A bunch of teenagers got a taste of a soldier's life in a summer camp hosted by PLA Hong Kong Garrison. Parker Zheng trained his camera on them.

A two-week summer camp to give young participants a taste of military training ended on Sunday. The grinding training sessions were held in San Wai Barracks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison in Fanling.

This was the 11th year the military camp was organized. Secondary school students in forms 3 to 5 signed up to enhance and build on their inherent qualities of self-discipline and physical fitness and have their leadership skills nurtured.

Participants got a feel of what a day in the life of a PLA soldier might entail. The 260 teenagers who signed up for the program had to deal with extreme weather conditions - a scorching midday sun and pouring rain - as they went through rigorous training and tested their physical and mental alertness in particularly tricky situations.

There were several different kinds of activities lined up for them - from mass drills to martial arts, to attending lectures on national defense. The laser-gun war games, introduced this year, were a big hit.

Getting to interact with PLA soldiers was a bonus. Students got to find out about a soldier's duty and on-site experiences from the horse's mouth. At the end of the session, the young participants already looked all set to embrace a soldier's life.

Teenagers these days are often criticized for being too delicate and lacking a sense of discipline. The training received by the 260 young people who attended the military summer camp, however, will stand them in good stead when faced with critical situations in their lives. They will probably be able to deal with them with the confidence and perseverance befitting a soldier.

Janice Kee contributed to the reporting.

(HK Edition 07/27/2015 page10)