So long and goodnight
Alright, another goodbye post here. It's the 3rd time i'll be leaving Singapore for this year. This time it's going to be 21 days. 3 long weekends overseas. Nothing much to look forward to this trip. Probably the hazards and 5 tough missions are something "worth" watching out for. Just hope Taipei gets more peaceful, or i will definitely curse and swear at them for making us not able to have our R&R.
For friends who have BGR problems, i wish i can help, but i'm not in any better position. Gals work by emotions and feelings, something guys never understand. For friends who are busy with school, hold it there, holidays are coming. For those i don't know and are reading this, come again another 21 days. Probably i might post some photos here.
That's all folks. May the force be with you. Till then.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Life as a soldier
"Looking all around us, couples everywhere. Couples having fun, while we are holding guns. Have you ever wondered, why must we serve? Cause we love our land, and we want it to be free, to be free."
Not that i'm so patriotic, but that's the song that concludes my 1 year anniversary with the SAF. Did my 3rd 24km route march last Friday morning, ever since i enlisted for NSF 1 year ago on the 8th September 2005, over at East Coast Park. The route march that starts right from the end at Carpark G all the way to Carpark C, bypassing almost all the features and fun spots at East Coast Park.
Just as i'm doing the march with the not-so-easy load of 16kg on my back, i started counting the numbers again. For the whole year after i enlisted, i had already done about 100km of route marches, 50km of running, 3000+ push-ups, 300+ chin-ups and went to 4 schools (Basic Military Training Center, Air Force School, Officer Cadet School and Signal Institute).
Called that personal achievement or not, i already felt that i'm like what some may say, "old bird" of the army. After 1 year of service for the nation, i'm still a trainee. And i still have 3 more months to go before i finally get a proper status for myself in the military ranking. And this isn't something usual for most would only at most take 11-12 months to get a 2nd Lieutenant rank. But of cause i went to Air Force for 3 months and that contributed to the fact that for my 2 years service, i have to march around wherever i go for 1 year 3 months as a trainee.
Time kinda flies when you start looking back. Just a year ago, i entered NS with nothing to expect, just hoping to get it done and over with. And who knows after i graduated from Tekong as a Private, i signed on for Air Force hoping to make it big as a Military Aviator, which only lasted for 3 months. After coming back to Singapore, i was posted to do some admin work which does nothing but filing and sorting of letters. Slack time doesn't stay long, and 2 weeks into that, i was posted to the western side of Singapore, to the place called Home of the Officer Corps, OCS.
3 months as an infantry cadet wasn't that smooth sailing either. During the time, i was given many opportunities to perform as various exercises Platoon Commander, but i always fail to deliver. It's something that whenever i look back, i felt that i have let my instructors, especially my Platoon Commander down.
Moving on to my Professional Term as a cadet, i was posted to Signal Institute, which was my first choice for my vocation. Started out thinking that it should be a vocation which might just be slightly less demanding as compared to the rest of the support arms, but it wasn't to be. Another 3 months have passed since then, and the demands just get tougher, with more to expect for during the 3 weeks at Taiwan. There will be a 72km of Full Battle Order (FBO), a summary exercise to end off the 6 months stint over at Signal Institute.
Made many friends, and i'm one of the fortunate guys out there, to have the opportunity to train with a group of peers ranging from 23 to 19 years old and of cause not to mention fellow female cadets as well. Not forgetting, i'm also one of the fortunate guys out there who has gone into 2 cores of the SAF, the army and the air force. I met quite handful of nice instructors along the way, and a particular instructor who's my sister's primary school mate.
Ask me how i feel towards National Service, i would say it's just a matter of how much you learn out of it, and not to be too critical about it. Because most of the time, you will find the stuff you do are nonsensical and you will be stuck in occasions whereby you don't have much choices about it.
So what you will be exposed to? Basically, you have to go through a lot of learning.
Learning how to work with different people, Learning how to deal with tonnes of vulgarities hurled at you, learning how to take punishments, learning how to be tactful, learning how to slack, learning how to take responsibilities, learning how to lead, learning how to take care of oneself, learning how to be a neat, learning how to do cleaning, learning how to listen, learning how to follow orders, learning how to sleep less, learning how to copy with hunger, learning how not to get extra duties, learning how to handle weapons, learning how to push oneself for fitness excellence and ultimately learning how to protect the nation and be a good soldier.
"It's not about what you left behind, it's about what you gain in the days ahead."
That's the big slogan you will see when you enter BMTC at Tekong. Like it or not, every male has to serve the 2 years, and it's just a matter of choices. Choose to be a normal men or as a commander, ultimately like what my instructors used to tell us, this 2 years do not belong to us. It belongs to Singapore. Start learning good things out of it or continue whining about the bad side of it.
Till then.
"Looking all around us, couples everywhere. Couples having fun, while we are holding guns. Have you ever wondered, why must we serve? Cause we love our land, and we want it to be free, to be free."
Not that i'm so patriotic, but that's the song that concludes my 1 year anniversary with the SAF. Did my 3rd 24km route march last Friday morning, ever since i enlisted for NSF 1 year ago on the 8th September 2005, over at East Coast Park. The route march that starts right from the end at Carpark G all the way to Carpark C, bypassing almost all the features and fun spots at East Coast Park.
Just as i'm doing the march with the not-so-easy load of 16kg on my back, i started counting the numbers again. For the whole year after i enlisted, i had already done about 100km of route marches, 50km of running, 3000+ push-ups, 300+ chin-ups and went to 4 schools (Basic Military Training Center, Air Force School, Officer Cadet School and Signal Institute).
Called that personal achievement or not, i already felt that i'm like what some may say, "old bird" of the army. After 1 year of service for the nation, i'm still a trainee. And i still have 3 more months to go before i finally get a proper status for myself in the military ranking. And this isn't something usual for most would only at most take 11-12 months to get a 2nd Lieutenant rank. But of cause i went to Air Force for 3 months and that contributed to the fact that for my 2 years service, i have to march around wherever i go for 1 year 3 months as a trainee.
Time kinda flies when you start looking back. Just a year ago, i entered NS with nothing to expect, just hoping to get it done and over with. And who knows after i graduated from Tekong as a Private, i signed on for Air Force hoping to make it big as a Military Aviator, which only lasted for 3 months. After coming back to Singapore, i was posted to do some admin work which does nothing but filing and sorting of letters. Slack time doesn't stay long, and 2 weeks into that, i was posted to the western side of Singapore, to the place called Home of the Officer Corps, OCS.
3 months as an infantry cadet wasn't that smooth sailing either. During the time, i was given many opportunities to perform as various exercises Platoon Commander, but i always fail to deliver. It's something that whenever i look back, i felt that i have let my instructors, especially my Platoon Commander down.
Moving on to my Professional Term as a cadet, i was posted to Signal Institute, which was my first choice for my vocation. Started out thinking that it should be a vocation which might just be slightly less demanding as compared to the rest of the support arms, but it wasn't to be. Another 3 months have passed since then, and the demands just get tougher, with more to expect for during the 3 weeks at Taiwan. There will be a 72km of Full Battle Order (FBO), a summary exercise to end off the 6 months stint over at Signal Institute.
Made many friends, and i'm one of the fortunate guys out there, to have the opportunity to train with a group of peers ranging from 23 to 19 years old and of cause not to mention fellow female cadets as well. Not forgetting, i'm also one of the fortunate guys out there who has gone into 2 cores of the SAF, the army and the air force. I met quite handful of nice instructors along the way, and a particular instructor who's my sister's primary school mate.
Ask me how i feel towards National Service, i would say it's just a matter of how much you learn out of it, and not to be too critical about it. Because most of the time, you will find the stuff you do are nonsensical and you will be stuck in occasions whereby you don't have much choices about it.
So what you will be exposed to? Basically, you have to go through a lot of learning.
Learning how to work with different people, Learning how to deal with tonnes of vulgarities hurled at you, learning how to take punishments, learning how to be tactful, learning how to slack, learning how to take responsibilities, learning how to lead, learning how to take care of oneself, learning how to be a neat, learning how to do cleaning, learning how to listen, learning how to follow orders, learning how to sleep less, learning how to copy with hunger, learning how not to get extra duties, learning how to handle weapons, learning how to push oneself for fitness excellence and ultimately learning how to protect the nation and be a good soldier.
"It's not about what you left behind, it's about what you gain in the days ahead."
That's the big slogan you will see when you enter BMTC at Tekong. Like it or not, every male has to serve the 2 years, and it's just a matter of choices. Choose to be a normal men or as a commander, ultimately like what my instructors used to tell us, this 2 years do not belong to us. It belongs to Singapore. Start learning good things out of it or continue whining about the bad side of it.
Till then.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
I have a dream...
I have a dream that i'll be able to achieve gold for my upcoming IPPT test this coming Thursday, with ease and determination.
I have a dream that on my commissioning day, all my family members are able to grace the occasion, maybe with the special she.
I have a dream that one day i'll be entering university with the course i truly wanted, with no stress or no obligations.
I have a dream that one day i will find someone who will not judge by the surface but by the content of my character, appreciates me for who i am, and loves me for who i am not.
I have a dream that one day i will have a son and a daughter, a family with simple wants and simple needs.
I have a dream that one day i will be starting my own business and do the things i wanted, my way, my style.
I have a dream that i will be retiring at the age of 45, with no burdens or commitments.
I have a dream that one day i will ride away with my partner on my R1, and leave this town forever.
I have a dream that i will be reminiscing on my rocking chair at the age of 70 for that i've done my part contributing to the society.
I have a dream that the day i left this earth, it will just be pure black and white.
I have a dream today.
I still have a dream...
I have a dream that i'll be able to achieve gold for my upcoming IPPT test this coming Thursday, with ease and determination.
I have a dream that on my commissioning day, all my family members are able to grace the occasion, maybe with the special she.
I have a dream that one day i'll be entering university with the course i truly wanted, with no stress or no obligations.
I have a dream that one day i will find someone who will not judge by the surface but by the content of my character, appreciates me for who i am, and loves me for who i am not.
I have a dream that one day i will have a son and a daughter, a family with simple wants and simple needs.
I have a dream that one day i will be starting my own business and do the things i wanted, my way, my style.
I have a dream that i will be retiring at the age of 45, with no burdens or commitments.
I have a dream that one day i will ride away with my partner on my R1, and leave this town forever.
I have a dream that i will be reminiscing on my rocking chair at the age of 70 for that i've done my part contributing to the society.
I have a dream that the day i left this earth, it will just be pure black and white.
I have a dream today.
I still have a dream...
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