My National Service Story

As promised.....a personal sharing of my national service years......kinda long.......read at your own interest....otherwise....you are most welcome to move on to another realm in this cyberworld that excites you.....

Wednesday, 18^th August 2004 was a milestone in my life. It was the day that I would have to enter into service for the nation. A duty which every able bodied male Singaporean would have to serve. National Service has called and it was time for me to join in this duty for the next 2 years and 2 months.

I remember vividly that the last night as a civilian was spent working on my friend’s computer. A last minute hard disk crash that required a new hard disk and a clean reformat. Stayed up the whole night working on the computer until the next morning when I handed back a repaired system back at about 8am.

After that, I got down to packing some essential staffs to bring for my enlistment and also finalize, settle and make some arrangements with regards to my personal life. After all, there was an initial 3 weeks confinement in camp waiting to welcome all new enlistees to “initiate” them into army life. That’s about 21 days of disappearing from this world except for the privilege of making some phone calls at times.

My enlistment time was 1500 hrs. I was to be enlisted into the army to serve my national service. Some of my friends got into the police, while others the civil defence. After having lunch with my family, we left home at about 1300 hrs and made our way to Pasir Ris Bus interchange by taxi. My grandmother had come down from Penang for a visit and had specially extended her stay to see me enter into the next phase of life. Felt kinda honoured about that.

I was to attend Basic Military Training (BMT) at the Basic Military Training Center (BMTC) located on Pulau Tekong Island – the place in Singapore whereby the weather is always a degree higher than mainland. The center has 2 schools and I was to be in School 1.

My official brush with the military was when we reached Pasir Ris at about 1415hrs and was ushered to take a feeder bus which was to take us to the SAF Ferry Terminal for a 30 minute ferry ride to the sunny island.

I had my shirt tucked out back then and remember being told by a 3^rd Sergeant to have it tucked in. Well, that’s a reasonable request asked using a gung ho tone. I guess those guys back then just wanted to impress the many sisters of the enlistees who might be around. Guys will just be guys.

Finally at about 1445hrs, we stepped foot on Pulau Tekong island. This would be the place that I will call home for the next 16 weeks. I got separated from my family members as they were ushered into the auditorium while I have to get my in processing done.

I went to a holding area whereby a video was shown. Propaganda in progress I suppose, the video showing all positive aspects of the military. However, anyone with a basic sense of thinking will know that in life, there are always 2 sides to everything. Indeed it was already very evident in the way the staffs handled the family members and us, the enlistees.

After the video, we had to exchange our pink identity cards (ICs) for a military one. This part was kinda unpleasant for me as the guy who took over my IC actually damaged it!

He kinda cracked my IC and hence it was unable to be read by the barcode scanner. To add fuel to fire, he damaged right in front of me and best of all, had the audacity to say that it was my fault that the IC was damaged.

Well, I saw no point in arguing with him as back then, it was common knowledge that new enlistees were the lowest life form in the army. I just gave him a pissed off stare and snatched my new military IC (SAF 11B) and just walked off. I suppose that already pissed him back much as he was disrespected in front of everyone.

The whole group of us were then brought into the auditorium and given further dosages of propaganda on having to be super gung ho and “act like a man” and etc. This was to prepare us for the oath taking ceremony which was to take place moments later.

After a while, all our respective family members returned from a tour around BMTC and the oath taking ceremony took placed. Said what was needed to be said, did what was necessary. Everyone then adjourned to the cookhouse for a meal.

After that, it was time to bid my family members farewell for the next 3 weeks. Walked them to the ferry terminal and watched them leave in the ferry against a beautiful and serene sunset.

Up next, we were then taken to our respective companies to begin our new life in the army. Over here, we witnessed the first major screw up that SAF could offer. Firstly, we were brought to a training shed whereby all our military kits have been prepared “ready” in individual black duffle bags for us.

Why the quotes on the word ready? Well, it is very debatable on the definition of the kits being ready when 80% of the items inside practically do no fit your size at all. Everything is either too big, or too small. The very “helpful” attitude of the logistic staff there didn’t help make things any easier. What a wonder eh, why do they ask for your size and measurements when you do your pre-registration at CMPB only to give you items that wasn’t what it was to be.

After much hassling, the next stop was to be the individual companies that we were allocated to. This company would be our home for the whole duration of stay in BMTC. Dragging our duffle bags along the road, we reached company “K” and were made to sit outside for almost 2 hours. Apparently, manpower side has so graciously screwed up the postings that the company is actually over allocated. Hence, reallocation had to be done to evenly spread out everyone.

Finally at 2200hrs, the few of us were asked to get our stuff and walk towards another company across the school. We ended up at “E” company and were led up to our bunks. It was then 2215hrs, 15 minutes more to lights out (sleeping time). the Sergeant told us to just dump everything into our cupboards, wash up and then go to sleep.

Oh well, imagine 50 people having to rush through this process and use the toilet which very well can only accommodate 15 people at one go. Feeling peeved off, I just washed my face and went to rest. What a nice way to start life in the SAF, no bath for the first day.

0600hrs was the beginning of the next day, washed up and went for breakfast before booking out of camp for my Poly graduation. Imagine having to repeat the whole process of going from the east side of Singapore to the western side. Mind you, I had to return back early the following morning to take the 0730hrs ferry. Except for weekend book outs, for any other book outs, there is no feeder bus to bring you to Pasir Ris. That literally translates to about an additional hour of traveling time.

Fast forwarding, the coming days were spent basking and experiencing what the army has to offer. The regimentation, discipline, order, skills, culture, language and etc. Everything and anything just came straight into your face.

It was also the time whereby you have the chance to know better the people around you. People from all walks of life are available for scrutiny.

Thinking back, I am indeed thankful to have been allocated to “E” company. Life over here was very relaxing. This was because I was enlisted into the obese company for obese BMT. This meant that we had 16 weeks to complete the basic training as compared to others who had only 9 weeks. The programme and schedule was hence more slow paced and not so jammed packed.

In addition, the Officer Commanding (OC), Platoon Commander (PC), Company Sergeant Major (CSM) and Sergeants was people who earned your respect. The care and guidance given was invaluable. I must say that compared to other companies, these men who have been tasked to look after and train us have done their job well and treated us like little brothers or friends.

Conflicts were inevitable; unhappiness persisted from time to time. However, the happy memories of laughing off together over a silly act, a joke, resting after a very tough training session, the chit chat sessions spent outside training hours, built up a relationship between everyone that was so close that the negatives seems so minimal.

I was in platoon 4, section 1, and bed 7. The platoon was generally made up of nice guys who are caring, unselfish and gentlemanly. It can be said that in the whole company, my platoon was the most united. We braved through together everything and constantly encouraged each other to perform. No one was left behind, the whole platoon would always work towards the weakest person’s level.

My section was made up of 11 other unique guys that gave me many laughter, joys and sweet memories. Back then, those days were filled with having to wake up early every morning at 0515hrs, the “talk cock” sessions, the illegal sleeping sessions when we were supposed to do area cleaning, the spying on the up coming week’s training programme in the platoon office, the chill out sessions in the midst of our firing range and etc.

All these and many other memories are timeless and I suppose only the people who have gone through it and truly understand the feelings and the experiences of those events there and then.

Week 10 of BMT, it was field camp time for us. All packed and good to go, I had spent the day with my company in the jungle learning the tips and tricks of jungle warfare and survival.

Prior to enlistment, I had injured my back during my secondary school days and was found to have slipped discs on my lower back. As fate would have it, during one of the little training exercise during field camp, my back was injured and my legs went numb.

I tired to continue but when evening came, things didn’t turn out too well and the situation looks bleak. My legs were still numb and were also losing strength. It was with much reluctance that I sounded off and was taken to the medical centre for treatment.

With that episode, I slowly lost touch in the training as the coming weeks saw my back problem worsen a little more before recovering. I had to return to NUH for specialist treatment. It was then decided that this combat BMT, though relaxing enough, was not my cup of tea. I was placed out of course and spent my remaining days in BMTC helping out in the company office.

That feeling wasn’t at all nice. After all, I had spent close to 10 weeks training with everyone and going through everything with them. The bond was there and now, I could only watch from the sides as they continued to strive on towards Passing out parade (POP).

Monday, 1^st November 2004 marked a new chapter of my life in SAF. I was at NUH for follow up consultation when I received a call from my company sergeant asking me to return back to the sunny island as soon as possible.

My posting order was out; I was to go and receive it from the manpower office before day end as I had to report to the new unit the very next day. Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled at all to receive that news. I had thought that I could stay with the guys until they passed out on 5^th December 2004. It kinda left sadness and regret in my heart. It didn’t helped either when high fever prevented me from witnessing them pass out on that very day. I suppose till today, this would be the greatest regret that I have in my NS life.

Moving on, I found out that I was to be posted to Headquarters, 4^th Singapore Armoured Brigade (HQ 4 SAB) as an administrative support assistant (clerk).

Went back to my company, packed up my stuff and did my out processing. It was a rather emotional moment for me as I could see my platoon and section mates, not bearing to see me leave. I didn’t want to leave either. I remember very vividly that day, when everything was done and I was about to leave for the 1830hrs ferry, My OC and CSM came up to me and shook my hand, wishing all the best. I remembered the parting words of my OC, “Take good care of yourself, unit life is never going to so protected like now, so simple and straightforward. You will see how complicated SAF can be and the extreme ends of human nature.”

With those words, I left and one of the sergeants was kind enough to walk with me, helping me with my staff on the 1km trip to the ferry terminal.

With this, I left Pulau Tekong for good and back to mainland Singapore.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. The memories just flooded my mind and the parting words of my OC just kept repeating. True enough, what he said was what I got to experience in the remaining months of my national service.

The next day, I reported to my new unit at Kranji Camp. I was posted to Company HQ was a facilities management clerk. The name sounds nice but the job isn’t. I was in charge of the camp complex, taking care of the structures and their well being. It was a mixture of old and new buildings and every single defect that occurred was my problem.

In addition, I had to deal with the numerous hygiene and building inspections that came about during my tour of duty. I also had to assist in the company’s administrative issues and to top things off, my unit being the unofficial custodian for the camp complex, I had to assist my CSM in complex management of guardhouse, security and etc.

One would not be wrong to say that I was the jack of all trades. Officially, I was a clerk but in actual fact, I was everything.

Life over here in the unit was indeed different from BMT. Friends are made, bonds are fostered no doubt. However, at the end of the day, it still cannot be compared to the ones that were forged during BMT. I suppose the reason is just very simple, over at the unit, everyone is just busy in getting their respective jobs done and had many other things to worry about while in BMT, apart from training, we had nothing else to worry about and being stuck on the sunny island for 5.5 days a week meant that the people around you was the only source of companionship. Its either you join in, or you stay lonely.

Working with the many people in the unit has brought new dimensions to the way I see things in life. You see more types of people over here. You get to see leaders or officers who are truly good leaders and competent in their area of work. They earn your respect through their actions and make you want to just put in the extra effort for them. While, you see another group who basically leave you wondering how did they get into Officer Cadet School in the first place? They know nothing but act as if they are the “hot shots”, use their rank as and when possible to make you comply with their wishes, cannot be bothered about your well being and only plan to use you to help them in their career advancement.

Honestly, apart from my CSM who takes good care of everyone and a small group of office people, I have no sweet memories of my unit. To me, it is just a place where I got to serve out my national service everyday. It is indeed sad but a very true fact for me. I had hoped to have something else better to give me more sweet memories but that was not the case.

Coming to a close, I have finally served out the 2 years 2 months of my national service. Paid my due to the nation and can close a chapter in my life.

The feeling of seeing your pink IC after so long cannot be described with words. Again, I suppose one has to go through this process in order to truly understand the feelings.

There is of course some tinge of sadness at having to leave the organization and place of work which one has been around for the past 2 years regardless whether the experience was positive or negative. I guess it is just the feeling and connection that one has built up and got to know with. Human beings after all, are emotional creatures.

Looking back, I have to say that national service for me wasn’t a waste of time. It is not about propaganda or national education here but the experiences, memories that one has gained. It has opened my eyes and widens my perception of the things in this world. Over a national service, you get to do things which in your ordinary civilian life, it can only happen in your dreams.

As this chapter of my life closes, I can say that I have grown up in my own ways and have turned from a little boy to a man in certain aspects.