Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World
Chapter 454: The Principal Takes Office 2

Chapter 454: The Principal Takes Office 2

Since the establishment of the Northwestern Industrial Company and the Customs Union, the relationship between Alda and other territories has become increasingly close. The newly incorporated territory of Emden has gradually settled down, and the defensive pressure faced by Alda’s armed forces on land has significantly decreased.

Consequently, a notion began to emerge in Lakeheart Town: the idea of disbanding the army.

“For a count, having six thousand soldiers is a bit too many.”

“If we continue to maintain this, the surrounding lords will start having concerns about you.”

“Your army does not engage in production, yet it consumes a substantial amount of money and grain every year.”

Lord Paul Grayman was surrounded by such opinions every day.

Given the latest situation in the territory, Lord Grayman had no choice but to take these suggestions seriously.

The threat on land was almost non-existent, while maritime trade was booming. The prosperity along the shipping route from the Northwestern Bay to Horn Bay attracted numerous desperados. Pirates sprouted like weeds – cut down one batch, and soon another would grow. Moreover, the nearby land lords were not as accommodating as those in the Northwestern Bay, and they did not allow Alda’s navy to go ashore for thorough eradication.

Under these circumstances, military expenses had to be inclined towards the navy.

After multiple discussions with various department heads, a significant adjustment to the army was quickly finalized.

Apart from the First Infantry Battalion stationed in Lakeheart Town, the other seven infantry battalions were to be converted into half-strength battalions, retaining only half of the soldiers and most of the officers. The other half of the soldiers and a few officers would leave active duty and be reassigned to production positions. However, this did not mean that they were leaving Alda’s armed forces system; instead, they were transitioning to the reserves, still retaining their military ranks.

Not just the soldiers leaving active duty, but also those who had previously been demobilized, were incorporated into the reserves. In the future, demobilized soldiers would also enter the reserves until they reached the age of fifty, after which they could truly leave Alda’s military system.

The positioning of the reserves was similar to that of the militia, serving as a strong supplement to the active forces. Reserve personnel, like militia, would engage in regular jobs and undergo periodic military training. However, unlike militia who have no military ranks and primarily have experience with melee weapons, most reservists have experience with firearms. In the event of a critical wartime situation, reservists would be recalled to active duty.

Thus, Alda’s armed forces were officially divided into four main components: active land and naval forces, reserve land and naval forces, internal security forces, and militia.

Due to the Administration Council’s strong promotion of educational affairs, most of the officers and soldiers transitioning into the reserves entered educational positions. Alda’s requirements for primary education were minimal, primarily focused on literacy and arithmetic. The Alda military, which had always valued education, was well-suited for such positions. Among them, many were even considered “highly skilled” with knowledge of trigonometry and the ability to solve complex multi-variable equations.

Boris Makarov was one of the lieutenants who transitioned into the reserves.

One day, the battalion’s instructor approached him for a talk. Due to his commendable performance in the field, the military decided to reward him. The instructor presented him with two options: to maintain his current rank and attend the Grayman Military Academy for long-term systematic studies without examination, or to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant, transfer to the reserves, and work locally as the principal of a newly established public school.

At that moment, Makarov did not hesitate and chose to study at the military academy.

However, after his family learned of this through letters, they strongly urged him to choose the other path. Ultimately, Makarov decided to respect his family’s wishes.

The primary reason was his wife’s enthusiasm for him to take up the position of a principal. Under the Administration Council’s policy of placing high importance on education, school principals across the region were becoming respected local figures. Moreover, in the Alda military, the families of officers below the battalion level were not allowed to accompany the army. If her husband were to transfer to the reserves, they could finally live together.

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