Oscar Romeo Delta..I mean, ORD lo!!

[ This is my 111th Post. Post date: 11/11/2008 ]

Oh, how I've missed you so. (If wenjie is reading this he'll kill me, 'cos it's the fourth time I'm reminding him, third time visually)

But wait, just wait. Give me a moment to reminisce...........

How was I feeling when I took that ferry for the first time to Pulau Tekong? That dreaded island where "boys become men". I was with dad. Then I remembered bumping into Yusri, my senior, after alighting.

With a grin, he said, "Welcome to Hell."

Ask any guy and they'll confess - the feeling is never good (unless it's those sickos who're actually excited about selling their freedom).

The tour of the island... the 'last' meal with dad... then, finally, alone. Met Kang Yu and Alfred (both from NJ; Kang Yu also a BP pal) and we sort of stuck together for awhile. Before they broke us up into our platoons. I didn't know anybody, then.

I was in Platoon 4. Section 1. Bed 13. (I'll be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the number). 4113. That's our identity. Until we pass-out from our Basic Military Training.

Hmm, BMT...

Demanding Sergeants. 0530 reveille. Shaved heads. Body aches. Anxiety. Inferiority Complex. Bad cough. Fatigue. Drenched in perspiration. Swearing. Breathlessness. Very long queues for meals. Fast eating. Foot drills. 13-men Bunk. Bonding. Route march. Intense heat. Heavy bag. Short legs. Determination. Thirst. Coughing. My wife: M16 Rifle. Live-firing. Exhilarating. Grenade-throw. Scared shitless. Field Camp. Extreme exhaustion. Ground digging. Sleeping on mud. Jumping frogs. Jumping insects. Giant mosquitoes. Buddy. Bonding. Forest. Jungle. Sick. Medicine. Determination. Filth. No bathing. Powder-bath. Naked. 7 Days. No toilets. Dig hole. Shit. Cover hole. Outfield. 3am. Centipede. Bite on arm. Wake buddy up. Swollen. Painful. Very painful. Live with it. Continue field camp. 24 kilometres. 24 Thousand Metres. Route March. Shag. Very shag. Very, very shag. Overnight. Blisters. Rocks. Uphill. Downhill. Blisters. Heavy bag. Short legs. Completed. Passing out Parade...


Then it was onto SISPEC (Pasir Laba Camp @ Boon Lay), where I started to believe that I could fight for something I want. Instead of enduring misery for 1year plus, why not do something I'd enjoy?

But nothing went right. SAF Band wanted me but I was deemed combat-fit so I shouldn't be sitting around playing my trumpet; rather, I should be out there, chiong-sua.

Out-Of-Coursed from SISPEC. For the first time, I was a sai-gang warrior. Was in limbo there for 3months, grumbling, suffering.. I even spent my birthday @ that dreaded island, feeding myself to the mosquitoes (Tekong. Went back Twice).

Signals Course - started to learn the nooks and cranks about the army. How messed up it could be.

Then, the beloved 24th Singapore Artillery, my unit, my battalion and my home for a year and a half.

Made some of the best friends a guy in the army could ever ask for.


Now, the Hell is over. Officially.

It was definitely not a wasted 1 year 10 months, although I should've been in university now. BUT if given a choice, would I choose NS?

All I can say is, you're only given one chance to grow up and become a better person. You've got my answer.
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And now for the Life, Curious special:

Painfully honest things I've learnt after serving in the ARMY:

1) ...that I'm officially JOBLESS! If you actually call that a job.

2) ...the full meaning of JUST DO IT. I used to evaluate my body's ability to do certain things before doing it; but in the army, there's no time to evaluate! JUST DO IT nia. Later than see can tahan or not.

3) ...that fairness is NOT guaranteed. anyway, whoever said it was? don't assume.

4) ...how to say certain words I never imagined I'd ever say in my life.

5) ...and how those words became the official tongue in the army. Not ashamed to admit it.

6) ...that wearing green too long dangerously decreases the IQ of our nation's males.

7) ...that some people's actions require no explanations. How do you explain stupidity, inefficiency and stubborness all rolled into one? It's one of life's greatest mysteries.

8) ...to accept people who possess the above qualities. 'Cos sometimes, I do act like an a** as well (refer to point #6 for the reason).

9) ...meeting real horny guys. 5 days living with guys, talking to guys, eating with guys.. can really drive some people really insane.

10) ...that the army isn't a place for the latest fashion trend, mainly because 1. The person who initiated NS only allowed one type of hairstyle: the Ugliest One. 2. Have you seen the latest army uniform? You haven't? Ok, imagine a cow chewing grass. Now imagine it vomiting on your uniform. I rest my case.

11) ...that I don't have to keep looking out for petty medical syndromes (like knee pain, stomach pain, head pain, finger pain, fingernail pain...) just to get MC and excuse myself from camp. =x

12) ...that self-discipline is really a very valuable trait.

13) ...that I've definitely changed as a person. And, hopefully, for the better.
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There you go. My journey as a Full-time National Serviceman. Something that won't happen twice.

As much as I complained before.. as much as I've suffered.. I'll still cherish the lessons and the good times I've had.

The sun has set on a chapter in my life. And here's to a better one ahead =)

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Next post I can finally go back to normal updates.

Take care, peeps!