Back to my dear alma mater

Yes. All speculations have come to an end. I'm back in MOHAWK as an instructor!!!!!!!!! Sure feels good to be back in Mohawk company. Got ropped in by my former platoon commander who is now the company second-in-charge. Reported back to the company today. Gosh, the old memories were just too much for me to recall everything. As i walked past farmiliar grounds again, i recalled the many activities that shaped my recruit life.

While it was not a totally heavenly life, it was months of discipline learning, collective suffering, body building, endurance stretching and most importantly camraderie building. It would be hard for me to forget the names of my section commanders, much harder even to forget my fellow platoon and especially my section mates.

The months of sweat we dripped together, the push ups we did together, the low walls and barbed wires we flew over together, the miles we ran together, the rounds we fired together, the grenades we threw together, the canteen breaks we begged for together............ Sigh................
The list could go on forever i swear. I must say that the days i spent in bmt were indeed my most memorable and enjoyable days.

But things are different now. As i stood in the company office listening to the warm welcome my oc is giving me, i suddenly realised that there is indeed tremendous responsibilities to be borne as an instructor. It suddenly dawned on me how much hard work my instructors must have put in in order to train a bunch of civillians into the most disciplined company in bmtc. To all my previous instructors..................... I SALUTE YOU!

Indeed as i looked back 9 months ago when i first stepped in to the cursed island Pulau Tekong..... Sheesh. We must have been a bunch of rowdy monkeys then! I cant wait for my first batch of recruits to come. It is indeed exciting to know that you have the chance to play a part in someone's life. Even if it's just a matter of 3 months or so. I have set out many things i'd want to achieve as an instructor in Mohawk.

1. I need to lose weight! My tummy is buldging. definitely. Sit-ups and crunches here i come!

2. No more excessive canteen visits and mess vists. These subconscious eating are responsibel for my increasing waist line and decreasing number of pull ups. Away with you evil ones!

3. Not to finish last among my recruits in runs. While its impossible to be the first everytime, you cant be the last. Aint good to have your recruits shouting "Sergeant jia you!" at the finishing line eh?

4. Not to be addicted to PS2. Yes. Do not be suprised. I have a PS2 in my bunk. Courtesy of my fellow bunk mate. Late night gamingsare bursting my ear drumbs and stretching my already obvious eye bags. No more!!!! Its really addictive when a non-gamer like me starts to play games. Anybody getting my drift???

5. Maximise usage of the washing machine. Heh heh heh. No more handwashing of dirty uniforms! Say goodbye to the wrist breaking motions of wringing dry a number 4 set.

That's enough for now. There will be plenty more. You can count on that. Exciting days are clearly ahead. I'll keep you guys informed of the situation back here. Definitely many blogs of events more to come! Im excited.

A soldier's thoughts

Yes. Here i am in mess with nothing to do. so i wrote a poem out of pure boredom. Cant awit to book out man.

9 months on my thoughts aplenty,
While serving the nation many times I query.
Why on earth am I in the army?
All I know its neither for fame nor money.

When I left my girlfriend my family and friends,
There were many things I cant comprehend
How many tough and turbulent days ahead?
Without my friends and family this is just great.

The training's tough but time passes fast
SISPEC and Taiwan are but things of the past
I look ahead but what do I see?
A whole lot of sai kang waiting for me.

Still civillian life is eluding me
Dang, all you gals are freaking lucky
I was told to suck thumb and face the fact
Serve and F*** Off i guess I'll do just that.

19 months more till I ORD.
Back to studies I have to get ready
Then I'll have time for my girlfriend again
Yes, but things that were lost will I ever regain?

But right now I'm stuck in lecture
How long more every minute I wonder?
While IPC is both informative and fun,
Still I'd rather book out and soak out the sun.

9 months on as I try to look back
While there's aint much it wasnt so bad.
I thank God I'm alive, kicking and well
Chiong Suah memories for my grandchildren I'll tell.

Sian ah!!!! Why no stay out?!!!!!!

Yes im home.. But i gotta be back in camp by 2230 hours.. Which is only 3 hours away.. This is just great. Thanks saf for nothing. I juz love my 4 hours of nights out.

Enough whining. First day of IPC went on rather smooth. I am still not used to the amount of liberty and freedom a commander in bmtc gets. No more marching from point to point, getting greeted along the way and visiting the mess whenever there is free time is just so unlike me. Freedom can be scary at times.

The only killing aspect of IPC is probably the tons of things needed to be learnt. There is so much lecture(80% of the whole 3 weeks) that I swear my butt will get swollen one day. Sigh. being back in Tekong feels much different from being in mainland. Friends in external units who are reading this please note: We in bmtc are not better off than you guys in units. Serious. Probably the biggest misconception about bmtc sergeants is that the vocation is a slag one. Indeed there is much responsibilities to bear as an instructor.

Modules include, Roles and Responsibilities as an instructor, Counselling courses, Range instructor courses, the organisation of IPPT and SOC lessons and of course the most boring module that all recruits and sergeants alike loathe: Individual Field Craft. All recruits will remember the 7 agonising days during fieldcamp in bmt in which IFC was taught. IFC is boring to learn. Much more boring to teach. Bleargh.

Dang! I miss my dearest so. Guess there will not be anyone to call and wish me goodnight for this whole week in camp. Hope you are having lots of fun dear. Time to book in loh. Super Sian. Have lotsa fun out there. Catcha all in the weekends. Take care!

EXCEL THROUGH BASICS!!! YA RIGHT!

Sheesh. BMTC. Super sian. After 1 week of bumming around and meeting up with all my frens, it sure feels rotten to book in at such an ungodly hour tomorrow morning. Why why why??? Why is my ic green in colour??? Why am i wearing green for more than 12 hours a day???

Sigh... Guess all you people are probably tired of my lamentations too i bet. But i cant help it! Guys do agree with me and join me in screwing the joint. Gals sit back and try to understand how we guys feel k.

Well. What a way to start the week. Leaving behind, 7 days of freedom, 3 days of public hols, 2 days spent with a handful of super good frens(thanks for sharing ur time with me dudes and dudettes, u know who u all are), tons of my dad's cooking!!!(bah, back to ntuc foodfare), hours of playing "need for speed 2 underground", my holidaying girlfriend(Sob, wish i was with you) and lastly, my gazillion minutes of civillian life!!!!!!! WHERE HAVE ALL OF YOU GONE!!!!! NO!!!!! DUN GO!!!!!! COME BACK!!!!!!!

Yay. IPC(Instructors preparation course) starts in exactly 13 hours time. In which i need to sew some specialists tags, pack my duffel bag, eat my dinner and sleep. Yay. Its going to be a great week ahead for me people. Just great.

ArrrrrGH! ITS... ITS... ITS TEKONG FOR ME AGAIN!!!!!

Blearrgh.. BMTC instructor. Looks like im stuck in tekong for the next 19 months of my ns career. Looking back now, i realised i've came a long way since my chao recruit days in Mohawk Company. When i was a recruit, i used to hate being tekan for no apparent reasons. Now i shall promise not to do all the silly things my sergeants did to me last time.

I am so gonna be as welfare as i can to my future trainees. No more running to trees, forming up in 1 or 20 rows, doing excessive push ups, shoutings, and humiliations.
Please send me back to Mohawk so i can make Mohawk into a new welfare company. I swear i'll make the Leopards and Ninjas drool. Heh Heh Heh.

Some things i plan to do if only i ever have the honour of returning to Mohawk....

1. Company Routine Orders at 7pm at latest daily!!!!!

2. Followed by own time own target emart break and canteen break.

3. Basketball games shall be allowed or rather, enforced after ROs daily too.

4. For fieldpack inspectons, "5 mins everyting out!!!" Same for the converse.

5. I will fight for orders to ban Rifle PTs. They suck.

6. No running from point to point. Marching is good.

7. Lectures should be short and sweet to the point. Excessive infomation will cause drowsiness.

8. Allow trainees to report sick as and when they like. Let the MO decide if they are chao keng or not.

9. Bunk areas should be clean and free from dirt and dust, not polished nor shined.

10. Allow handphones to be brought everywhere!!!!!

Heh heh.. If only... If only...

Taiwan Tales (Part 1)

The Taiwan training that i underwent for 3 weeks was by far the thoughest so far. However, as though as it is, it is equally fun. To any guy reading this blog, hope you had or will have a chance to train in Taiwan. Basically the Taiwan training is divided into 2 main exercises. Firstly, Exercise Longstride is a 4 day navigational and topography exercise along the mountaineous and hilly terrain of Taizong. This is followed by a 9-day fieldcamp and platoon/section exercises. Thank God for the 4 day Rest and Recreation in Taipei after the training. It makes all the training worthwhile.

So what exactly is so fun about Taiwan training? Well, let's see.......

Exercise Longstride

1. You are able to roam as far as your legs can carry you for 4 days without being controlled by and higher authorities.

2. You will be able to make life or death, 400m-climb or 3km-walk, bash through vegetation or walk on through forbidden roads, i-carry- the-signal-set-you-carry-my-fieldpack decisions.

3. You can throw your combat rations down cliffs, sink them under river, camouflage them under thick vegetation, or bury them. The main cause for joy: Do everything with your combat rations, just don't eat em.

4. You will be able to purchase some of Taiwan delights as you find your numerous checkpoints. Pao Pao Cha(bubble tea), Ji Pa(chicken cutlet), Shui Jiao(dumplings) and Ji Dan Juan(egg rolls with bacon and cheese) are some of my yummy favourites provided by the friendly ninja van aunty. (I hope no army officers are reading this)

5. You will be challenged physically in a totally exciting new manner. Walking through rivers, climbing across mountains, running up hills, sliding down slopes and jumping down cliffs are some of such heart stopping and breathtaking activities abundantly carried out during longstride.

6. You can ask the friendly locals for directions to your checkpoints(and other important stops). "Aunty how do we get to point x arh? And do you know where can we past by any drinks or snacks kiosk along they way?" Hehehe...

7. You will be able to have a balanced diet and plenty of vitamin c. "Quick, you 2 go grab as many oranges as you all can while my buddy and i keep the farmers busy with our direction enquries."

8. You will be able to go on exchange programs while doing your topography. "Ay, we tell you how to go point x you all show us they way to point y lah, steady boh?" (discussions and interactions among groups is a punishable offence, oops)

9. You will enjoy taking in the breathtaking scenery of Dou Liu town. "Ay buddy, check out the babes coming out of the university! Try to ask them for directions longer so we can see more ah."

10. You will experience the joy of finding your checkpoints, especially if they take half a day to find. "F**ing checkpoint 9, spent 5hrs finding u i finally found you. Im so gonna vandalise you... Yaaaaaa!!!!!"

All in all, Ex. Longstride was the most enjoyable training since my unfortunate entrance to sispec. For more details feel free to leave a note or ask me anything. Hope to meet up with all of you people soon!

Funny but seriously true

Lorenz's Law of Mechanical Repair :After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

Anthony's Law of the Workshop :Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.Kovac's Conundrum :When you dial a wrong number,you never get an engaged one.

Cannon's Karmic Law :If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire,thenext morning you will have a flat tire.

O'brien's Variation Law :If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster thanthe one you are in now.

Bell's Theorem :When the body is immersed in water , the telephone rings.

Ruby's Principle of Close Encounters :The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are withsomeone you don't want to be seen with.

Willoughbhy's Law :When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

ZADRA'S LAW OF BIOMECHANICS :The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

BREDA'S RULE :At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrivelast.

OWEN'S LAW :As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you todosomething which will last until the coffee is cold.

HOWDEN'S LAW :You remember you have to mail a letter only when you're near the mailbox.