For those who cant read my blog posts because of the small fonts and spacings, you can hold down the ctrl button and scroll up, it will zoom in :)

I had such a blast in BMT and during that one week break when we could slack, i just simply chilled at home and relaxed, knowing that i wouldn't have to wear green for the whole week, not having to worry about army stuff for the whole week :P Had to go for the COMPASS test for pilots, because i indicated my preference to become a pilot, so i burnt a day off at CMPB wrecking that brain of mine which haven't been used for some time already. But it's alright! it was an experience trying out the test, eventually i did pass the compass test and aeromedical, but failed at the interview LOL so... oh and previously in BMT, i actually signed on as a Navy officer? but later retracted the contract, reasons i shall not disclose. Having previously known back in BMT that i am unfit for leadership schools, i would have to forget about my OCS (Officer Cadet School) dreams. Some would ask SCS (Specialist Cadet School), but personally, i wouldn't want to be the sandwiched class, so same mentality, all or nothing. i didnt have SCS dreams. For the sake of overseas readers, specialists are sergeants.  I knew i was going to a unit as a private and i knew that my knee was very badly injured, there was no way i could run, but i still hoped that i could go to ocs. stubborn me! well eventually..... i didnt get i want lolol instead, i was posted to 30SCE. Singapore Combat Engineers.

A few points to note,
Silly mistakes that you make in BMT would lead to a bigger punishment/consequence.
You are training more of skills now so it wouldn't be so heavy on physical training.
You can't always rely on "I don't know", go figure it out, if need be ask for help from relevant personnel.

LOL i never knew i would write so much on 30SCE, so i'll probably post this one up first...

30SCE
I thought okay, not too bad, just build bridges and all and i'll be done. That's when i began searching the internet about what exactly is 30SCE, because i've only heard of 35SCE. Low and behold, everyone had extremely negative comments about that unit, apparently we are field pioneers who have to assemble bridges (cant help but think about marvel avengers, sorry) and set up minefields, clearing of minefields, everything by hand. Then i was wondering hey dont we have machines to do these?! Well field pioneers are people who follow the infantry troops into the battle so... that's a really shitty job!! Well i am here to contribute to the negative comments online. People say getting into infantry sucks and here i am, about to become an infantry engineer. oh shit. Life there sucks really bad, with a lot of redundant systems in place. It is true that we are trainees and usually we get a lot of push ups and all, that's normal. But being treated with little respect by the commanders, doing ridiculously stupid stuff, after telling my friends, they too agreed was stupid, so at least multiple opinions are considered. Booking out timings were extremely late, they can say pack your stuff at 7pm and usually book out for us was around 9-10pm. What everybody hated was the delaying of book out, not that they told you it's gonna be at 10pm or what, but because you are kept waiting since 7pm with no news, so you are just eagerly wanting to leave, wanting to leave and you never know when. I soon went out of course, like obviously i have a badly busted knee and you want me to carry that heavy bridge? No way i can do that man..

so i helped out around in the office. I was thrown pretty much all the workload that belonged to the sergeants, being called over by "eh! or dog! or cheebye!". As a leader, never show disrespect to your fellow men. Of course there are nice sergeants there who treated me kindly and were thankful for my help at times, but just the few bad apples really soured my 30sce experience. Joining me as an office warrior came in Hernando. He too OOCed (Out of course) because of various health related issues and the two of us became good buddies! The term office warrior became a common term between me and hernando, as over an extended period of time, we continued to tank the work in office and all, including audit. I would say i am above average in terms of computer skills? Like excel sheets, word docs and all, but having seen the amount of workload thrown to me, i chose to act blur. of course some people would condemn my attitude, saying that i should help out and all. Ever heard of the phrase act blur live longer? lolol i can now testify that it is true. Moment i stepped into office and was thrown the workload, immediately denied that i know how to use word docs and all, which is pretty hilarious since in JC you need to use such stuff for project work and all, but i still denied. I ended up doing less workload, although at times poor hernando would need to take on a bigger share of the workload (my bad) and i did more of running around and photocopying documents. The whole idea i had was to lessen the time i spent in office and stayed away from commanders who called me by insulting names. Seriously who would want to be called cheebye or jibai? Translation: a crude way to say vagina. Our previous OC became S2, which is the officer in charge of security, and he is an extremely extremely kind commander, making sure that we are always alright. Cpt Adam from 30SCE, by far one of the most caring commanders who takes the effort to ensure that you are really doing fine.The lesser time i spent in office, the lesser exposure of "shit work" so photocopying became my time-stalling card.

I think the best word to use would be oppressed, when you are in 30SCE.

I was thinking life would be so shitty for the next two years, like even if you try to look from a positive look, everything still seems to glum. Everyone hated the idea of booking in, during our trainee period there was no nights out. 30SCE is in jurong btw, and our camp is pretty run down. My buddy had rashes on his head and couldn't wear a helmet, but ever since the OC changed, he still had to, along with other people whom you know are bound to be OOC, continue attending the outdoor trainings daily. there are cases of injuries and health conditions that you know cannot go outfield, but they still had to. i was considered as one of the lucky ones, being able to OOC a lot earlier and helped out in office instead. That is when when they report sick or what, i would help them out on the procedures and all, sometimes accompanying them for the long walk to the medical centre, it's quite some distance.

Another time-stalling card
I am injured, for the record present tense. And i had to go for physiotherapy and OCS. what made 30SCE even more depressing, is that it is the camp NEAREST to ocs. and from the window of my stuffy bunk, i woke up to the sight of the OCS tower every morning, always dreaming that i could be there. So it sucks pretty much having to keep facing the goal that you've fallen short of. I really wanted to go OCS still, but since knew it was impossible. Well the closest i could get to was going there for physiotherapy. -_-"' close enough. Medical centre located all the way into ocs, and with a busted knee, walking that long distance is hell.... by the time you've reached there it's probably worse than before lmao. But upon reaching there, it's like heaven, having nice interiors and strong-blasting aircons with an extremely well equipped gym. best part, there's close to nobody there. So i used to go earlier to take a nap on that comfy sofa every week just before sweating it out in the gym as i did physio, then my own gym regime. Of course i maximised my time outside, not wanting to return to my camp, so i'll pop by nearby Jurong point to get some drinks for the sergeants, of course i'll call the nice ones and try to leave out the name-calling ones and how could i forget Cpt adam and my fellow office warrior eh?? Although i was not allowed to buy stuff for hernando, still did so in secret. But eventually i had to go back to camp and the shit continues.

The bridge that i built with Cpt Adam was such a valuable bridge to me, and it still is. I soon explained the plight that hernando and i was in and he immediately offered his office as our place of refuge, of which i am VERY VERY thankful for. Whenever we had "free time" lol actually it's like just random times, he would say that he has work for us, and of course the sergeants wouldn't be able to touch us yeah! (y) but just for a while. Cpt adam even offered to fetch me from jurong point once, after i bought a ton of subway for camp. :) so kind!

In the end, my 30SCE journey ended when i was elated to find out that i've been revocated to signals so i was like WOHOOOO!! at least i get to be trained as a signaller and even if i came back to my unit, i would not have the chance to be trained as a field pioneer, hence i'm freed from ever thinking about going through training! because it is possible for you to ooc, and stay on until the next batch comes in, then you will be on course again. Also, if i actually got posted out of 30SCE, that would be EVEN BETTER. though i highly, highly doubt. both hernando and i got posted to signals to be trained, so two of us were the lucky ones! while remember those who i told ya were the sure ooc cases? Well they were told that they will be sent for recourse i believe on the day itself that the course was supposed to pass out. I am not too sure about this because its a distant memory but definitely within the same week.

I guess i'll need another post for my unit life but oh well! hope you enjoyed reading my experience in 30SCE. of course all these are on top of the usual duties, and toilet cleaning and regimental stuff that every army unit has. and yes it is a stay in unit!