The following is an example of a little frank, honest opinions, but beneath that belies less explicit wrath and fury.

Defining Moments in the SAF


The rite of passage for all male citizens of Singapore above the age of 18 is National Service (NS). To many, the long awaited National Duty for 2 and half years is perhaps met with fear and trepidation. To others, it is a necessary honour; one should serve one's country by no act of compulsion. To me, it all seemed like an in-between.

All too soon, I was due for enlistment, and I found myself thrown into a company with over 200 new faces wrought with apprehension. The extra bonuses in the package were several other commanding sergeants to make sure we lived life to the fullest and when the actual field-craft and training commenced, coupled with the tough and realistic training on the go, no one dared to act like a wimp. Among my own section, we even made a bet on who would report sick first. Spirits were high and camaraderie bonded the platoon together. Despite claiming things were manageable, I felt that, deep down, everybody wanted to break away from the fate of a 3-weeks confinement; something that every recruit was supposed to endure. Honestly, nothing could be as lucky for a BMT recruit as to be able to book out after only 11 days of confinement - thanks to The Lunar New Year. I remembered vividly my wildly fluttering heart, and looking absolutely silly by staring at the cars, taxis, buses and buildings as though they were new inventions. The first lesson that Army taught me - cherish freedom when you have it. The following weeks to come were a whirl of activities - IPPT, SOC, field camp and range.

After the gruelling 10 weeks of BMT, and like all regular recruits, my company and I attended the Passing Out Parade with aplomb that marked the end of our lives as miserable recruits. Armed with a new set of combat survival skills and by a quirk of fate, I was posted to the School of Military Medicine (SMM) - destined to be a combat medic.

What I can recollect from the times at SMM were the endless lectures, nursing lessons and canteen breaks. The most exhausting task I can remember was the SOC with casualty on stretcher - and thank god we only had to do that once. However, what can beat that hands down in terms of notoriety and dramatization was to clock 1 IV successfully per week. Tuesdays' evenings were the gloomiest and bleakest part of the week. Many of us knew that the key to surviving a week was simply to overcome the insurmountable - the IV every Tuesday. Unbeknownst to others, the sheer torture inflicted by the needle every week is unfathomable and contrary to popular belief, both the giver and receiver of the needle are subjected to excruciating agony.

After 10 weeks at SMM, I graduated as a pristine medic, ready to seek, save and serve my fellow soldiers at 4SAB. The following months at 4SAB were no less than demanding, I not only had to function as a medic, I had to function as a secretary, a clerk and a PR manager as well. What was most horrific was that my upper-study with only 2 more weeks to ORD, left a pile of disorganized work for me to clear. He taught me the ropes for 3 days, and left me dealing with what I had absolutely neither knowledge nor experience of. However, what was most remarkable, and a learning experience as well, was honing my multi-tasking skills. At the registration counter, irate patients hound at you; at the other end of the telephone line, the Chief Clerk is yelling at you; and in the consultation room, the MO is paging for you. This is by no means an impossibility; it merely takes someone who has 2 mouths, 4 ears, and 8 hands to be absolutely competent.

The nightmare of a medic finally became a reality during AHM 03 where the number of casualties was unimaginable! The finishing line was extremely chaotic. Many runners fell and collapsed to the ground but they generally recovered after some rest; some others were not so lucky and ended up under the medics' care. Fortunately, with the adequate medical coverage plan of 4SAB, we did do our best in covering this major annual event.

What marked the end of Year 2003, and the final recapitulation as a medic and the consolidation of my medical skills was Wallaby 03. Having to spend 2 long weeks in Australia, it was overwhelming for some since it was their first time abroad, however for me it was nothing out of the ordinary. Despite this, I loved the weather, though the scenery proved a little disappointing for I had half expected to discover with serendipity wildlife in its natural habitat. What was truly fresh and exciting was the Bronco-Ambulance - for a start, I had never even sat in a Bronco before! Despite agreeing that it was a good experience during Wallaby 03, I must admit that by the time R&R came, I was already wallowing in nostalgia, and nearly overwhelmed with homesickness.

Year 2004 opened with a flurry of activities, IQA being the first most important task to clear. From various departments starting from the documentation to the store, no one was being spared from the general audit of how well administratively the medical center was run. What certainly was alarming was the sudden zeal and industriousness that almost everyone displayed during this period to uncover the mistakes and make up for the usual dearth of commitment. I, however, stick with the policy, of doing things right everyday, so that there will be totally no need for unnecessary rush and superfluous jobs.

I feel that the army has changed me, for the better or the worse, it is up to others to decide. Personally, I feel that I have changed slightly for the better. Many say that the Army brings people from all walks of life together, and that has not been an exception for me, though I am still learning how to interact with people from different social strata. With only less than a year to ORD, I am sure I will make full use of the time I have left as a NSF. For now, I just have to wait patiently for the next weekend.