Field camp - check.
Range - Marksman check.
SIT Test - check.
With 2 weeks and 2 more days to go at BMT, we're left with SOC, final IPPT and 16km and 24km route marches.
For the past 6-7 weeks, BMT has made me reconsider my desire to enter OCS. So far, I have been mentally capable to handle the stress; physically however, due to my small frame, I am having some problems coping with the demanding training schedule. We'll see how it goes from here.
Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to our POP. Much polishing on our marching and drills is to be done if we were to give our proudest presentation infront of our loved ones during POP. Haha.
It's going to be over soon, savour the moment.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pegasus Coy 04/09 - Field Camp, 2nd-7th November 2009
And so I'm finally blogging about my army life - first entry.
I will try my very best to update what I had been through the previous 4 weeks before the field camp, and I will talk about my field camp in brief. Haha.
Day 1 - 8 km Route March & Basha Day
8 km route march to camp site. It was not that shag actually, probably because of the singing though repetitive. People can say we do not have team spirit, we do not have pride, but I believe Pegasus Coy Platoon 3 has what it takes to beat the rest, because we have PRIDE. what is PRIDE? People Rest I Do Extra!
Building of the basha tent was a chore really. It didn't help when my buddy suffered from physical exhaustion and passed out before midway. He did come back after a few hours of rest at the medic point but progress was slow. Thank you Section 4 for helping me, especially Ravi for his physical attributes.
Heavy rain followed. The lack of proper drainage system caused us dearly as our area would be flooded if not for the help of Platoon Sergeant Darren and Platoon Commander Jordan. Although they can be fuck-ed up when they tekan us, they are good commanders because they care for soldiers.
Day 2 & 3 - Training
I couldn't quite remember what training we had, but the few I remember were walking in file formation, forming Cigar Formation, taking cover, executing hand signals, running through contact fire, retrogade and danger area drills and some others.
Buddy fell again on Day 3, sent to Medical Centre for review so more energy was expended.
Day 4 - Artillery Drill & Shell Scrape Day
Arti-drill in short. 5 am in the morning, artillery fire was contacted. Soldiers hurriedly packed their basha tent and got punished by commanders for being too slow and unresponsive. Jumping jacks with rifle and field pack were no joke at all! Phew~ And that's when I broke my 5.5 week old specs ... ... ...
Shell scrape digging. The rest of the day was dedicated to this. I did not do a proper job in the end (the final work was assessed by commanders on day 5 evening), thus was made to stay through day 5 to day 6. The better ones went back to Coy line to clean their rifles on Day 5.
We didn't sleep in our 'graves' because of the heavy rain that flooded most of them. Fibua village was just next to our campsite, so we slept in the vacated shophouses. Finally a proper sleeping area.
Day 5 - Group Battle Course & More Shell Scrape Digging
Started the day with the continuation with our shell scrape. I have mentioned that my shell scrape couldn't make it although I put in my best effort, but I was quite satisfied.
Group battle course was after lunch and I was paired with Liang Hui and Ming Hui. Hmm ... Didn't go as well as planned, but I thought we did okay. Some parts we were in a blur, but I believe the course made us more familiar with the drills, so I am glad with the outcome.
As mentioned ... I didn't dig properly so I stayed at Fibua for another night after covering up our shell scrape ...
Day 6 - Book Out Day
Finally our 6 days of field camp has come to an end. The few of us who did not meet the requirement for our shell scrapes were asked to do area cleaning and also cover up remaining shell scrapes. By 1030, we all arrived at Coy line and began our hectic cleaning session of our rifles and another equipment. Hmm ... no other words other than 'hectic'. Haha!
The whole of the field camp was actually quite an experience, and I proved myself to be mentally-able to take the stress, but physically, I am still weak because I required a lot of help from my section mates. More work to be done if my OCS dream is to be fulfilled. HAHA. Looking forward to live range and SIT Test these coming 2 weeks respectively, woohoo~~
Tough times don't last, but tough men do. Section 4, let's show the others what we are made of!
I will try my very best to update what I had been through the previous 4 weeks before the field camp, and I will talk about my field camp in brief. Haha.
Day 1 - 8 km Route March & Basha Day
8 km route march to camp site. It was not that shag actually, probably because of the singing though repetitive. People can say we do not have team spirit, we do not have pride, but I believe Pegasus Coy Platoon 3 has what it takes to beat the rest, because we have PRIDE. what is PRIDE? People Rest I Do Extra!
Building of the basha tent was a chore really. It didn't help when my buddy suffered from physical exhaustion and passed out before midway. He did come back after a few hours of rest at the medic point but progress was slow. Thank you Section 4 for helping me, especially Ravi for his physical attributes.
Heavy rain followed. The lack of proper drainage system caused us dearly as our area would be flooded if not for the help of Platoon Sergeant Darren and Platoon Commander Jordan. Although they can be fuck-ed up when they tekan us, they are good commanders because they care for soldiers.
Day 2 & 3 - Training
I couldn't quite remember what training we had, but the few I remember were walking in file formation, forming Cigar Formation, taking cover, executing hand signals, running through contact fire, retrogade and danger area drills and some others.
Buddy fell again on Day 3, sent to Medical Centre for review so more energy was expended.
Day 4 - Artillery Drill & Shell Scrape Day
Arti-drill in short. 5 am in the morning, artillery fire was contacted. Soldiers hurriedly packed their basha tent and got punished by commanders for being too slow and unresponsive. Jumping jacks with rifle and field pack were no joke at all! Phew~ And that's when I broke my 5.5 week old specs ... ... ...
Shell scrape digging. The rest of the day was dedicated to this. I did not do a proper job in the end (the final work was assessed by commanders on day 5 evening), thus was made to stay through day 5 to day 6. The better ones went back to Coy line to clean their rifles on Day 5.
We didn't sleep in our 'graves' because of the heavy rain that flooded most of them. Fibua village was just next to our campsite, so we slept in the vacated shophouses. Finally a proper sleeping area.
Day 5 - Group Battle Course & More Shell Scrape Digging
Started the day with the continuation with our shell scrape. I have mentioned that my shell scrape couldn't make it although I put in my best effort, but I was quite satisfied.
Group battle course was after lunch and I was paired with Liang Hui and Ming Hui. Hmm ... Didn't go as well as planned, but I thought we did okay. Some parts we were in a blur, but I believe the course made us more familiar with the drills, so I am glad with the outcome.
As mentioned ... I didn't dig properly so I stayed at Fibua for another night after covering up our shell scrape ...
Day 6 - Book Out Day
Finally our 6 days of field camp has come to an end. The few of us who did not meet the requirement for our shell scrapes were asked to do area cleaning and also cover up remaining shell scrapes. By 1030, we all arrived at Coy line and began our hectic cleaning session of our rifles and another equipment. Hmm ... no other words other than 'hectic'. Haha!
The whole of the field camp was actually quite an experience, and I proved myself to be mentally-able to take the stress, but physically, I am still weak because I required a lot of help from my section mates. More work to be done if my OCS dream is to be fulfilled. HAHA. Looking forward to live range and SIT Test these coming 2 weeks respectively, woohoo~~
Tough times don't last, but tough men do. Section 4, let's show the others what we are made of!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
It's A Fine City.
NO smoking. NO littering. NO pissing in lifts. NO feeding of birds. NO trespassing. NO or ... let's stop here.
Over the years to project Singapore as a city desirable for work, play and living, the Government have adopted several methods in achieving their goals, many of which are subjects for debate and uncles' & aunties' kopitiam 'keng gai' (small chats it means in Canto). Being a Singaporean, I am sure many know of these issues as well as knowing katong is famous for the laksa and the exotic Changi Village for people looking for after-work thrills. We complain, we discuss, but many of us are afraid to raise the topic quite publicly enough that top ministers can hear us from a stone-throw away. While a few brave souls did, few or no rectification was made.
Now that I'm going to continue ... I feel like I should submit a formal petition to the organisation involved. Otherwise I'm just a typical Singaporean that sits back and waits for someone or something to happen. We'll talk about it in a few minutes.
Apart from being green and clean many tourists and foreigners know us for, our rising popularity as the 'fine' city is not unnoticeable, such that souveniors shops courageously display souveniors depicting the various fines that tourists find them unfamiliar and laughable. The most recent topic has been the strong enforcement of the banning of any food and beverages in MRT trains and platforms. Nothing wrong with that, but I think SMRT have gone too far to ensure no one eats or drinks in their value-added public transport.
I agree that it is an annoyance to fellow commuters to smell pungent lozenges or food, especially to late-risers rushing for work and do not have breakfast until they reach their workplace, and I also commend the effort to stomp irresponsible people from dirtying the cabins. However, I do not understand why plain water is also not allowed in trains. Yes, spillage can incur inconveniences to other commuters, but as a local that travels by public transport daily, I do not encounter that kind of problem as often as people carrying in wet umbrellas.
It is particularly frustrating to know that you cannot have any sips of water when you are going to travel from the west to the east. Yes train journeys in Singapore are not comparably lengthy to those countries with more lands, and the near completion of the Circle Line is going to further shorten the journey for many commuters, but it is sheer frustration to people who badly need to have a sip or two every now and then.
Considering the fact that Singapore's climate is tropical, we are losing lots of water through perspiration and respiration. Morning and evening weekday crowds worsen the situation. Yet, we are not allowed to quench our thirst and replenish the water we have lost while battling our way through the sea of people. What about those people on medications that have diuretic effects on our biological system? What about young children who are ever energetic and need water to keep their energy level up? It is definitely a flaw in the system that SMRT should look to mend.
Haha, now you see why I am embarrassing myself by voicing my concerns on my blog and not raising the issue on a more suitable platform where the people concerned will be notified. It just makes me more typical of a Singaporean to complain to someone unrelated, isn't it? Well, I am proud being a Singaporean, although some things must change. I approve of some bans here, but some are unreasonable. Hopefully the younger generations of Ministers in the future will look into these matter more carefully and address them with more tact and efficiency. This shall end my complaint here. Haha.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
My Little Sister.
Time check - 1026am.
By this time, my sis should be nearing Hong Kong Airport. The whole family woke up after a mere few hours of sleep to send my sis off to her five- to six-month long attachment at Sanya Holiday Inn Resort, Hainan Province. She'll route at Hong Kong for 2 nights before flying over to Hainan on Friday evening from Hong Kong International Airport.
For the first time, my sis is going away for a long trip away from home, and my parents worried expressions are apparent. I bet they can hardly work efficiently at the moment. Since young, my sis has been independent like myself, but because of her absent-mindedness and carelessness, my parents, and their parents included, are ever-anxious for her. Because of her, I have also become a naggy brother, always checking on her to eat on time, pack her bag, attend school punctually etc etc etc.
My dad was extremely jittery for the past few days that it got quite irritating. I have never seen him like that before, not when I went for my attachment for 2 months in Perth, nor when I had a trip to Langkawi with dear. Perhaps I have convinced them that I can take care of myself well enough to keep them from worrying. My sis however has not been successful at that. For days, he had been talking non-stop, mostly nagging at my sister, and sort of instructing her to do things she should do way before she set off.
Even this morning, he was still nagging at her - don't worry about money, just spend where it's needed; remember to see a doctor when you feel the slightest bit unwell, don't kid with this kind of thing; get a paycard and let us know the number so we can contact you if we need to; don't you dare go to their nightclubs; avoid patroning roadside stalls; don't go jogging alone; don't swim in beaches; don't work and forget your meals; the list goes on ...
He was so anxious for my sister this morning that he was actually taking away my wallet and watch on the book I'm currently reading and asking, what's this?! No need to bring along?! Despite my frustration at his constant flow of naggy words, I chuckled at his sudden bout of obscurity. Here is my dad who always gives us the freedom to do things on our own, only adding on advices as and when he sees a need to, yet now he's unconscious of what he is supposed to do, putting up a front as if he's really not worried for my sister. Closer friends will know I do not have strong relationship with my dad, but even closer friends will know how much I love my dad even when he can get me all red at times. This, is my dad.
While my dad was continually nagging at my sis, my mum was directing her worry towards the bulky luggage she's bringing over. In there are all her face care products, clothes and many other stuff. Big, and heavy. The whole morning my mum was saying, "How is she going to carry such a big luggage?! And she still has another carry-on baggage!!!" In her voice, shivers could be felt reverberating across our living room, even in the large departure hall when she continued saying that.
My mum is someone who can take things in her stride easily, looking on the brighter side. No, she's never looked on the dark sides at all. But I guess letting your own daughter go on a long away trip for the first time is never easy. The whites in her eyes were turning red this morning while we waited for my sis companion to arrive, which faded when her friend reached. Throughout the whole breakfast session too, she was quiet and unlike her usual self when it comes to chatting with others. And this, is my mum.
Myself? I refrained from nagging at my sis this morning. All I ask for is a safe and enjoyable trip for my sis, and I trust her to take good care of herself. I'll be honest - I'm not acting like what I've just said. It's because my parents are already overly anxious for her that being an elder (eldest for that matter) brother, I should be reassuring them that my sis is more than capable to look after herself. How will I get used to not nagging at anyone early in the morning and preparing only a person's share of breakfast? My worry was too overwhelming to even feel my hurting left wrist when I carried her luggage ...
Fortunately my grandparents did not come along this morning. My mum probably inherits from my grandma a little, as she will definitely tear at the point of departing. She did when I left for Perth last year, what's less? My grandpa will stand at one side and be as naggy as my dad, while although he will not cry, you can sense his worry all the time. That's because he always calls us in the afternoon to make sure we've eaten, and while my sis is there, no one will be doing that that often, I'm sure she'll be able to feel it.
My little sister must be unable to contain her feelings as well. She's not one person that usually tears on such occasions, and well, she didn't, but from when I went to bed at 11pm till 1am in the morning or so, she was doing the household chores, afraid that no one will help my mum to do them, especially mopping the floor which woke me up in the middle of the night. Not only until 130am +/- when she finally went to bed, so effectively, she only had 1.5 hours of sleep. Haha ... my silly little sister ...
It's best if she doesn't see this when she manages to come online. I'm sure she'll enjoy her trip there and bring back a whole lot of new experiences with her.
Hui~ If you really see this, remember to keep in mind those naggy chants the 3 of us always recited. Be more careful with yourself and enjoy your internship fully. Hopefully kor can find some time to visit you in December or some time next year if I manage to take a leave. I bet mummy can't wait to fly over in December already. Take care of yourself and have all the fun you can get! =D
By this time, my sis should be nearing Hong Kong Airport. The whole family woke up after a mere few hours of sleep to send my sis off to her five- to six-month long attachment at Sanya Holiday Inn Resort, Hainan Province. She'll route at Hong Kong for 2 nights before flying over to Hainan on Friday evening from Hong Kong International Airport.
For the first time, my sis is going away for a long trip away from home, and my parents worried expressions are apparent. I bet they can hardly work efficiently at the moment. Since young, my sis has been independent like myself, but because of her absent-mindedness and carelessness, my parents, and their parents included, are ever-anxious for her. Because of her, I have also become a naggy brother, always checking on her to eat on time, pack her bag, attend school punctually etc etc etc.
My dad was extremely jittery for the past few days that it got quite irritating. I have never seen him like that before, not when I went for my attachment for 2 months in Perth, nor when I had a trip to Langkawi with dear. Perhaps I have convinced them that I can take care of myself well enough to keep them from worrying. My sis however has not been successful at that. For days, he had been talking non-stop, mostly nagging at my sister, and sort of instructing her to do things she should do way before she set off.
Even this morning, he was still nagging at her - don't worry about money, just spend where it's needed; remember to see a doctor when you feel the slightest bit unwell, don't kid with this kind of thing; get a paycard and let us know the number so we can contact you if we need to; don't you dare go to their nightclubs; avoid patroning roadside stalls; don't go jogging alone; don't swim in beaches; don't work and forget your meals; the list goes on ...
He was so anxious for my sister this morning that he was actually taking away my wallet and watch on the book I'm currently reading and asking, what's this?! No need to bring along?! Despite my frustration at his constant flow of naggy words, I chuckled at his sudden bout of obscurity. Here is my dad who always gives us the freedom to do things on our own, only adding on advices as and when he sees a need to, yet now he's unconscious of what he is supposed to do, putting up a front as if he's really not worried for my sister. Closer friends will know I do not have strong relationship with my dad, but even closer friends will know how much I love my dad even when he can get me all red at times. This, is my dad.
While my dad was continually nagging at my sis, my mum was directing her worry towards the bulky luggage she's bringing over. In there are all her face care products, clothes and many other stuff. Big, and heavy. The whole morning my mum was saying, "How is she going to carry such a big luggage?! And she still has another carry-on baggage!!!" In her voice, shivers could be felt reverberating across our living room, even in the large departure hall when she continued saying that.
My mum is someone who can take things in her stride easily, looking on the brighter side. No, she's never looked on the dark sides at all. But I guess letting your own daughter go on a long away trip for the first time is never easy. The whites in her eyes were turning red this morning while we waited for my sis companion to arrive, which faded when her friend reached. Throughout the whole breakfast session too, she was quiet and unlike her usual self when it comes to chatting with others. And this, is my mum.
Myself? I refrained from nagging at my sis this morning. All I ask for is a safe and enjoyable trip for my sis, and I trust her to take good care of herself. I'll be honest - I'm not acting like what I've just said. It's because my parents are already overly anxious for her that being an elder (eldest for that matter) brother, I should be reassuring them that my sis is more than capable to look after herself. How will I get used to not nagging at anyone early in the morning and preparing only a person's share of breakfast? My worry was too overwhelming to even feel my hurting left wrist when I carried her luggage ...
Fortunately my grandparents did not come along this morning. My mum probably inherits from my grandma a little, as she will definitely tear at the point of departing. She did when I left for Perth last year, what's less? My grandpa will stand at one side and be as naggy as my dad, while although he will not cry, you can sense his worry all the time. That's because he always calls us in the afternoon to make sure we've eaten, and while my sis is there, no one will be doing that that often, I'm sure she'll be able to feel it.
My little sister must be unable to contain her feelings as well. She's not one person that usually tears on such occasions, and well, she didn't, but from when I went to bed at 11pm till 1am in the morning or so, she was doing the household chores, afraid that no one will help my mum to do them, especially mopping the floor which woke me up in the middle of the night. Not only until 130am +/- when she finally went to bed, so effectively, she only had 1.5 hours of sleep. Haha ... my silly little sister ...
It's best if she doesn't see this when she manages to come online. I'm sure she'll enjoy her trip there and bring back a whole lot of new experiences with her.
Hui~ If you really see this, remember to keep in mind those naggy chants the 3 of us always recited. Be more careful with yourself and enjoy your internship fully. Hopefully kor can find some time to visit you in December or some time next year if I manage to take a leave. I bet mummy can't wait to fly over in December already. Take care of yourself and have all the fun you can get! =D
Sunday, September 06, 2009
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