Let's sum up the week....

Mon
IPPT test for the kids.

Outcome: Outstanding results.

Tue
Slack day!!! Canteen breaks for all....

Wed
SOC test for the kids.

Outcome: Liked wad I predicted, a good enough results. But credits for their efforts put in!

Thur
CO Parade / Presentation of Promotion: 2nd Lieutenant to Full Lieutenant. Well done Chee Keong!!!

Long time never really march, so was kinda stiff. haha!

Rain for almost the whole day except night time. Games' Day was boring except COC. Recruits' Evening was quite happening especially when I got the front-row 'stands'.

Book out after everything 'cause I wanna get something for my kids....

Need I say anything.... Yeah, been there and did it. Overcome AHM, 21.1km half marathon in 2hrs 5mins. For someone who doesn't liked running and first time trying out, I considered myself quite good already and to the LADIES and Gentlemen who ran, A job well-done!! *round of applauses*

Actually, I thought I couldn't do it, 'cause I ran 18km and took about 2hrs 45mins, but luckily I just keep running.... Was surprised with the timing when I was near the finishing line. Haha... Shall I try the full marathon in Dec, hmm!?!?!

Ran into alot of ex-colleagues in 4sIR, instructors and my ex-Recs in OCS and friends all over the Army. It was nice to see everyone doing well in their own field of work.

Last but not least, I'll like to congulate the current Charlie Wing cadets, great job in achieving the standards and glory that we (ex-Charlie Wing cadets) wanted to achieve but couldn't. All of you had maintained the standards (PAC & Best PT) and even excel into getting Best Knowledge and even the most prestigious prize, SOH (Sword of Honour)! Of cos, instructors and Wing Commander are the most happiest ppl now! Once again, excellent job and accomplishments that you all did. The moment of winning and glory is yours forever.... In abt 2 weeks' time, all of you will be commissioned. I wished you all the best in future and continue to spread the Charlie Wing spirit wherever you go!!!

Can't talk much already, starting to have ache everywhere. Haha... Off I go to wonderland.....

I realised myself complaining and whining abt stuffs which I also didn't really do much to rectify it. *Self contradicting* Think it's time to stop, wait ppl say I EMO again. Lolz.... Don't really know Y ppl would think I'm EMO especially to Army stuff, other things I not sure. Haha! Time is short, did whatever I can, hope the present Raven kids can really fly high and see what's above the clouds....

Lastly, a job well-done to the Drill Squad of Raven Coy. This is the BEST ever drill I have seen especially forming the letter 'R' which represents our Coy, none of the previous batches had done it before, you all are the first!!! All of you have contributed to the drill team, always remember that you all are the BEST drill squad in BMTC 2, 03/06.

PS: Have to give credit to the person who trained you all too, PS Chua!

Main event: Welcome back bro, Andi

L-R: Cheeki, Andi, Nicki

On Sun, with the arrival of my best bro back in Poly days, life couldn't have been even better..... But sadly, SG is onli a pit-stop for him, he'll be going back to Indonesia the next day. Didn't manage to meet them for dinner on Sun night, so today (Tue) is a must-go. Had dinner at Taka Central with HOST: Andi-san, Sharon, Kenny, WC, CK and super late-comer Nick. lolz. It was a special dinner, a reunion of old friends, with jokes and laughters in the air just liked the old days... The clock just keeps ticking but we were in another dimension where time seems to slow down, making our moment together last longer. Before ending the night, headed to Mandarin hotel's top floor lounge to chill before we bid goodbye to each other... It has been 2 yrs since I last saw Andi, nothing much changed except he's more macho~ now. Hope we'll meet again soon, bro....

Side Quest

Just as KX & me booked out after SOC, we decided to take the whole week OFF. We felt helpless in what we wanted to achieve since the beginning when we first came. Time changes and ppl too, I guess we had to let go and slowly move on with our own journey. I headed down to CGH to visit Rec Ang as he was sent out due to suspected fracture of ankle. When I saw him, he was with his usual smile (those Darlie toothpaste ads), den Teo was telling me how his family reacted when they knew wad happened, I just went (-_-)"' Lolz... Anyway, he is on MC till the 10th Sept, will miss the POP parade. Just too bad.... PS: Rec Ang, take care of urself, recover fast~

Off I go to Orchard....

Time flies....

Completed 16km on Mon..... It was a great march, no one from our Coy fall out, onli the other Coys. Actually, there could have been 1 (due to sudden fever). He falled down and was asked to sit in the rover with me. After much pondering and the fact that we were reaching camp already, so didn't wanna make him feel left out. In the end, I accompanyed and walked with him, helping him with his fieldpack and helmet, and also watching him all the way till we reached back Coyline. It was a great moment for him (I think...), with his platoon mates cheering him on and welcoming him back. But onli for a short while, had to get him rested asap so as not to worsen the fever.

Completing a route march together may seems easy but sometimes, situation will just popped out, making the result uncertain. We start as ONE, we end as ONE! The journey and result will always be sweeet...

Who's the BEST?!?!?!

SiTest Day 3

SiTest Day 3
First thing in the early morning, boss was complaining, how come 1 Rec was left in the Coy as he slept in bunk last night. Wad's the point of saying but nothing is done, I told him I'll get that Rec and asked him to start later since it was only a 2km fast march. Of cos, I did wad I'm good at, scold the Rec as he gave me a stupid reason.....

Same thing today, bought Detail A out... At the start they were abit nervous so couldn't think properly, took quite a long time to finish the mission. I'll always give them hints here and there, AAR with them after every missions so that they can learned from their mistake fast. Eventually, we came back first again, completing every mission. The accessor also was surprised with the speed. lolz

Waited for every single detail to come back so that we can start settling the stores.... Once we reached back to camp, everyone was doing their own stores, weapons and others. Not to my surprised that the same usual people booked out again. Anyway, everyone booked out happily....

*After doing so much, I realised some things.... The things that we do will never be appreciated and if we did something bad, you'll be condemned forver. Being the ORD personnels, we are no longer the main character of the Coy, but rather a more supportive role. I guess ppl just wanna take advantage of the situation and make use of us... Where are the hearts, passion and souls of the commanders' gone too!?!?!*

SiTest

SiTest Day 1
Early in the morning, boss was late, so we started our 12km late... Today was the start of Sitest, we were going to march from our Coy to Permantang, Rocky Hill, Wild Cat Junction, Old SISpec, Spinx Bridge and lastly to our campsite. Just before the march, I saw there were alot of ppl on the tonner as they were the advanced party, but I particularly saw Rec L**** because I also saw him skipped the 8km route march. So wad I do is, I got all the Recs except the regulars to go for the march. So the march kick off, KX and Jamin took a rest as they ran abt 15km during Tekong Challenge, so only me, Halim and the new officer.

Everything went quite well especially till the 8km mark, but after abt 10km mark at the Sispec area. One of the kids suffered abit of physical exhaustion and was liked going to faint, after some medical attention by Teo and other professional helps, we decided to drop him from the march because he skipped 8km march before.

Upon reaching, the rest of the company went to settle down, build their basha and eat their lunch. For me, I was liked a father. Haha... Going around, helping 2 of my kids who were suffering from fever and high body temperature, helped apply ice bag on their foreheads. Tried to make them both recovered but I couldn't make the temperature do down for the 1 having fever.

During the night time, it was OC's evening. Not the best I seen so far, but still quite entertaining I guess.... For these batch, their imitating skills are still far away. Lolz! The night ended quite late so I extended their lights off timing but they seems to take it for granted....

Day 2
Didn't get much sleep.... In the morning, I personally did the setting up of the training shed with some help and then we had a 4km fast march. There were basically not enough commanders especially plt 4, don't really know wad the PC is doing, in the end OC went to take over. Maybe they are the known "Snake Rats Gang". haha... Wadever... I also went plt 4 to help, because I'm very close with the PS. By the end of the march, I got 2 field pack with me as some of the kids had difficulties copying with the pace.

After the march, Rec L**** had abit of exhaustion again, pour some water over him to cool him down. Den OC called me and KX over together with 2IC and the new officer, indicating that someone die die must be the SDO today, in the end the new officer go. He create this sh*t den he jolly well go. But things now in the Coy are so contradicting, I rem OC once told me before, "how can you do SDO on a major event day." And now, he allows someone to do SDO on Sitest.

It did not end here... KX was taking leave on Sat because he got something on, den he asked me if I could help him on Sat, of cos no prob. But den OC talked some rubbish again, saying if I were to do, I must do both days. At the same time, same situation on another detail, the SGT is going for medical appointment on Sat so a new SGT had to take over. So WTH..... But I don't mind taking detail, it's better than sitting in the training shed doing nothing.

After my quick breakfest, I rushed to the first station as KX was helping me bringing Detail A there. But I reahced there first, den the accessor asked if I was the OC... Lolz! Think he is the 3rd person to say that to me so far, he also must be honoured to have 2 LTA officer walking with him. The detail did quite well, completing all the missions and reaching back camp first and early, the accessor was really surprised, as he never finished so early before. ha!!!

Today is a big day, Tekong Challenge, a run around the Tekong Highway. Commanders including some Recs, who were assigned to helped, had to wake up at 3.30am in the morning to get ready the water-points. To me, it's just a waste of time! Especially to the commanders and Recs of my Coy, they were being treated liked free-labour workers. All because the other companies were having major activities either in the day or afternoon, and so we were arrowed with many things. But please, the god-damn BMTC have 21 companies, can't they just take a few from all. In the end, some of the Recs have to miss SOC lesson in the later part of the day.

Well, wad can I do. Such lil powers I got.... Anyway, ran a 6km run with Weiming and saw quite a few familiar faces during the events. My ex-Recs, Fairuz and Faizal are coming back to Tekong to be Commanders already, time seems to past so fast, saw friends in my previous unit too. Eventually, the run made us all so tired that we went back to bunk and KO on the bed. Haha!

The CCC (Civilian Conversion Course) is near..... Gotten my "kit kat" bar on Aug 1, but only worn it a few days ago. I can still remember the first time when I got my 2nd Lieutenant rank, it was liked a dream come true... And the journey of being a young and green, every fark shit also don't know,the junior officer. The road has been tough and unreal, higher command always expect high standards but when it comes to the actual ground, it will always be diff. So we as junior officer will always give the assurance that it can be done, by using diff methods to achieve our objective. It had be a fun and learning process for me, it is always the process that makes ppl grow and not the outcome... The system will always be there, but the ppl will always change. It's how the ppl work that makes the system a success or failure.

Been to places for the past few nights and saw familiar faces.... Happen to see my kids from unit too, he complain that the new PC are lousy and they are very regimental. All I can say is, there are no lousy commanders, just commanders with diff qualities.

To all my kids who is in SISpec and OCS, you all are gonna pass out/commission soon, continue to take care of yourself and excel in whatever area you all are in. And lastly, welcome to the Commanders' level. Haha

My last Hand Grenade Live Throw......

First thing in the morning, things went wrong le. Some of us were having breakfest and thinking that the Coy will wait. Who knows, when we got there. They all left. Lucky I was still able to catch the last tonner. And it took some time to get KX, Weiming and Teo to the range.

I was already pissed off with the tonner thingy when I got to the range. When I saw the set up of the place and the slackness of the commanders, my mind just blowed. I had to personally arrange the place, to make it more spacious and realistic. Same goes to the detailing but I don't blame Rizal as he was not briefed properly.

The Live Throw started off abit late due to the setup of the place. Was helping Shah to handle the details when they come and draw their grenade, some looked really nervous, some looked rather excited. After awhile, I went in to sub KX. Did my usual briefing to them when they stand into my bay, den I'll start to chit chat with them to ease their tension. And for a few, I take the time to tell them to change their attitude to the better, cos if they don't.... They will suffer when they post out.

After some time, there was a blind. We have to wait for 30mins until it's confirmed by the explomos. After that, they will use C4 to ignite the grenade. Usually, 10mins is good enough but I guess they also wanna slack. Then I was talking to Bryan from plt 2, a chap I saw at MoS the other time. Had a long chat with him until finally, the C4 went off. BloOmmMmm!!!!!!

The other half of the company was late when we finished, guess there was a communication breakdown. 2IC again.... How slack can ppl be, just look at him and u'll know. Initially, I tot he would help to be safety officer in the bay also but I never see him come. He nids to take care of his problems better and never to mix personal feeling and work together. Haiz... But I guess there's no point also, bit late already. While we were having lunch, plt 3 & 4 was sitting there doing nothing, so I did a revision on what to do for the Live Throw thingy and a bit of safety brief.

I was the demonstrator, thanks to PS Shah for giving me the chance. Just when I threw the grenade out of my hand, I shouted "ORD lo!!!!!" When I walked back, I was called by my boss, giving me a sucky face and asking why I shouted that, claiming that he has told the commanders not to do that, but I don't know a single fark shit ok... Everyone was getting into position except 1 person, a new officer sleeping away on the bench. Then boss was so kind to ask 2IC to ask the new fellow to sleep at the viewing bay and in the end, 2IC asked me la. Ha! Asking me to help wake him up... Wait long long man! I replied, "if he really wants to sleep, he can wake up on his own" and I walked off. This would never happened in the past but I guess, we are all diff ppl with diff qualities....

There was lesser details so the whole process went faster. And the last detail had only 1 person which I volunteered to be safety. Everything was fine until.... He turned and looked at me, giving me a funny look on his face, asking me if he can say, "I **v* PS C***. In my mind, I was thinking... WTF!!! But anyway, I told him that my boss sure scold him if he says that. Then I tap him again and asking him to throw at the same time, but he held back a little and holding the grenade with only 1 hand, it is very dangerous. If it was in the past, I sure scold him big time. Fortunately, everything went well in the end.

Everyone seems to disappear, only left me, KX, PS Shah and some kids doing the clearing up of the places. Actually, I can don't help at all but let's just say, let's go back to camp faster la.... End result of the whole thingy, got slight sun-burned on my face, the reality that the Coy is slack, the unpredictable future of the kids.....

Happy National Day SINGAPORE..... Many thanks to the ppl who made the night perfect!!!

Going back camp later, tmr we will be having Live Grenade throw. Wad can I say.... Again!?!?! lolz...

Headed Zouk last night, as my frenz said it will be damn fun. Yes, it was definitely happening with DJ Cash Money spining in the house, you can tell from the crowds, the look on their faces. Haha! Music was cool... But somehow, I looked tired as my friend said to me. lolz.. Maybe too long away from the scene makes me weak. Anyway, the night was fun.... Saw a few familiar faces ard too.

Field Camp

Hey peepz, I'm back.... Just finished a 7 days field camp with the kids.

Day 1
Move out late in the morning, boss wasn't really happy but we ensure him that everything will be fine. Did a 8km route march to the campsite at Permatang, same place when I was a recruit. But this time, many things were upgraded already liked the platform across the drain and stairs up the knoll. First day is always very relax, just build the shelters and dig the drainage then go for lessons. As usual, I'm there to remind the kids and warn them about the "don't".

Day 2
Caught a fish this morning with my PS, used nothing but our own hands. Usual stuff for today also, lectures and practice. For me, I just walk around to check on their safety. During lunch, I sent a Rec back to camp due to fever. Stayed there until dinner den headed back camp again. Had night training, a night walk in the forest.

Day 3
I punished some of the Recs for sleeping during my buddy's lesson, made them do push-ups infront of the Coy as a warning to the rest. As usual, I will explain why we are doing all this, hopefully they know. Cos so far that I know, the Coy is not there yet, still far from greater heights.

The youngest officer, "2LT" Tan Linus

Day 4
Today we are moving out to another camp, a place near the Oil Palm Heli Pad. I skip the tactical walk cos one of my PS don't know how to go there. First thing when we got there, threw down all the fieldpacks so that can send the 5 tonner back. Once we finished arranging them into platoon level, the PS and I sat down and talk cock abt our trainee days..... So much memories.... Now, the Recs don't even nid to carry their fieldpacks from 1 campsite to another.

Finally, the Coy reached ard 10am. Was quite a chaotic scene when they came, so disorganized. Then I saw some Recs fall out during it, first thing to do was to check whether they are alright anot. But a few of them came to me, apologizing to me saying that they have let me down by falling out. I was stunned for awhile so did my buddy, KX. I never scolded them of cos, instead I just share with them some thoughts to calm them down.....

No one is perfect in this world, and everyone is diff. Don't force yourself to be liked others, just be yourself. Do your best in whatever you do and believe in yourself. Don't let the failure defeat you, learn from it and overcome it. I guess I'm a living example here, I'm not really a good commander but I guess my journey wasn't that smooth. But eventually, is your health which is more impt....

For the rest of the day, they had field routine, something tt I never get to experience during my Rec days. They were allowed to bath, how good is tt.... Lolz... Of cos, I'm there to coordinate the movement. This guy (below) was caught in action, guess he miss girls...

Day 5
Today, they were going to learn Fire & Movement, also known as minor tactics. For me, I took P4 S3 as one of their commander was not feeling really well. First of all, we did a revision on what they have learned and I also changed abit of what they have learned. I did it in a 7 man section level, but unfortunately, it turned out very bad. I was fuming already but somehow, I was not the one I used to be. Revise with them again and told them that I don't wanna see the same mistake again later.

Back from lunch but we started the lesson quite late. This time round, I did it in group level which is slowly but least I can observe everyone. Some of them are just to ignorant to what I say, but I never lost my cool, punished them by doing 20 of everything, jumping jacks, push up, sit up, thrutter kicks and alternate leg thrust. Seems effective to me, but I only used it on people who is trying to be funny and not serious.

In the night, chit chat with the Coy as many of the commanders went back to bath and also to watch the final episode of the 9pm chinese show. Actually I also wanted to go back but seeing them all leaving just to see the show, I stayed behind. Went to check on them and also the area that they were going to sleep.

Day 6
It was the Recs most tiring day as they had to dig shell screps and a fire trench. I also tried to help out abit, in the end I got a blisters for myself. Damn... But it didn't stop me, I just black taped my area and help KX's section. Today, boss and some of them went to pick durians.... When they got back, everyone was eating and boss saw these 2 Recs and gave them some to eat. I saw it and all I can say is, this is so wrong.... Everybody is slacking.

Day 7
Moving out from the campsite to BIC ground, but we had some time before the move out timing. So I went to check the area and I found many litters and even cigarette butts, I even need to get an OOT to help me carry the stuffs back. I showed to all the platoon ICs and commanders also... After awhile, I went back to check again and still found some litters. It leaves me no choice but to punish them... I explained to them if they even keep their area clean, what have they learned during the field camp, is this the kind of tactical ability that they have... I'm believe in the Army, the old teachings, hope they will learn.

I was at the rear of the Coy when we move out, the movement was rather rough as there were constant stops which interrupted the flow. But nevertheless, was talking to some of the Recs who were the ICs of platoon 4. After a while, there was a long stop and eventually we discover that we had break contact with the rest of the Coy. This is a bad experience which I only can say if the commanders where alert enough, things would gone better.

Me and LTA Ang never crawl as there were enough commanders, but we got other roles to take. Standing at the finishing line and encouraging them on...

When we got back to camp, boss said them some of the commanders can leave and of cos, my 2IC is also very fast at these things. As for me, I stayed to look after the Coy. Their dinner was a held up due to the massive orders that the caterer got. But if they can't provide den why bother offering their service, they just want $$$$... I extented the light-off timing for the kids, and cancel the morning 5BX so they can sleep longer. For me, I watched them from my bunk to see who was the last to light-off...