After finishing the gossip, Graham finally brought the topic down to business. After all, Fang Lang will soon be a major of the expeditionary force. Brazilian school-level officers are different from lieutenant-level officers. You can't be promoted by giving gifts and money. You must have real merit. Therefore, there are many Brazilian lieutenants who remain lieutenants throughout their lives until they retire.
Of course, this does not mean that there is no chance at all. It mainly depends on whether you can send it to the right person! If you give it to the president, the commander-in-chief of the navy, army and air force, or the chief of general staff, there is definitely a chance. But many lieutenants never have the opportunity to get to know these superiors, let alone give gifts. Others don't know you. If you go directly to give gifts, you will be lucky if they don't directly send you to a military court.
"I came here to see you this time to discuss something with you. You will be a major soon, and your position will definitely need to be promoted. We want you to serve as the captain of a destroyer, but now the Brazilian Navy's own Warships are all old models and have basically no combat effectiveness, so I want to hear your thoughts."
As soon as I heard that I was asked to be the captain of a destroyer, wouldn't it mean that I would have to fight the Germans and there would be no time to make a fortune! This is not okay.
"However, I have no problem sailing on a long voyage, but it is not enough to drive a warship."
Lieutenant Colonel Graham did not know Fang Lang's inner thoughts, and thought that Fang Lang was just worried that he was not qualified for this position because of his lack of personal ability.
"Don't worry about any of this. You won't be allowed to sail the warship alone. We will definitely assign you enough professional manpower!"
And Fang Lang is obviously not interested in this kind of combat position that wastes his time to make a fortune. If he really wants to change his position, Fang Lang would even want a lucrative position in the logistics department.
"Well, I have never participated in a naval battle, so it may not be suitable for me! I wonder if there are other positions in your logistics department that are more suitable for me. I can work in the logistics department."
Graham heard Fang Lang's obvious shirk and decisively rejected Fang Lang's idea of coming to the logistics department. I'm joking that as the first officer of the Logistics Department, I only have the rank of lieutenant colonel. If you, a major, come here, you are directly my deputy, and you have the support of the Yankees behind you, so I still have to be the boss!
"There is no vacancy in the Logistics Department. Now the headquarters wants you to be the captain of the Navy destroyer. Because we are friends and you helped me solve the problem of trophy transportation, so I want to communicate with you in advance. See Let’s see what you think!”
Fang Lang finally heard something different from Lieutenant Colonel Graham's words. Now that the command had decided to let him serve as the captain of the destroyer, what else needed to be communicated. As a soldier, can I just refuse to carry out orders? This is not because life is too long.
"But what's the point of communication? If the headquarters wants to transfer me to be the destroyer captain, I can only carry out the order!"
Hearing the meaning of breaking the rules in Fang Lang's tone made Graham feel that his communication method was a little too tough in the past. After all, behind the man in front of me is Brazil's current father, a Yankee.
It only shows that Lieutenant Colonel Graham has become accustomed to the way he takes the initiative in dealing with things. He may not have much confidence when dealing with outsiders, but when it comes to dealing with the situation within the Brazilian army, Graham has always been a comparison A powerful officer, but his backstage is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, Brazilian Marshal Major General Moraes!
But his attitude towards Fang Lang was actually different from the beginning, because he felt that behind Fang Lang stood an American father. It was not something he could offend easily, which made Fang Lang make a wrong judgment from the beginning, thinking that Lieutenant Colonel Graham was a very talkative officer and was even willing to make friends with him.
Since General Moraes also felt that there was an American behind Fang Lang, and wanted to use Fang Lang's connections to promote his idea of increasing the strength of the Brazilian Navy, Graham obviously could not offend the Asian man with a profound background in front of him. The boy's.
"Uh! Maybe I didn't make it clear enough! The key point now is that the equipment of our Brazilian Navy are all battleships from the First World War. Their combat effectiveness is relatively poor. It is difficult to defend the Brazilian offshore waters, and we dare not say that we will fight the Germans at sea. , and there are no vacancies for captain candidates, so this time we want the US military to support us with a new destroyer!"
Fang Lang felt that he had captured some of their thoughts from Lieutenant Colonel Graham's words, but he was not sure, so he could only express his lack of ability again, hoping to know more about the seemingly harmless person in front of him. The thoughts in the mind of the Logistics Minister.
"That's not good! As a novice, you mean to ask me to be the captain of this new warship. Wouldn't this be unfair to the veteran captains of our navy?"
Graham answered all of Fang Lang's questions one by one. In short, his goal was to get Fang Lang to agree to become the captain of the destroyer.
"You don't need to consider whether it's fair or not. As for the novices, our Brazilian navy has never been exposed to new destroyers, so the Americans will definitely arrange personnel to train us."
Fang Lang is not particularly clear about his thoughts on the expeditionary force. However, since he wants to keep his identity as a Brazilian soldier, he has no way to refuse the reasonable transfer order from his superiors.
"Oh! Okay then! I will obey orders!"
Hearing Fang Lang directly express his acceptance of the appointment, Lieutenant Colonel Graham was a little unable to react for a moment. Wasn't it the person in front of him who had just tried to evade him in every possible way? But since he agreed to accept this appointment, the rest of the matter will be easier to handle!
"Uh! Now there's a question!"
Fang Lang knew the questions in his heart, and he was about to get the answer! He casually wondered:
"What's the problem!"
Graham was a little nervous. After all, it took him so long to get Fang Lang to agree to serve as the captain of the new destroyer. Now he had to tell him that he needed to figure out a solution for the warship himself.
"The Americans are holding a wait-and-see attitude towards providing us with a new destroyer. As far as I know, you have a very good relationship with Commodore Jackson of the US Navy. I wonder if you can find a way for your own warship."
Fang Lang was not happy when he heard Lieutenant Colonel Graham's words. What does this mean? It's you who asked me to be the captain. It's you who talked about the new destroyer. Now you tell me that the Americans haven't agreed yet. , asking me to go to the Americans and ask for warships myself. You are teasing me! Is this my warship or a Brazilian Navy warship?
Of course, Fang Lang couldn't refuse directly, he could only express it tactfully.
"Ah! This is not good! My relationship with Brigadier General Jackson is not that good."
Graham obviously didn't believe what Fang Lang said, so he deceived him directly:
"How will you know if it works if you don't try it! After all, this is your own warship!"
Fang Lang would not be fooled and shook his head repeatedly.
"I can continue to be the captain of the Gilas and be responsible for transportation while waiting for the results of your communication with the United States!"
Seeing that Fang Lang was a bit unsophisticated, Graham became a little annoyed, and his words began to sound threatening.
"Fang, if it is entirely up to us to negotiate, you, an inexperienced captain, will have no chance of becoming the captain."
But Fang Lang didn't originally want to be the captain of the new destroyer, so what Graham said to Fang Lang was completely wrong.
"That's not just right. I really don't have the ability to serve as the captain of a destroyer! I think it's good to continue to be my transport captain."
Seeing that Fang Lang did not accept the move, Lieutenant Colonel Graham could only block Fang Lang's retreat.
"The Navy will not allow a lieutenant commander to serve as the captain of a transport ship. Besides, I heard that the captain of the Gilas has already been selected!"
Finally, Fang Lang felt a strong sense of malice in Graham, which made Fang Lang feel unhappy and his tone began to become harsh.
"What! Then if the United States cannot provide us with destroyers, then where will I be assigned!"
Graham obviously didn't feel Fang Lang's emotional changes, and was still trying to make a bigger pie for Fang Lang.
"It's hard to say. What I heard above is that I hope you can rely on your relationship to obtain a new destroyer for you and the Brazilian Navy. Fang, as a friend, I think you should believe in your influence. If you If you can get the new destroyers that the Brazilian Navy needs from the Americans, believe me, your position in the Navy will be untouchable."
