Sunday, September 10, 2006

My Army Daze. Si Beh Siong ahhh .....


FOR HONOUR??

Training in the BMT was tough - both mentally and physically. I was never a strong kid, in the physical sense. In school, I wasn't really into sports. And didn't bother to train up prior to my enlistment. In short, I was one of those physically unfit soldiers Chun See mentioned in his blog and whom he's resolved his son would never become.

And so it was I flunked my IPPT and the SOC test during my BMT. I managed only two chin-ups and failed my running. It was not a big deal. The weak ones were made to train doubly hard than the others. I didn't feel "humiliated" for having failed the physical test. When you are a recruit, you soon realise that dignity is hard to come by. And everyone got humiliated, one way or the other.

The SOC was really tough, and I was all worn out just trying to clear the first obstacle, the low wall. Then there was the bayonet fighting. It looks easy, but the thrusting and the shoving of the rifle soon wore many of us out.

I'm sure any soldier worths his salt would know the term extra-drill. This word is really a misnomer. We greenhorn recruits had thought it meant extended drill lessons. But we soon sensed something amiss when we noticed a medic on standby by the side of the parade square. In truth, extra-drill is drill executed in double quick time. We found it quite funny when we first performed the act. It made us look quite "cartoon". That made our OC to comment,"You can laugh. I see later you cry or laugh." True to his words, ten minutes into the extra-drill, some of my fellow recruits started to vomit and one of them even passed out.

Among all the training I had in BMT, I like log PT the best. See, this exercise entails the recruits in rows to manoeuvre a huge log at the command of the PTI. So if the PTI shouted, “Up”, we recruits would hold the log and lift it up over our heads in unison. The problem was, I was never able to reach for the log above me. I don't have to get into the specifics, but the PTI thought I was trying to “keng”! But to me, log PT was really effortless! Tall people like Victor, dig this!! Heh.

Well, if you're fit to be enlisted, you're fit no matter if you failed your IPPT. So, despite managing only two chin-ups, I was posted to SAFTI to take up a course on becoming a section leader.

This is where I had the best part of my NS life. I was posted to Echo company, and met some wonderful instructors. I was sort of the blue-eye boy to my RSM. He became my personal trainer of sort, making me got up earlier than the others, and helping me train in the gym to build up my strength and muscles. He was particular kind towards me, excusing me from fatigue duties, even offering me extra night snacks. Needless to say, I was the envy of the rest of my platoon mates. But such is life. Sometimes, you meet people that help you when you're at the "lowest ebb" of your life. No... no...… I wasn't getting suicidal. Life at SAFTI, as I said, was wonderful, and at the end of my SAFTI stint, I managed ten chin-ups and passed my IPPT with flying colours. I remember my platoon mates applauding for me when I did the chin-up!

SSG Chua should be so proud.

Category: Yesteryear

10 comments:

Lam Chun See said...

I think I used the word honour wrongly. Should be serve with honour (as opposed to shame, anger, resentment etc) not for honour.

Victor said...

I read a comment dated 7 Sep 06 at 10.55 pm posted by someone whose nick is "singaporean" on Mr Wang's Rethinking NS Part 1 post, part of which is extracted here:

NS doesn't make you more mature. In fact it stunts your mental growth. Trust me, women your age will find you childish, about two years behind, maybe more. Trust me, for the next 5 years at least, you will keep talking about army life at every opportunity, because that is all you know.

For you and Chun See, it seems like the 2 of you can't stop talking about army life even after 2 or 3 decades.

Chris Sim said...

Sorry you missed out on your sword of honour, Victor. But trust me, there are men who would rather be in your shoes, gallivanting, I mean, to quote your exact words, "fraternizing with CMPB SAF girls" instead of fiddling with the rifle.

Come, do share your stories about your clerical days in the CMPB.... Did u "hook" your wife at the CMPB cafeteria? LOL.

Lam Chun See said...

Victor, You still dare to say. Instead of coming to my rescue to handle the youngsters, you go and talk about food.

Anyway, you forgot that I did not serving until age 50; so I shd be talking about it for at least another 10 years.

Victor said...

But, but... I am handling the youngsters by talking about food. (It was Evan the young girl who passed me the food meme mah, heh.)

me said...

Sorry this is off topic, because i missed the previous post, is scared that my post will not be read & so i decided to hijack this comment box by putting what i feel for the entr "i know what you did last summer".

i have a little story here to share...

there is once a girl who is afraid of the internet, she told herself she will NEVER meet anyone that she met over the internet chats, because they are all 'wolves', & yes she kept to her promise for 4 years..

after knowing people for 4 yrs & hiding behind the monitor, she decided to step out to meet people whom stood by her, chat with her, talk to her & care for her. she wants to meet them not because to see them, but to do things they couldnt possibly do online - like shopping, watching movies together, etc.

and so she met them, and they became her best friends. :)

prolly thats the reason why this girl here decides to be open about her status online (with pics & stuffs), but of course, she is careful with revealing her address in case of PI like this blog owner here. =x

this topic is debateable (dun know how to spell) but i too tired liao la... tml work need to slp now =P so.. i will continue later when i get a clearer mind. its highly possible that i did not give a good summary of what im trying to convey, pardon me.

menawhile, who is gonna organize the xmas party? :P

me said...

Sorry this is off topic, because i missed the previous post, is scared that my post will not be read & so i decided to hijack this comment box by putting what i feel for the entr "i know what you did last summer".

i have a little story here to share...

there is once a girl who is afraid of the internet, she told herself she will NEVER meet anyone that she met over the internet chats, because they are all 'wolves', & yes she kept to her promise for 4 years..

after knowing people for 4 yrs & hiding behind the monitor, she decided to step out to meet people whom stood by her, chat with her, talk to her & care for her. she wants to meet them not because to see them, but to do things they couldnt possibly do online - like shopping, watching movies together, etc.

and so she met them, and they became her best friends. :)

prolly thats the reason why this girl here decides to be open about her status online (with pics & stuffs), but of course, she is careful with revealing her address in case of PI like this blog owner here. =x

this topic is debateable (dun know how to spell) but i too tired liao la... tml work need to slp now =P so.. i will continue later when i get a clearer mind. its highly possible that i did not give a good summary of what im trying to convey, pardon me.

menawhile, who is gonna organize the xmas party? :P

Chris Sim said...

I think it's good to be cautious Elaine. But one should be able to discern the wolf from the sheep given time chatting over the internet. And always to meet up in a group. That's the sensible thing to do.

As for the x'mas party. Uncle Vic would show the way since it was his idea.

Vic??

Victor said...

Hey Chris, it was Elaine's idea okay? You're getting old and senile izit?

Cham liao lah, how come everyone is pushing everything to me. Help!

me said...

hahaha!! uncle vic gan1-die1 (my pc cant read mandarin) !!!! thanks for organizing the party :D

heh heh heh...

anyways uncle chris, yes thats what i did when i first meet up with them.. in a group, thats the best! the internet is dangerous.. but there are times where you can meet nice people too. i think im lucky, to have met my friends, u, uncle vic and uncle lam. evan dear, when are u gonna meet mi? XD