My Army Story Part 1

It has been so long since I last posted an entry and I guess its about time to update this little online diary of mine. If you have been following me on my instagram/snapchat, you would have probably know that I've ORD almost a month ago. After a long consideration and procrastination, I've decided to search high and low for all the photos that are related to my army days and do up a timeline of my 2 years of serving the army.

30th July 2015 (BMT)

Like most boys who have just finished their tertiary education, I was enlisted to Pulau Tekong for my Basic Military Training. There are some who are of "special case" where they'll get posted to Mono intake also known as unit directly but I'll get to that at a later part of this story.




I was fat and unhealthy therefore I was posted in 3 months earlier than the normal super fit kias (enhance batch) who can manage to get at least a "pass" for their NAPFA test. Unlike them, my BMI was over the spectrum to be considered as a PTP batch (not fat, but can't get a pass for NAPFA test) nor Enhance batch, and so I was considered Obese. MUAHAHAHA! *FLICKS*

I was posted to Gryphon (G Coy) for my BMT. So for obese batch enlistees it's a bit different. We go through extra 9 weeks of fitness conditioning and training aka slimming programme where we were introduced to various exercises to keep our body fit and healthy. (At least thats what I know) Hahaha! Truth to be told, I lost weight, and many of my friends were telling me how I've lost so much weight and I look better etc.



Here's me after going through a few weeks of army training (left) and the day before my enlistment (right). Hahaha! Army does wonders. LOL! I think the cookhouse food has contribution to us losing weight as well cuz there are times where the food is quite bad and we just don't eat.

So anyways, after 9 weeks of grueling exercise, our bodies are pretty much conditioned to be the same as those enhance batch who are enlisting. We (the obese enlistees) are obviously happy because we've been around here for 9 weeks already and we sort of know the do's and don't in this island. Plus, we're sort of the "lao jiao's" here already so we were all abit cocky at then. So while we book out during the weekends, the enhance batch enlistees were serving their 2 weeks confinement period in Tekong. LOL! I heard stories from my friend that there are people that cannot take it that they just masturbate in the toilet and ejaculate on the floor! WTF!!! But I was lucky because I enlisted on the 30th July and it was SG50 so my confinement period was relatively shorter. Plus, we had alot of public holidays during my period in Tekong. So yeap, I quite thankful for that. :)

The weeks after that we were all doing our high keys. Live Firing, Standard Obstacle Course, IPPT, CQB, Grenade Throwing, and countless route marches. (3km, 4km, 6km, 8km, 12km, 16km), and last but not least 6D5N Field Camp.

FIELD CAMP

Field camp was my most hated but it was the most memorable one. First when we reached the designated place for our field camp, we were punished for being sloppy. Next, we had to dig our shellscrape aka our own grave for us to sleep for the following nights. But to my surprise, we didn't have to sleep in the shellscrape every night. I only slept inside for 1 night and the rest of the days on my ground sheet beside my shellscrape cuz it was muddy and there were ant nests. The next few days are the training for fire movements etc. Some of the days it rained and it was super demoralising cuz your uniform are all soaking wet and it's really uncomfortable. When it's raining, it means the ground is wet and muddy, us being the strawberry generation who cannot take hardship, we were quite reluctant to sit on the mud as it's super gross and disgusting. But our commanders never give face at all. They just countdown and knock us down right after. With some of us still wearing our gloves, CAN YOU EVEN?!?!?! I felt so miserable I wanted to cry!!! But thank god my platoon/section mates was there to cheer me up with his laughter and jokes. LOL!!!

The Letter Giving Day

We all know we'll receive the letters that our family and friends had wrote for us at one of the days during our field camp. We've heard stories about how the recruits will kena "tekan" before their letters are being passed to them. To our horror, it really happened. While the other platoon gets motivational speech from their commanders and seaview while having their fresh ration and a can of ice cold 100plus. My platoon was the only platoon that kena tortured before we receive our letters. I'll save the details but all the stories that you've heard. Yup, its true. As I receive my letter, tears rolled down as inside the envelope is not only 1 but 2 letter that comes together with a polaroid that my family took. I couldn't help it but to just let all out and cried. LOL! It was hella emotional but yea. Once in a lifetime.

Combat Ration

I still remember how bad the combat rations tasted and I only had the biscuits from the accessories pack for all the days that I'm hungry. My company was probably the more welfare one because we had 3 maggie cooking sessions out of the 6 Days of outfield.  I still remember clearly how me and one of my section mates shared the charcoal pill just so we won't shit for that 6 days. But sadly on the last day, the night before my SIT TEST, I had 2 packet of Tom Yum maggie mee and 1 can of Nescafe Coffee. LOL! Next morning as I woke up to pee, I was standing beside my platoon mate. Shit bricks as my pee can't come out cuz my shit is at the tip of my asshole already and I immediately turned to my friend and told him I NEED TO SHIT! INSTANT REGRET I TELL YOU!!! LOLOLOLOL!!! So much for trying not to shit for that 6days of field camp. It was definitely a moment to remember.

So as my field camp come to an end, we were super happy because the 2nd last high key was over and done with. We felt like we were the king of the world and all of us became rebel and out of control. Our sergeants was quite unhappy with our behavior and in the end we were all punished. LOL!

Passing Out Parade (POP)

So it was the day of my Passing Out Parade (POP) and everyone was busy clearing up the bunk and pasting newspaper on the windows and etc. It was quite a sad day as I had a heated argument with one of my section mates and it was to the extend where he said (The Bridge Is Burnt)... Or something along that line. Well, it was a really big misunderstanding and till now, I find myself really stupid for acting like that. Hahaha! So just before we were going to march off for our 24km route march to the floating platform, we receive news that our bunk was not cleared and trash is still there and etc. LOL! Everyone was shocked and thought that we had cleared everything out of the bunk already. But the commanders said they will deal with this after we reach the floating platform cuz everyone was rushing for time and they have a timeline to follow.

I tell you, from the ferry terminal to marina floating platform is definitely NOT 24km. It felt so long my back was breaking. I heard from other people saying that it was 31km!!! WTF!?!?!?! But okay la, I had my night snacks and my platoon mates to talk to while we're route marching there, so its okay.

So once we reached the floating platform, everyone was dead tired and just want to lie down and sleep. The CO decides to call my section people out to talk about the bunk incident back in tekong. He said something like wanting us to go back and clear the bunk during our block leave period and after hearing this, everyone was triggered cause some of us already book flights overseas already. A while later, we were told that the problem is resolved and everything is fine already?!?! Not sure what happened and this still remains as a mystery.

The long awaited moment is here. After countless of rehearsals, marching around the parade square under the hot sun. We finally POP-ed. I still get goosebumps as I watch the video of us throwing our jockey cap. URGHH!!!






Okay I think this is getting a bit too long. I shall split this post into 2 or maybe 3 parts. Hahah! Till the next post, where I receive my posting and the shock of my life that I cried. LOLOLOLOL!!!