Basic Military Training
I'm home now on my 12-day block leave after my graduation from the BMT(Basic Military Training) phase of my National Service liability. I thought it would be good to blog about what I have been through and learnt in these ardous two months.
It feels good to be home on a weekday. I have been having a 5 or 6 day week in army, booking out mostly on Saturday and returning back to camp on Sunday. I have become so unfamiliar with my own home and with what is happening in the world.
But one good aspect is that I no longer take some things for granted. Nowadays, I would do almost anything just to come to church. And when I'm there, I would just enjoy immensely the praise and worship, sermon, discipleship and fellowship.
It's the highlight of my week and life just would not be the same if I missed it. No amount of incentives or weekdays back at home can compensate the loss of that one day. I finally understand how Kenneth Yeo feels when he is unable to come on alternative weeks.
Time is also something I hold on to tightly now. I realise how precious a resource it is and now I try to do everything at top speed so that I will have more time to rest and do whatever I want to. We have a rather tight schedule in army so you have to learn to do everything fast.
Or even a simple phone call. When you're in a rather isolated environment like Tekong Island, you will just want to call your parents and loved ones every night. I can go for mission trip for ten days and call my parents only once but I realised I can't go through army without calling them almost every night.
I have also become more aware of how much my parents love me. Every week, they have drove me to camp and back, without fail. I have only taken the MRT there by myself thrice so far. But more than that, they have been my supporting pillars in a way I have never felt before. Now I realise how important and precious my parents are.
When I first went in on July 13 2007, I sort of liked army life. One aspect I particularly liked was the marching. We would march in rows of 3 and columns of 16 almost everywhere we went. A timer would say 'Left, Left, Left, Right' so that our every step would be synchronized.
Our arms swung about like pendulums while we marched. Our right arm would swing up until it was perpendicular to our chest when our left leg was forward, and vice versa for the other leg and arm.
I liked marching because I found it fun and a faster means of travel than walking. If I had my way with my friends, we would march every way we went. It would sure save a lot of time. Also, I would feel proud because we look marvelous when we are united in the swinging of arms and moving of feet.
And we would sing army songs while marching. Some were vulgar, some were meaningful and some were just plain humourous. I would sing the vulgar songs with the vulgarities omitted. It was pretty funny because I would be singing loudly one moment and then my voice would be missing. Anyway, here is a rather meaningful army song that I liked.
Training to be Soldiers
Verse 1:
Training to be soldiers
Fight for our land
Once in our life
Two years of our time
Have you ever wondered
Why must we serve
Cause we love our land
And we want it to be free, to be free
Verse 2:
Stand up
Be on your guard
Come on, everybody
Do your part
Come on, every soldier
Soul and heart
Do it for our nation, do it for our Singapore
Verse 3:
Looking all around us
People everywhere
Children having fun
While we are holding guns
Have you ever wondered
Why must we serve
Cause we love our land
And we want it to be free, to be free
I found the food pretty good too. I am a real fussy eater and I don't like home cooked food prepared by my maid. So when I went into the army, I felt they cooked better than my maid and thus, had no complaints whatsoever. Army food is no longer as horrible as it had been for previous decades. My appetite increased because they gave us pretty large portions too.
Many things were new to me and it was fun to learn and adapt to them.
Things we learnt in camp and adapted to included polishing boots, bathing in front of everyone(we have no shower screens or doors), having rigorous exercise almost everyday(we ran like crazy), gathering and moving fast(before swift punishment comes our way), waking up at 0530 everyday and sleeping at 2230 every night(which means we are awake and doing something for 17 hours of each day), greeting officers and sergeants correctly(I didn't figure out the rank system until after two weeks of BMT), the weapon and marching drills(which I'm a total klutz in) and many more things that I cannot recall at this time.
Things we learnt and adapted to while out in the field were not bathing for six days(even though everyday was packed with rigorous exercised), applying oily camouflage creme(and not being allowed to wash it off for 6 days), cooking maggi mee outdoors with solid fuel(which was a really enjoyable delicacy), eating cold but delicious pasta or glutinous rice for every meal when we were out in the jungle, peeing and defecating in the open jungle(you have to dig a hole for your faeces and then cover up the hole after you're done), building a simple tent out of groundsheets, digging what resembles a primitive grave so that you can lie in it and practising field discipline(producing as little light, sound, litter and man-made marks as we can).
We were made to grasp the concepts of standardization, collective punishment and making your surroundings and yourself look presentable and tidy. I also developed an interest in playing Chinese chess and CPR(though I probably will be more harm than help).
One good thing that has happened to me is that my mental capacity, ability and concentration has increased. Now I can pay attention to hour-long lectures without falling asleep and take in and recall information like a sponge.
However, there were also times when I developed fears from punishment. I just could not grasp the concept very well that our commanders were just role-playing in order to test us to the limits of our limits. All in all, BMT was an enriching experience for me as it made me realise a lot of things about myself I was previously oblivious to. I discovered a lot of my weaknesses and flaws too, of which I shall not reveal for the time being.
This is Brooke Fraser from Hillsongs, who wrote and sang 'Hosanna'. This is her singing her own song called 'Shadowfeet'. This song was really the anthem of my BMT as I would sing it during tough times of training.
Shadowfeet by Brooke Fraser
Verse 1:
Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet
Toward home, a land that I've never seen
I am changing
Less and less asleep
Made of different stuff than when I began
And I have sensed it all along
Fast approaching is the day
Chorus:
When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in You, still standing
When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
When time and space are through
I'll be found in You
Verse 2:
There's distraction buzzing in my head
Saying in the shadows it's easier to stay
But I've heard rumours of true reality
Whispers of a well-lit way
Bridge:
You make all things new
Chorus 2:
When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you
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