We are the unwilling, led by the unknowing, doing the unnecessary, for the ungrateful. This quote from soldiers of the past sums up my initial impression of army life in Singapore; being conscripted wasnt exactly part of the plan. Then again it rarely is. All I thought about was what Id do on my days off in addition to finding excuses to hate on the army life: the confinements, harsh regimentation, tasteless food, outfield training, standardization, bald hairstyle. Thus my graduation from basic military training is to this date my happiest graduation. After bmt I thought that life couldnt possibly get worse. That is until I got posted to cadet school for sergeants. The trainings got tougher and more frequent. Rest became a precious commodity for me during that time; believe me when I say that I have perfected the art of being able to sleep wherever and whenever possible. I got sent to be an infantry leader and went on to go through a professional term that exposed me to the intricacies of a section commander through training exercises all over Singapore and even in parts of Taiwan. Upon completing this course I attained my rank as a third sergeant. Finishing cadet school meant that I now had to be given a new appointment. Naturally I hoped for a posting to a well furnished camp with an easy appointment, and unsurprisingly I received the opposite. I got sent to the second Singapore infantry regiment(2SIR) at Amoy Quee Camp, one of the oldest camps in the Singapore Armed Forces. My first impression was that if I were to consider all the camps akin to countries, then Amoy Quee Camp is without a doubt a third world country. Up to this point my farewell letter has been more like one long complaint. So this is the point where I explain why, on the eve of my ORD, Im feeling so torn up about leaving the army. If I hated being forced into serving this country then why am I reluctant to let go now? This is all because of the amazing friends Ive made who gave me inspiration to take away as much experience and as many memories from my 2 years in the army. I initially hated my 2 months of bmt, but I got through it with the support of friends who were willing to accept me even though I was different than them in many ways. The first field camp sucked. We were all always wet; either from the rain, mud, or our sweat. But having each other made all the difference. It made what sounds like a horrible experience into one where I can look back upon and laugh at all the ridiculous things we had to do as recruits together. The bonds formed through this challenging period are still strong and Im thankful to have these brothers in my life. Ben, Ashton, Leon, Eddie, Justin, Shafiq, Yonghan: I learned from you guys the importance of being there for someone when you yourself are in a tough spot. Thank you for sticking with me since the beginning. Although Specialist Cadet School was tough, I got to know the true meaning of brotherhood. It didnt matter where you came from, we had each others backs through thick and thin. Whenever I wanted to give up, these section of guys wouldnt let me fall out. Even if it meant helping me pull my weight in the team. To Jey-sng, Justin, Stephen, Nico, Jon, and Ridzuan: Ill be honest when I say that I made it through pro term purely because you guys were there for me. Thank you for teaching me that teamwork exists because no single person can do everything alone. The last phase of my national service has been the toughest, yet it has also been the most fulfilling part. To my platoon, platoon 5, I am so proud to be part of such a close-knitted group of men. Though we fight and squabble at times, you guys are like family in a sense that when shit went down we stood firm together as one. To the men of platoon 5: thank you for giving me the chance to lead you. I know that it wasnt smooth sailing the whole way, but I want you guys to know that I gave my best for you all. Likewise you guys brought out the best in me as a commander and as a human being. Being responsible over the lives of other men is a heavy one, and it is one I took seriously because each and everyone of you are important to me; thank you all for trusting me to take charge of your lives for the past year. I hope to one day serve in the army with you all. Specifically Id like to mention my machine gun team. Firstly to Xi meng, my gunner from start to end; thank you for joining me in every single training exercise and operation. Youre a professional and always worked hard for the team. Good luck with your studies in architecture and any other endeavors. Secondly to Chun Liang, you were my very first assistant and I still remember that you were initially reluctant to accept me as your new commander and you were ready to give up because of your injury. I must have done something right because you changed your mindset after Exercise Lancer. Giving it your best effort despite your injury moved me, but what really touched me was how much effort you kept putting in for me even after you downpesed. Youre the most reliable man I have and I can always trust you to take the initiative in getting the job done. Thank you for being my assistant. Thirdly to Alex, my second MG assistant. You never wanted to be an assistant, but I know you did it for me. Youre one of the best soldiers I know and you proved that time and time again each outfield. You always had a passion that I respected and I was so happy for you that you finally got a contract with the army after ATEC. I know that youll do a good job as a soldier and I leave the defense of Singapore in your hands. Thank you for your continuous dedication to serving this nation. While in 2SIR there have been a special group of people whove made my time in Bravo such a great experience. Thatll be the commanders of Bravo. You guys made being in the army enjoyable, so much that I stopped dreading waking up each day and instead looked forward to what every day would bring me. Ahmad, what happens in boracay stays in boracay, so all Ill say is that youre one cool dude. Joey, Hong Kong food not in Hong Kong is not Hong Kong food. One of the 5 musketeers, thanks for all the inappropriately silly things you do whenever we need a good laugh. Eswaran, your picture got taken off the office wall, but Ill always remember your epic Ill burn your house.....with curry face. And it still makes me laugh to this day. Daniel Lai, cumshot...no idea how that nickname even started but the ridiculousness of it totally suits your goofy personality. You can diffuse a tense situation by simply being there. Youre one amazing friend. Eddie, I never knew you could rock out so hard until sweet child of mine started playing. Keep those abs cuz theyre youre only redeeming factor. Just kidding man youre an awesome person. Clayton, my I-net buddy! Its been fun gaming with you during our free time and I appreciate the company whenever I had late night duties to fulfil. Adli, your sarcastic sense of humor along with your straightforwardness is something I always appreciated in this company. Kenny, dont worry because Ill always remember that you and vodka dont go well together. Your antics that night at our commanders cohesion is a memory Ill be sure to look back on when I need a pick-me-up laugh. Bryan, thanks for all the gym tips and showing me the ins and outs of how to keep fit through gyming. Good luck with uni in Canada and I hope to catch up with you in the near future. Daniel Lim, youve been a great friend to me and hanging out with you is always fun. Pigging out on sinful desserts, spending extravagantly on clothes out of our budget, and that time we celebrated zhong qiu jie! Thanks for trying to introduce God into my life and always being there for me! Swee Woon, the weak knight rises. I may make fun of your weakness and you deserve it for being so weak. Stay weak because it makes you who you are: an amazing friend and a fun person to hang around. Stefano, remember that speech I gave you when I had a few too many tigers? Were gonna happen so keep in touch man. Haha but seriously its been a good time serving with you as foreign talent. Irvin, you always have something to say and most of the time itll make me laugh. Ive bo jio you a lot, but you still jio me regardless, thanks for bringing humor into Bravo company every single day. Liao Wei, your English is seriously no go, but it has caused one too many hilarious moments. Ill always remember the time you mistakenly told your men to bondage the wound instead of bandaging it. Youre the chilliest guy I know and always a good sport when we poke fun at you. Im proud to have been able to serve alongside you. Daryl, youre the most steady of friends and Im lucky to have you in the same platoon as me. Thanks for taking care of me since day one of my time in Bravo. Leon, Ive known you since SCS..before you even plucked out your tooth and became the legendary bogey sergeant of Bravo company. Seriously, youve been such a supportive friend and Im glad I we both got sent to platoon 5. Its been a pleasure serving in the same terrex as you(22M). I may poke fun at you a lot, but youre like a brother to me..we even have the same surnames! Paul, the only guy I know who has dimples. I only got to know you when I came to platoon 5, but youve become one of my closest friends here. Thank you for being there for me whenever I needed to rant or if I needed support at times when I doubted myself. Calvin, you are a NSF like us but got chosen as the platoon sergeant. You never let it get to your head and always treated us as equals despite the difference in rank and appointment;moreover, you always defended and supported us in our times of need. I cannot thank you enough for that. Thank you for being such a good friend and superior. I look forward to our road trips as undergrads in the states! Nick Ting, what can I say..youre goofy when its time to chill and serious when work needs to get done. You always cared about the men of our platoon though you rarely showed it to them. Thank you for your leadership in the platoon. Perry Kwan, youre a noncombatant but you proved important to the company when you took over as ASA. Thanks for putting up with all the tedious admin work and all my idiosyncrasies. Youre a friend who will always provide a listening ear and one who cares deeply about other peoples well being over your own. Youre one amazing person and I hope the command team was able to give you a memorable experience. Captain Justin and 3rd Warrant Hong, you two are the best bosses one could possibly find in the SAF. Thank you for taking care of me and letting me find my own command style in Bravo. Ive learned a lot about what a leader should be from working under you and you both have my deepest respect for how you treat your subordinates regardless of rank or anything else. Thank you once again for your leadership in Bravo Company! Lastly, I dont say this enough but I seriously love you guys as brothers and Im gonna miss you guys once I fully migrate to the states as an American. I hope Ill one day get to serve alongside you all in Bravo company 799 Singapore Infantry Regiment. SAF, thanks for the memories. 3SG (NS) Nicholas Ang Wei-Chuan
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 16:31:55 +0000