Demolition

D
emolition! Today, We went to blow up stuff. Basically, my Man went to practice blowing up stuff lah. They learnt how to set up charges and basically, today we went to the Demolition Area to setup some Real Demolition Circuits and feel the impact of a real explosion. Pretty interesting actually. Especially the Flame bomb one. It's really like the movies where the flames explode up into the sky followed by a black plume of smoke. Basically it's was a pretty nice day. Only Damper was the Rain. my poor Guys basically just sat in the Rain to watch the show hahaha.

I was the Safety Officer for that practice, so poor me have to leave the first, and come back kinda last. Especially since the Darn Rover that i took had its Max speed caped at 50km/h. They have this speed monitoring devices that checks how many times you pass the speed limit. It beeps everytime you pass 50, and if you get 10 continues beeps.... you're in for big trouble. it meant you've been speeding your reckless freak!

Basically a Safety officer, ensures Safety, yeah Right... obviously right? But there are minor things here and there that you must remember as Safety officers too! Like... What's the Safety Distance for a certain type of Charge. what's the formula? Under Cover? or not undercover? Can the detonation be activated by signals? how long must you wait before you can approach a circuit that did not fire? Stuff like these... which might happen, you just have to be prepared to react if it really does happen.

One of my Specs is currently pretty upset over why he gotten extra duties as punishment. Basically he felt that it was pretty underserving for his Boss to punish him. He kinda thinks that our Company's Sargent Major (His boss) has a personal Vendatta against him. Wake up and smell the Coffee man! sometimes i wish i could just say that.... your performance is not up to standard that's why he is always so pissed off at you.

But he is an ASK (Ah Siah Kia) or rich man's Son.... so yeah~ it's kinda harder for him to understand and accept the reasons. oh well... got to play councillor and psychologist again. At least get him to realize that his attitutde wasn't exemplary so that kinda caused his punishment to double.

My Man is doing fine btw,! Praise God!. THe Doc has said the Ops was succesful, but he'll be in the Hospital for up to 4 wks where he has to learn how to walk again... ouch ouch ouch. But he has a 70% chance of regaining full feeling and walk and perform like a normal man. but no more running and sprinting kinda of activity

A Suicidal Tendency

A
lright. What is wrong with the my kids from BMTC? Today another one came up to me and told me that he was nearing breakdown and that he has been having suicidal thoughts. He requested to see the "Godfather" and Godfather sent him to the Medical Centre for Evaluation. After lots of talking and talking and talking, He will be seeing a Shrink Tommorrow evening. Meanwhile, he has been excused from handling all live ammo and firearms.

Its because all this poor guys from BMTC having heard all kidns of stories about Guards being a Tough unit and all. When they came here, all are trying desperated to jump ship and go to some "Slack" Unit. It doesn't work that way friends, pls... Every Unit and Vocation has its tough moments, just that you don't always get to see them. It just so happens that the Tough moments of Guardsmen are pretty visable and they get played up in public. But at the end of the day, We are all human, All Guardsmen do is push you to your limits, and than a little more. And Guess What? You actually can do it if you give yourself that little bit of faith.

Ok, enough of ranting

Today, Yushri had his Op, and Thank God things are stable now. so i'll get to see him tommorrow. Hopefully he'll regain more feeling in his legs and that the wounds will heal.

Met up with some of my Sec Sch Classmates today at Bedok Blk 85, (its an old haunt) Its been 7 years since our O level year. Wow, time flies. The girls are working now, the guys still in School waiting to finish their studies. So much to laugh and catch up, I think there's some thing special amongst AHS students but hmm... i think too many have taken up smoking, its alot of smoke for such a small table...All the girls smoke :P No Kidding, i guess it shouldn't be that unusual but i still can't picture them smoking ever...hahaha, i guess their Sec 4 image is still trapped somewhere in my mind

PB=Performance Bonus

C
an I get a little noise in the house? Today, they distributed the letters telling us of our PB amount. Yeah~ i'm feel a little richer today. But anyways, i already spent a portion of it for my scuba trip and replacement Handphone... hmm, so there goes.

But at moments like this, i'm also reminded that I cannot forget that it is God that blesses me and more than anything, i need to give him a portion of my blessings. So ok! i'm going to pledge a portion of it to Jonathan who is out there in South Africa doing God's work in the fields! he's coming back to get married next month! I wish i could tell you his story, its a story of a Man's total faith and dependence on God for everything. How he left a well-paying job and accomodation to venture into the fields, Studying and picking up the tools along the way. Sometimes you never know that God is actually equipping you for his work as you go about your normal life. Only on Hindsight that you realize that there must be some hand behind all the things you've done and why you did it.

...Those papers you read are like...academic journals!!!, i'm positively floored when i read them....

Basically i really didn't do much today. SOmehow just spent alot of time sleeping. I had good sleeping material to help me along though. I've been tasked to help my OC with some paper on making Positive NS experiences. So was reading previous materials on what has been written previous, Its incredible! Now i know what happens to all the scholarly power in SAF goes too. Those papers you read are like...academic journals!!!, i'm positively floored when i read them. its reeks of "chimalogy" (local slang for stuff thats just over the head"). Normative commitment, versus Affective Commitment....anyone has any ideas?

BDO again! (1st extra)

T
his is getting quite routine. Yeah~ i know its Sun. Easter Sunday somemore, but guess what, I'm in Camp doing my BDO duty, sounds pretty sad right?

Oh my Gosh, i'm doing BDO duty on Easter Sun...

But Thankfully, i've got a pretty cool bunch of duty personnels with me. Lots of laughter and joking so that kinda liven up things. But, my Duty Clerk cannot be allowed into the sleep quarters, no way, He SNORES louder than my whistle, I'm not kidding, its a really solide Baritone that causes the tables to vibrate. If you see his size, you're understand why. He is a localize version of Pavarotti. Worst, just now he was walking barebodied around the Ops Room....When i came back to the Ops room, i was like " Josh Josh.... Put on a Shirt ok? For crying out loud! He was bared bodied talking on the phone without his shoes. And yeah~ he was supposed to be on duty somemore.

Update on my "flying" Man. He will undergo his 2nd Operation this Tues, This is the big one where he will revert to Critical Condition after the Op. Yeah~ kinda scary when the Nurse said that he might pass away during this period. But I pray that he'll have comfort in the lord and that GOd will bless the surgeon with steady hands and that everything will go smoothly!

Saturday

Its been a good rest, Today there's going to be service and God knows that i need it too. Just recieved a very encouraging email from Jonathan. He's currently in South Africa doing mission work and one thing in his email really struck me.

"I feel that my current life is not that different from the working life I left behind.
The same busyness. The same running around. And I find that I need to get away from things
and simply reflect. And relate with God. There is still the same struggle to find time with God.
And I find myself hurrying through my prayers in order to get through to the "real work"
of the day. "

Wow...So it does take a deliberate effort to find time to really quieten our hearts and seek the Lord.

...The difference
was never based on the
situation itself, but always on my
state of
mind and heart...

Something from the same email, this time from a guy called Henri Nouwen

"I have felt distraught and joyful in
situations of abundance as well as poverty,
in situations of popularity and anonymity,
in sitations of success and failure.

The difference was never based on the
situation itself, but always on my
state of mind and heart."

"I feel that my current life is not that different
from the working life I left behind.
The same busyness. The same running around.
And I find that I need to get away from things
and simply reflect. And relate with God.

There is still the same struggle to find time with God.
And I find myself hurrying through my prayers
in order to get through to the "real work"
of the day. "

The longest day in my Army life

Straight to the point. The reason why i haven't updated this blog was because a really strange incident happened in camp. While i was on Duty, One of my Men fell from the 4th story when everyone was supposed to be sleeping. yes, He fell, No, it was not a suicide attempt. Thank God that he is Alive and that is all that matters to me now.

Really, the last few days will be one of those moments that will be etched in your memories for eons. I will never forget the fear in my heart as i approached the body. "IS he dead? What must i do?"

Did he jump? I don't know.... He claimed that the last thing he remembered was seeing a white figure approaching him, till it was like 1m away. next thing he remembered, he was been strechered onto the ambulance.

I Pray for my Men, that God Will keep them safe from anything spiritually unclean. May the Devil's work never succeed within my Platoon

BDO today!

Wow, its been a super long day. Today, i'm the BDO, that's a Duty Officer for the batallion. Basically, you're there to do alot of extra stuff like closing Armoury and following up on incidents. and yeah~ be a walking target board for all the Officers to task you with staff.

Not the smoothest day for me too. 1 incident happened, a Suicide tendency... hai~ the poor soldier was warded into Hospital for observation. And Now i've got to do a whole lot of reporting :P

How is it remotely possible to want to end your life over something like Army? Especially in today's context? I really don't understand, but than again, i guess today's youth were brought up differently too.... hmmm. Just pray that he'll recover soon and that one day he'll realize that its really depends on the attitude you take that will determine your Army life. Think Positive, and more likely than not, your army experience will be positive. I think that's almost a universal truth out there in the world ain't it?

The final cut

OK, So today, i came back to see my platoon after going through that final cut. It does seem alot trimmer, and fitter. I've 7 new guys that have come and top up my platoon. 3 from BMT! and another 4 from within the Battalion.

Went for a short 4km run around camp today. I'm surprised that the weaker guys are acutally from BMT! hmm, so i've some work to do. Have to train them and get them into shape. The rest, all i can say is i think i'm pretty happy with their performance, all are quite eager and positive towards earning their Guard's Tab and Beret!

Oh~ IPPT test next week for me! I better start conditioning myself, today's run showed me how out of shape i am hahaha

I'm back from diving!

I'm Back from my dive trip. God knows i'm tired. Today my guys receive their posting orders. Hmmm, so tommorrow morning i'll get to know who stays and who is leaving!

I'm Off!

Woo hoo! Okies, taking my break Seriously.

I'm going to Scuba Dive at Dayang Island this weekend with a bunch of mates from camp! Just pray that the waves are calm and God Bless the weekend with Good weather!

My men are coming back on Sun night to get their posting!!!! Exciting times! :)

POP!!!

Okies, I'm not the one who is going to POP, but my men just had their Passing Out Parade! (For those who didn't know)

It was nice putting a face onto all the parents of my Men, I can See that they are all very proud to see their Son Pass out of Army. It ain't an easy life, But the fact that their son made it to this point. I'm sure they must be very happy for them.

Tonight was also a first hand experience of how much responsibility lies on your shoulders. All the parents were saying "Thank you! for taking CARE of my Son!" Sometimes, in the daily mundane, you forget that you are actually Taking care of Sons! and that Parents have Put their Trust in you. Believing that you'll actually make sure their son's come back in 1 piece.

Today, I also met the Father of one of my Recruit. He literally ran me down and Shoke my hand so hardly. I've been helping his Son clear over $1500 worth of Bills and Court Summons. He is now Clear of all his fines and Has managed to stay out of Jail. He just paid his last Court Summon using his last pay cheque.

Moments like today, I can touch my heart at night and say, " I made a difference!"

Okies, enuff of the rosy pic. Something really shitty happened after.... ADMIN WORK.

Yeah, just before i left my camp, I got called back to office. OC (my direct boss) showed me a stack of forms, some Graduation record for my men. That i needed to complete! ok... no problem, By when? by TONIGHT???!?!?!??! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!1

ok, you got the picture... Basically, last min scrabble for things. This always always happen on the admin side. Basically when we start the next round of training next week. I'm going to ensure my Admin side of things are going to be ready. So when i get these last minute tasking, i'm going to be up to the task. That means....Regular filing and Record Keeping. I'm a bloody Accountant trained right?

hahahaha :P

24km Route March is OVER!

I just completed the Graduating March with my Guys. Its 3.23am, I'm still having Camouflage on my face. Sweaty, Smelly. Legs are all Sore and like Jelly.

Next Week, i'm doing the same things + another 8km. Ouch

RSM Cool down was 1 power combo, Includes psychotherpy and music and hypnotism, It was a joke. You should see everyone's face when he ask the sargent to Play the CD?? We were like... WHAT?!?!?! CD??? You must be kidding right? and there, those New age music started playing across the Parade Square.

Anyways, I'm pretty darn proud of my platoon. Everyone managed to complete the March, including my infamous Hafeez! He couldn't even do 4km at first, Today he completed 24km, FUll BATTLE ORDER without even falling out. Well Done!

I'm going to Zonk out now...and yah, burst the bubble from my feet.

Rehearsals and Presentations

Been practicing the parade sequence for my Men who are Passing Out from Basic Training this Wednesday. Guess what, i lost my beret...

Anyways, I've been consolidating all the pictures and videos taken during their training and as i put them into a slideshow, i realize that all of them have grown. I'm not kidding! They look more and more like soldiers as the days go by. They sleep everywhere, They train hard till exhaustion, but they also play really hard.

Hopefully, they had a good and memorable time here. I'm only going to keep like 50% to stay back in my Unit as Guardsmen. Ain't easy to be a Guardsmen and I'm not keeping those who have no hope of passing. So it won't be the easiest goodbyes for some of these guys.

Hmm, maybe i'll post of pics of them up here the next time. Its 5.30am now and i've yet to sleep 1 wink.

Tonight, there's still a 24km Route march at East Coast. Their Graduation March! ahh....

Back to camp

its 1.40am, I got back at 2355, went to office and than started updating my recruits results into their booklets. Have to submit up to Higher HQ tml morning at 10am. This is one side of the Army you'll never see in recruitment posters.

But truth is, ALL Officers are Admin officers. You spend a lot of your time doing admin work. just look at the amount of paper that gets printed a day! its amazing. 500 sheets per day min. And we change the toner like once a month.

God grant me the Strength to carry on. I had the most tiring weekend! and i've still got my men's Graduating Route March on Tues! 24km in all!

Commander's Training

Today basically was totally devoted to Commanders training. Its like a refresher course for everything that we are going to teach the Men over the next Period of Training after their Graduation from Basic Military Training. That phase is called Advance infantry Training. so.... from Basic to Advance, where's INtermediate?? :P

We just went to the little patch of grass behind our compound and did some practice there (or should i say, Watched some people demostrate to use the practice).

Today, one of my Out of Course guys got posted out to another unit. So mid-way through the training, i took some time off to say good bye to him and conduct a final interview just before he goes to see if he has any "unresolved baggages". Also told him what to expect and some tips on how to live life regardless whether its army or outside. I can't believe it, he Cried....and told me he'll really miss us and he was sorry that he could not live up to my expectation and continue with his training. HE Thank Me! and just cried...

Tml, the training continues, so i'm going back to camp at like 7am! but It'll be pretty fun cos we'll be doing Repelling! yeah!!! :) Guardsmen are SAF's experts in all the kinds of repellings! yeah....we do repel down from Helicopters ;) but tommorrow's just from a building..

ARGH~!!!! why why?

Shucks, i just realized that I'm going to Lose 3 precious weekends because I've been awarded 3 Freaking extra duties!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARGHHGHGH!!!!

I knew i was going to get something.... Gosh! why why why did i decided to go ahead and watch the Movie Hitch on Sun???? Stupid Movie, caused me 3 extra..... :(

A Rest day!

Today, I really have Nothing to do. (that's prob the only reason why i can be here typing this post at such an hour!)

Last night, the Officers in my COy went out to Geylang for some supper (Tau Hui and You Tiao) and Of coz, it was pc 7 's birthday. so there was lots of teasing about getting him a "present"... But at the end of the day, it was pretty saddening to see the flesh trade so prominent in Singapore. And you thought Singapore was pretty Clean. even on a Normal Wed night, there was so much activity in the area, Left and right you can see guy and girl check into hotels. Guys Bargaining with the girls and Pimps asking you to come in and take a look. Each street has its own "variety" of girls, some from Thailand or Indonesian, Some Indian, Alot from China. All of them giving the 4 of us guys a Hopeful look, Simily Coyly if our gances met. In the end, i was pretty happy to get out of the area.

That however was nothing to what some of my Specialist did the same night. They went to some KTV Lounge...and lets say, had a WILD time ;), came back early this Morning and continued training. How they did it, i don't even want to know.

oh yah, Yesterday was Pay day!

Back from Range

I'm just back from Range where i was the Conducting Officer.

There's a strangely nice feeling after days of planning and planning and getting things in place. Than the day comes to execute it and you see your plan comes to live and parts just falling into place :) Now the range is over, you still get a buzz knowing that everyone had a good time.

AQ Training

Did AQ=adventure Quest Training with my BB boys today! basically they ran, cycle and kayak in relay style. Bet they must be pretty tired out at this hour. even i'm feeling the effect although i didn't even enter the water for the kayak.

It was still really nice to sit out and watch the boys though, ended up having a really good chat with my Cell Leader. We talked about our future, God's Purpose and lots of BB.

Jade came to Service today! sorry Jade, i knew i was late so you had to miss the worship part of the service. I promise if you'll like to come again one day, I'll make sure we'll be there on time! and yeah~ i'll definately introduce you to some of the girls... It just my Cell is all guys :P haha

Tml will be a short day. 3 Guards CO is pretty mad that we had a poor report for the Safety Audit. Yupz! so... all Commanders are booking in early, to Study (Safety Regulations, Training Directives and Training Circulars!) I quote "YOU ENDANGER THE LIVES OF MY MEN! I WILL NOT HESISTATE TO REMOVE YOU FROM COMMAND!"

I hope he'll be back there studying with us.....

It Feels Good to be in His Presence!

IPPT TEST FOR MY MAN!!! And I"M SOOOOOOOO Proud of them! 75% passed! and All Their Running has improved by leaps since they first came in. Even my Weakest Weakest Hafeez completed the 2.4km effortlessly under 12min ;).... He couldn't even complete 2.4km when he first came in!


Oh~~~!

Just got back from Tabernacle (sic). <== Its the temple where the Ancient Jews would go to worship and to some extend feel the presence of God.

Just before entering, I just felt so super tired and lethargic. I even thought that i could go in and prob just sleep in His presence. But God's pretty amazing, somehow when the journey started, i just had a re-newed sense of energy. All the way to the Holy of Holies where i jsut chilled in one corner smiling and laughing and just enjoying the presence of God!. It was just fantastic.

So.... What was God's Message? well, 3 main Areas

1, Work - Bring some of my collegues back to Church, be a Role-Model to my Man, show them what is "unconditional love".... in an Army Environment?!? You sure God??.... "Why not Colin? Go Love ALL your men, even the ones that give you the most problem. Love them More!
2, Family - Promise my Sis that i will personally SEE her through her Education! be it Overseas of Singapore (Unconditionally!!!...ouch), BUT also let her know my disappointment that she's ran so far from God. And to Speak words of strength to my mum!! Help her bring our family closer together, and shoulder her burden of supporting the family.
3, Relationship - Hehehehehe... All i can say is "God is Good!!!" =)

In All of these areas, I've Found a sense of God's Purpose! No mean feat huh? But it's SOOOOOO Cool. I simple asked "Would you like to Join me for a meal?" and in my Mind, I felt a presence of someone similing a "Thank you" hahahaha... Wierd right? And i just laughed back...."Are you really God???"... Reply "yeah!"
....than my Q & A started

Anyways, at the end of the whole thing.... Yeah~ Supper is such a Singaporean Thing. Had to stop by Geylang to get some Durains before heading back Home....hahahaha

Now almost 2am and I've got to get up at 5am!!! Cos we're moving off at 6am to the West... for some Range Practice (I'm conducting that range somemore!

7 of my Platoon guys got caught smoking in toilet...... , I understand their plight, they're too addicted to smoking and they can't take the Wednesday smoke-free day hahaha.

Poor Chaps, they've came to see me this Morning asking for forgiveness and for letting the Platton Down! (Okies, We'll see.....)

Okies, Finally got my Admin Instructions out

slept at 2am last Night. Supper was Bee Hoo Goreng,

There's some Audit happening in my camp next week. Lots of Paper work to touch up. Last night, I used like 1 500sheets of paper just to print out my the loads of backlog. Everything just so tranquil at that hour of day. White light, Computer screen, Printer buzzing....My Commander said i slept with all the the lights on. Papers all over the floor ;), He woke me up at 7am for first parade.

OH~!!! MY office got a new Printer today! and its networked to all the COmps, so finally, we don't have to kill each other to use the 1 comp that's linked to the printer.

My men are going for Range Next week, Thus, I'm suffering this week planning the whole thing. I didn't know there's sooooo much things to prepare... AHh!!! But, Thank God the paper works set! But still need to prepare my briefing notes for the commanders at Tml co-ord.

Bedok Corner just opened! woo hoo! looks like i'll be gaining weight

Hey~ my very first posting

hello hello!