The time has finally come, and yes, I am approximately a month late in getting this published. As always, the term here is busy. Hate the fact that the exams are 6 weeks away and frantically trying to get some revision done in the midst of housework and other stuff.
On March 12th, which was hmmm, LAST MONTH, I finally and joyfully collected my PINK IC after completing my good 2 years of service to the nation. And what a fantastic 2 years it has been. I hardly even felt the time go by. In short, I frankly think that NS has been the best 2 years of my life thus far.
Enlistment, which of course includes THEM cutting off all your hair and leaving a strip which they proudly refer to as No.1, took place on March 14th 2006. Following that, one month of Basic Rescue Training took place. Honestly, I can’t recall doing any rescue work then. All we had was what is known far and wide as ‘tekkan sessions’. It didn’t matter when or where. Parade square, dormitory, corridors, well even in the bathrooms, the Instructors would suddenly appear out of no where to make your life miserable. Everything that you experience in there though teaches you something new. Smoking for one, is a no go while you’re in camp. The guys who managed to sneak in those cigarettes and smoke them, had to feel satisfied, because what they got when they got caught was never one bit worth the pain in my view. A solitary cell in the Detention Barracks. Even if it was just 3 days, made them swear never to go in there ever again. Those who went in for whatever rebellious behavior, failing to comply with orders etc, all came out of there changed men. Surprisingly, not one of them ever spoke about what happened inside. Makes me wonder till this very day.
Well, that being that brings me to the 2nd part, an interview. Conducted by senior officers on a select few, they chose potential candidates for the elite, Emergency Response Specialist Course (ERS). Now, this is the pride and joy for NSF in Civil Defence. If you got selected for this and made it through the 6 months of training that came after that, every bit of the suffering you went through would suddenly be worth it when you saw your first pay slip after graduation. =) Yes, I’m getting there. I got selected for it, but wait, let me tell you, when I was asked what vocation I wanted, I asked to be a Dog Handler with the Disaster Assistance Rescue Team (DART). Those of you who know me well enough would know my love for dogs aye. Personally, I have 3 of my own. =D
As always, most times you never get what your heart wishes for. This was one of those times. I was posted into the ERS course and boy, was it what ever I had imagined it not to be. True, we had privileges since we were specialist trainees, but trainees we still were and the training was an immense load. 24 weeks, is a long time. Looking back though, I’d be happy to be back there again with the same batch of guys. Don’t think there’s been a bunch of guys who did all the nonsense we did ever in Civil Defence Academy. Memories, they shall live on. Weeks into the course, we had the opportunity to head off to the Home Team Academy (HTA) for a 2 week course. Ah, well, experience after experience. Indeed, a good break. A great opportunity to meet other people. To most of the guys, it only meant GIRLS!!! Police, Immigration, Prisons etc. The only thing that had me really happy there though was the food. If anyone reading this wants to join a uniformed service as a career, please choose one that trains in HTA, because the food there is so good, you would never ever want to leave camp. We all had our moments there. And those memories will stay for alive forever. What do we leave behind in life besides our memories, and even those aren’t always accurate! There are some secrets that die with each and every one of us.
Yes, here I go deviating again. My apologies. After that wonderful time at HTA, the next thing on the blocks for us trainees was a trip to the jungles of Brunei. From the 6th to the 13th of August, we crept around a really beautiful jungle, with such a blessedly beautiful river, eating canned food, biscuits & chocolate bars, getting into tents infested with army ants, running out screaming, drinking river water with disinfecting pills dropped in, scaling Bukit Lutut, a stupendous mountain and finally culminating in a solitary night in the jungle, with just 5 liters of water, a canvas sheet cover, a ground sheet, a can of insecticide, an air-horn to sound in case of emergency, a light stick which was not to be broken lest you sounded the air-horn, and the life-jacket, which we had to use to cross that beautiful river each time.
Once again, wondrous memories they were. The thing about the entire Brunei trip which was in fact, led by Outward Bound Brunei, was that it focused on team and leadership building. Some were exemplary leaders, in the face of the difficulties we faced in the jungle. Others, were superb morale boosters. I will never forget Mr Mas Nasruddin for his wonderfully clear voice and renditions of age old malay songs inside the jungle. Just when the mood of the group was deteriorating during a particularly long and dreary track, he would start to sing without fail. That moved us, and kept us strong as a group till the very last day of the trip. We returned to Singapore that weekend, very different from the way we left. We realized now for instance, that no man can be an island and survive. And in the job that awaited us upon passing out, that was something each of us had to comprehend and appreciate.
The last 4 weeks of training loomed up ahead of us as we returned to camp. The vacation was over. Every little bit that we’d learnt about fire, rescue, chemical agents etc was going to be put to the test. Mind you, these tests are not simple. If you ever have the chance of meeting a fireman, ask him how his heat and humidity endurance exercise was back in CDA and judge his facial reaction. After which, ask him about the tear gas chamber. Ask him what its like to climb 8 flights of steps in full gear, carrying equipment on his back and having to break a door and pull out a casualty weighing above 90kg, and set up hoses. It is not an easy job. What awaited us were field exercises of what was to come before the final exercises. Basically, they hit you so hard during the field exercises, that during the final exercises, you would not be able to feel a thing no matter what they throw at you. The mental pressure you face is much greater than the physical pressure. Your body has a way of pushing on no matter what it faces; your mind though, is another matter. If that gives up on you, it doesn’t matter how strong you are physically.
We were assigned our final exercises so that we could prepare in time for the field exercises where we would get a feel of things. I got the only underground rescue operation there was. Exercise Bad Breath. Now, there’s 2 ways of looking at this. First, with a big smile, NO FIRE. Now the bad part, confined space and I am not exactly your every day little guy. That too I was to lead the part of Section Commander 1, which basically meant leading the team down the man-hole and guiding the operation from down under. Yours truly, does not like small spaces. He likes his space. And surprisingly, when we went down that man-hole, we had a world of space available to us. It was a huge monsoon drain and we could walk, stoop a little at several areas but we had space. Honestly though, the entire operation was a disaster. They pumped in smoke; made sure we couldn’t see a thing and downed us one by one till there was no one left ‘ALIVE’. A debrief and a lecture on our mistakes ensued. Do not think that it was something like an exercise a day, no. Sometimes 2, sometimes 3 exercises a day. Inclusive of night exercises. =) The body is an amazing thing. Take good care of it.
Well we trained. We bled sweat. We ran laps at nights. We ran through graveyards at 5am in the morning. We ran with full gear in the evenings after the exercises. We drank bucket loads of water & syrup. We trained. And then, the final exercises were upon us. And believe it or not, every one of us, breezed through the exercises. A week & a graduation ceremony later, we were what we had trained to be. Section Commanders. Emergency Response Specialists. Men. Sergeants
To Akrab, Dhinesh, Azrul, Nadiah, Hafiz, Akram, Adam, Dzulfadhly, Juzaimi & Musa. Thank you. Without you guys, I cannot imagine what training in CDA would have been like. The nights we spent in ‘Ah Tuk’s Corner’, ‘Drinks Parties’, pull-up training are all filed away in a special corner of my heart. Of course, Dorm 3A would never have been the same without a few special mentions. Andi Mirza, the irritant. Irwan, the silent play my guitar in the corner guy. Bao Sheng, Mr Shine my boots. Azri, the man who supported me from e bottom bed. Yang Kai, fondly referred to as Apple Wong. Adzfar Alami, Mr Devout Fitness Fanatic. Akram, drinks party organizer for every night which was not a night off. Adam Wong, the man who diligently cleaned the toilet every Friday before book-out and my morale booster. Imran Bustamam, the cute lil penguin who just never failed to have a crazy one liner on the tip of his tongue. You live on. If you’re reading this, just remember you’re special.
Moving on, posting came around. And yes, I got posted to Yishun Fire Station. The Best Fire Station in Singapore for 2 years running. You can imagine the pressure and expectations I was facing. The real training was about to begin. And it was more like an extension of training from CDA upon arrival. Thankfully, I soon proved my worth in a series of calls that we attended and in training, and life settled in. Rota 3, Yishun Fire Station. The best and I’d proclaim it even today if called upon to.
And once, that was settled, life started to fly by. We had our fair share of high profile calls; suicides, unit-fires, Senoko Power Station Fire, 2 ship fires, RTA’s, DOA’s. And time flew. Before I realized, it was time to go and goodbyes were in order. And yes, my love to all in Rota 3, Yishun. You are all held dear and near to my heart. A little emo I know, for a fireman and all, and yet I know how mushy all of you can get. You will be forever remembered. Affan, Aizal, Siti, Ang, Encik Dzul, Encik Sufyan, Encik zaini, Yadi, Dol + Sharikin + Aliff my brothers, Oh Yeow Kiat my china black brother, Pereira & Khalil the beloved watch room boys, bogeh, Ramadan and sufyan, you will live on. To LTA Ling M H, my friend, my guide, my teacher, my mentor, I thank you for everything that you did for me and all the help and support you rendered me in my times of need. You shall be blessed. =) p.s You don’t belong in the force. Move on, man!!
It has been a wonderful journey and though I’m due for reservist sometime, I doubt it will ever be as fun as this has been. A journey which I undertook thinking a waste of time, changed my entire opinion about it and gave me what has been to date, the best times of my life.
To those of you, who are yet to enlist, go in with a positive attitude to your work, train with all your heart, and trust me, National Service, that 2 years, will be the time of your life. Cheers to one and all!
On March 12th, which was hmmm, LAST MONTH, I finally and joyfully collected my PINK IC after completing my good 2 years of service to the nation. And what a fantastic 2 years it has been. I hardly even felt the time go by. In short, I frankly think that NS has been the best 2 years of my life thus far.
Enlistment, which of course includes THEM cutting off all your hair and leaving a strip which they proudly refer to as No.1, took place on March 14th 2006. Following that, one month of Basic Rescue Training took place. Honestly, I can’t recall doing any rescue work then. All we had was what is known far and wide as ‘tekkan sessions’. It didn’t matter when or where. Parade square, dormitory, corridors, well even in the bathrooms, the Instructors would suddenly appear out of no where to make your life miserable. Everything that you experience in there though teaches you something new. Smoking for one, is a no go while you’re in camp. The guys who managed to sneak in those cigarettes and smoke them, had to feel satisfied, because what they got when they got caught was never one bit worth the pain in my view. A solitary cell in the Detention Barracks. Even if it was just 3 days, made them swear never to go in there ever again. Those who went in for whatever rebellious behavior, failing to comply with orders etc, all came out of there changed men. Surprisingly, not one of them ever spoke about what happened inside. Makes me wonder till this very day.
Well, that being that brings me to the 2nd part, an interview. Conducted by senior officers on a select few, they chose potential candidates for the elite, Emergency Response Specialist Course (ERS). Now, this is the pride and joy for NSF in Civil Defence. If you got selected for this and made it through the 6 months of training that came after that, every bit of the suffering you went through would suddenly be worth it when you saw your first pay slip after graduation. =) Yes, I’m getting there. I got selected for it, but wait, let me tell you, when I was asked what vocation I wanted, I asked to be a Dog Handler with the Disaster Assistance Rescue Team (DART). Those of you who know me well enough would know my love for dogs aye. Personally, I have 3 of my own. =D
As always, most times you never get what your heart wishes for. This was one of those times. I was posted into the ERS course and boy, was it what ever I had imagined it not to be. True, we had privileges since we were specialist trainees, but trainees we still were and the training was an immense load. 24 weeks, is a long time. Looking back though, I’d be happy to be back there again with the same batch of guys. Don’t think there’s been a bunch of guys who did all the nonsense we did ever in Civil Defence Academy. Memories, they shall live on. Weeks into the course, we had the opportunity to head off to the Home Team Academy (HTA) for a 2 week course. Ah, well, experience after experience. Indeed, a good break. A great opportunity to meet other people. To most of the guys, it only meant GIRLS!!! Police, Immigration, Prisons etc. The only thing that had me really happy there though was the food. If anyone reading this wants to join a uniformed service as a career, please choose one that trains in HTA, because the food there is so good, you would never ever want to leave camp. We all had our moments there. And those memories will stay for alive forever. What do we leave behind in life besides our memories, and even those aren’t always accurate! There are some secrets that die with each and every one of us.
Yes, here I go deviating again. My apologies. After that wonderful time at HTA, the next thing on the blocks for us trainees was a trip to the jungles of Brunei. From the 6th to the 13th of August, we crept around a really beautiful jungle, with such a blessedly beautiful river, eating canned food, biscuits & chocolate bars, getting into tents infested with army ants, running out screaming, drinking river water with disinfecting pills dropped in, scaling Bukit Lutut, a stupendous mountain and finally culminating in a solitary night in the jungle, with just 5 liters of water, a canvas sheet cover, a ground sheet, a can of insecticide, an air-horn to sound in case of emergency, a light stick which was not to be broken lest you sounded the air-horn, and the life-jacket, which we had to use to cross that beautiful river each time.
Once again, wondrous memories they were. The thing about the entire Brunei trip which was in fact, led by Outward Bound Brunei, was that it focused on team and leadership building. Some were exemplary leaders, in the face of the difficulties we faced in the jungle. Others, were superb morale boosters. I will never forget Mr Mas Nasruddin for his wonderfully clear voice and renditions of age old malay songs inside the jungle. Just when the mood of the group was deteriorating during a particularly long and dreary track, he would start to sing without fail. That moved us, and kept us strong as a group till the very last day of the trip. We returned to Singapore that weekend, very different from the way we left. We realized now for instance, that no man can be an island and survive. And in the job that awaited us upon passing out, that was something each of us had to comprehend and appreciate.
The last 4 weeks of training loomed up ahead of us as we returned to camp. The vacation was over. Every little bit that we’d learnt about fire, rescue, chemical agents etc was going to be put to the test. Mind you, these tests are not simple. If you ever have the chance of meeting a fireman, ask him how his heat and humidity endurance exercise was back in CDA and judge his facial reaction. After which, ask him about the tear gas chamber. Ask him what its like to climb 8 flights of steps in full gear, carrying equipment on his back and having to break a door and pull out a casualty weighing above 90kg, and set up hoses. It is not an easy job. What awaited us were field exercises of what was to come before the final exercises. Basically, they hit you so hard during the field exercises, that during the final exercises, you would not be able to feel a thing no matter what they throw at you. The mental pressure you face is much greater than the physical pressure. Your body has a way of pushing on no matter what it faces; your mind though, is another matter. If that gives up on you, it doesn’t matter how strong you are physically.
We were assigned our final exercises so that we could prepare in time for the field exercises where we would get a feel of things. I got the only underground rescue operation there was. Exercise Bad Breath. Now, there’s 2 ways of looking at this. First, with a big smile, NO FIRE. Now the bad part, confined space and I am not exactly your every day little guy. That too I was to lead the part of Section Commander 1, which basically meant leading the team down the man-hole and guiding the operation from down under. Yours truly, does not like small spaces. He likes his space. And surprisingly, when we went down that man-hole, we had a world of space available to us. It was a huge monsoon drain and we could walk, stoop a little at several areas but we had space. Honestly though, the entire operation was a disaster. They pumped in smoke; made sure we couldn’t see a thing and downed us one by one till there was no one left ‘ALIVE’. A debrief and a lecture on our mistakes ensued. Do not think that it was something like an exercise a day, no. Sometimes 2, sometimes 3 exercises a day. Inclusive of night exercises. =) The body is an amazing thing. Take good care of it.
Well we trained. We bled sweat. We ran laps at nights. We ran through graveyards at 5am in the morning. We ran with full gear in the evenings after the exercises. We drank bucket loads of water & syrup. We trained. And then, the final exercises were upon us. And believe it or not, every one of us, breezed through the exercises. A week & a graduation ceremony later, we were what we had trained to be. Section Commanders. Emergency Response Specialists. Men. Sergeants
To Akrab, Dhinesh, Azrul, Nadiah, Hafiz, Akram, Adam, Dzulfadhly, Juzaimi & Musa. Thank you. Without you guys, I cannot imagine what training in CDA would have been like. The nights we spent in ‘Ah Tuk’s Corner’, ‘Drinks Parties’, pull-up training are all filed away in a special corner of my heart. Of course, Dorm 3A would never have been the same without a few special mentions. Andi Mirza, the irritant. Irwan, the silent play my guitar in the corner guy. Bao Sheng, Mr Shine my boots. Azri, the man who supported me from e bottom bed. Yang Kai, fondly referred to as Apple Wong. Adzfar Alami, Mr Devout Fitness Fanatic. Akram, drinks party organizer for every night which was not a night off. Adam Wong, the man who diligently cleaned the toilet every Friday before book-out and my morale booster. Imran Bustamam, the cute lil penguin who just never failed to have a crazy one liner on the tip of his tongue. You live on. If you’re reading this, just remember you’re special.
Moving on, posting came around. And yes, I got posted to Yishun Fire Station. The Best Fire Station in Singapore for 2 years running. You can imagine the pressure and expectations I was facing. The real training was about to begin. And it was more like an extension of training from CDA upon arrival. Thankfully, I soon proved my worth in a series of calls that we attended and in training, and life settled in. Rota 3, Yishun Fire Station. The best and I’d proclaim it even today if called upon to.
And once, that was settled, life started to fly by. We had our fair share of high profile calls; suicides, unit-fires, Senoko Power Station Fire, 2 ship fires, RTA’s, DOA’s. And time flew. Before I realized, it was time to go and goodbyes were in order. And yes, my love to all in Rota 3, Yishun. You are all held dear and near to my heart. A little emo I know, for a fireman and all, and yet I know how mushy all of you can get. You will be forever remembered. Affan, Aizal, Siti, Ang, Encik Dzul, Encik Sufyan, Encik zaini, Yadi, Dol + Sharikin + Aliff my brothers, Oh Yeow Kiat my china black brother, Pereira & Khalil the beloved watch room boys, bogeh, Ramadan and sufyan, you will live on. To LTA Ling M H, my friend, my guide, my teacher, my mentor, I thank you for everything that you did for me and all the help and support you rendered me in my times of need. You shall be blessed. =) p.s You don’t belong in the force. Move on, man!!
It has been a wonderful journey and though I’m due for reservist sometime, I doubt it will ever be as fun as this has been. A journey which I undertook thinking a waste of time, changed my entire opinion about it and gave me what has been to date, the best times of my life.
To those of you, who are yet to enlist, go in with a positive attitude to your work, train with all your heart, and trust me, National Service, that 2 years, will be the time of your life. Cheers to one and all!
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