ARE WE THERE YET???


One of the biggest highlight of been in a command school is jungle orientation, armed with only a map and a compass. Though saddist instructors will want you to be armed with webbing, rifle, and many other dead weights.


And so we were taught how to read a map, how to locate streams that are unmark in the map. how to, with the help of a compass and a protractor on the map, to lead ourselves out of 'lost-ness'.


And after days of the theory lesson, it's time to get our hands on and dirty. we were brought to the different knolls to try out hands on how to use a compass, point out of to the other knolls with the help of a map.

And when we were ready, it's time for some action. We were brought to the middle of the Mandai Nature Reserve. And we walked all over the place while our sergeant watch from behind. We picked up pointers from our sergeants and we memorise all of them. Because the second time round, we'll be on our own. With us in Mandai, was the trainees from the Charlie company, it's their second time and therefore, they are alone. And we know that one of the detail they have broken up to 2 groups on their own. It's not allowed, but some think that that will help increase the chances of finding a check point.

And this particular detail could not find each other back. They were shouting for each other. My sergeant soon got fed up. And yelled at them to be quiet. And sure they did.

The hours went by and our sergeant still pushed us on, covering almost every square inch. The fact that i was the one carrying the signal set did not help too. Night came and we became the mosquito's food, but we moved on, i dropped my rifle magazine after i trip over a tree root but we still moved on. While crossing a stream, one of my section mate fell of a make shift bridge made up of a fallen tree brunch, but we moved on.

By the time we finally got back to our make shift command post, we were all too tired for anything, we slept the moment we sat down. As for me and one other section mate of mine, We fall in together with the rest when the sergeants called out for platoon 1 to fall in.

As i fell in together with the rest, a female sergeant told me to put on my helmet. Her voice was so sweet, and soft. So different from the other loud talking male sergeants. If only i was a trainee in Charlie company.

Then i woke up, realising that the two of us had fall in the wrong company. We admited our mistake, and staggered back to our Bravo company, with the damn signal set still on my back.

Sweet dreams really do not last long.

And so we moved on from BMT. With the basic knowledge of soldiering skills, we marched on to our new posting.

I was now posted to the BSLC course in SISPEC, confident that i will not be as dumb as i was when i was just a recuit. But only time will tell.

On my first day in BSLC, once the bunking in and other admin stuffs is done my company had to conduct a run all around the camp, the gigantic Pasir Lebar camp. We ran to all the other companies in SISPEC, the other units that also reside in Pasir Leba camp, all the cook house, the 2.4km route. And the sergeants told us that we were lucky that the OC decided not to take us to the obstacle course training field.

After a quick dinner, we procced to memorise the SISPEC song. And the sergeants won't leave us until we can sing out the entire song, loudly.

It was already night when we finally memorised the song by heart. But even so, the sergeants won't dismiss us. They conducted our 'before course' interview. After a long time, it was my turn to go in. And my interviewing sergeant offered me a biscuit. I had to obey, no choice. By that time, i was too tired from the morning rush to get admin things done, the late afternoon runs and the night sing-song session. Half-way through the interview, i fell asleep.

I gest you not. Sleep. And this is where i realised that sergeant had the voice the decibel level of a brand new alarm clock.

Only to learn on the second day that he, the ex-commando man is to be my section sergeant.

Much of the rest of my BMT life pass off un-noticed, un-remembered, possibly because we recurits have grown up to be a better solider. We know more things and therefore, make less mistake, and that means, less screwing from our sergeants.

And sooner than we know, we have passed out as recuits. We are now known as dumb privates. Anyway, we organised a bbq-chalet at Downtown East where the whole of my platoon is invited. And instinctively 3 groups were formed. The super majong kings, those with girlfriends, and the nice guys.

The super majong kings, as the name says, comes to the chalet, goes straight to the air-con room, and plays majong. Non-stop. Not even to eat or drink, not even to pee. Cash is at stake here. Only to realise that their cars have been summoned by the car park wardens.

The next group of them is those with girlfriends. Some of the privates came down to the chalet with their girlfriends in tow. They would cluster together, gather at a bench and talk in a well behaved manner while their girlfriends will happily chat amoung themselves.

The final group of privates is the good guys, they are the ones who organise the whole thing, buy all the foods, cook them, and serve them out onto trays. But these good guys and not under privileged here as you may think. They keep the best cooked foods for themselves to enjoy, they enjoyed toasted garlic hot dog buns with premium sausages while the rest had to be contended with burnt chicken wings and frozen chicken frank's sausages. They had warm satay sauces to dip their satays into while the rest had only cold ones. Ha!

Once the bbq had ended and the mess cleared, alcohol flowed in, the majong ones drank the most. The ones with girfriends drank moderately. While the good guys rested their tummies and indulged in soft drinks.

My friend i however, took our bike for a spin down changi village and to the changi point park connector. My bike, been the rented one of course.

The second day of our chalet was much like any other chalet and therefore, need not much commenting.

HA!