Marines.
If the first Marine Elite Training Camp doesn't work out, then focus on the next session.
Not only can they utilize the resources of Marine Headquarters to quickly improve strength, but they can also save many years of time and reach the Marine High Command.
The Marine Elite Training Camp is such a coveted stepping stone.
Sometimes, wanting to join the Marines is still very easy.
Even the Intelligence Force of the Marines cannot possibly investigate the identity and origin of everyone.
Under normal circumstances, as long as their origin is not unclear or they show signs of wrongdoing, they will not be prohibited from joining the Marines.
As for identity issues, forging one is actually very simple.
Moreover, the current Marines are inherently short on military strength and have also relaxed quite a few requirements.
"Something has changed."
Looking at the information about the Marine Elite Training Camp, Hades noticed a clear change.
The current Marines are not that strong.
Since the Battle of God Valley, they became the hegemon of the Great Sea.
Instead, they haven't been able to return to the New World for a long time, giving many great pirates time to develop and expand their factions.
The strength of the great pirates in the New World is expanding, while on the contrary, the Marines' strength hasn't changed much.
At most, they've gained some regular soldiers.
And these soldiers are necessary to maintain the stable Great Sea.
Coupled with the wars in previous years that caused a gap in Marine combatant strength, they haven't recovered much in these years.
For this reason, the holding of the Elite Training Camp has expanded to a great extent in terms of recruitment numbers compared to Hades' memory.
This is a necessary adjustment based on the actual situation.
It is also a necessary measure to restore and even strengthen the strength of the Marines as much as possible.
It can be imagined that even for the young Marines recommended from various Navy Fortresses, Marine Headquarters will not eliminate too many, even if they eliminate some.
However, the increase in numbers requires a large investment in cost.
The current military budget of the Marines is not enough to support the Marines cultivating so many young Marines.
The current military budget is sufficient to maintain the operation of the current military, but there isn't much spare funds available.
In order to protect the trade routes of the Member Nations, the Marines have newly established quite a few Navy Branches, which requires quite a bit of money.
Coupled with continuous recruitment.
In recent years, the Marines themselves have been living frugally, having defaulted on quite a bit of salary and pensions.
Only now are they barely maintaining income and expenditure balance.
If the Elite Training Camp is established, it will definitely break the funds structure of the Marines and owe others some money.
However, it's not the first time anyway, and Kong is also prepared to be in debt.
After persisting for a period of time, things will get better.
With the effort of the Marines, the Member Nations are still relatively satisfied with the successful opening of the trade routes, so they agreed to the request to increase the amount of Heavenly Tribute.
At that time, the military budget of the Marines will also further increase.
In essence, the military budget of the Marines is just in the process of restoration.
Compared to twenty years ago, the current Beli has already devalued by more than double.
And facing fierce pirates, the even more chaotic Great Sea, and the protection of trade routes, the expenses of the Marines in various aspects are actually increasing.