This morning, I 'ORD'ed'. As of 200706 / 1050hrs 20secs, I received my pink IC and was finally a civilian. I expected it to be more of a robust event, but it turned out to be really mellow. After getting my freedom, I proceeded to the canteen for the last meal of cream puffs and herbal tea, said my goodbyes to the gift shop uncle and the cookhouse staff and I was out of the gates. The euphoria lasted for a while. I made my fair share of calls and messages. Even going as far as to taunt my friend who is enlisting on the 21st of July. The exact date of my enlistment 2 years ago.









That's the last view of my camp pass before I returned it 5mins later. It's gone now..Goodbye Hendon...Hello Civilian world..








Well, on the train ride home, I looked at the picture of us I had with me and it started me thinking about the journey I had with the fine men of the company. We spent every waking moment together. Sleeping, awake, bathing, eating, suffering, bitching. Be it in happy times or sad times, we were the men the the Pioneer 6th Company. But it was a complicated journey. We were drafted first as 4th Company, the due to a reshuffling, we became Bravo Company, then 5th Company and in the end. 6th Company. The symbol: A Wolf. The motto: Divide & Conquer (CHECK OUT THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT)

I remember the day I enlisted..it was a rainy morning. I went to camp, handed in my pink IC. Waited in the battalion audit for them to issue me my 11B. Went to the hall for a swearing in. And then it all began. We were herded to collect our equipment. I was already carrying this huge bag and now I had another big bag to carry. It had wheels, so logically, I dragged it...and I was asked "Eh recruit, you think this is a holiday camp? Carry that bag" Our company line was on the 4th floor. So up we went and was brought to our bunks. I remember someone calling me "Janan.., Who is Janan" and that was the first day I met my BMT buddy. Ho Shi Xian..or nicknamed. Sex Ho.

I remember the water parades we had in the morning. I would puke time to time cause I wasn't used to drinking the water. The PT sessions where the common things were yelled "CANNOT COUNT TOGETHER RIGHT? START FROM ZERO!!" "CANNOT DO TOGETHER..START FROM ZERO" "THANKS TO YOUR BUDDY IN THE CORNER WHO NEVER COUNT. START FROM ZERO" "I CAN'T HEAR YOU COUNT. RUN AND TOUCH THE STILETTO!!!" To which we sorry asses had to run across the parade square touch the stiletto and run back. Off to breakfast all sweaty and sandy. Sat outside the cookhouse while waiting for the platoon to finish the back to bunk to change immediately without bathing. Go down with our SBO and Weapon for lessons.

Got stung by a scorpion during my first outfield. It was on my neck, but I swiped it off with my hand and got stung. Took them 1hr 30mins to finally give me an injection. Slept in a haunted camp. Crawled through the sand and got it in every crevice. The killer route marches we had. 8km, 16km and then the 24km to mark off our bmt end.

We proceeded to our BCT trainings where it was more tekan and lessons. And I was introduced to the thing I love doing. Blowing shit up. DEMOLITIONS!! We spent a week in tekong at the end of phase, then to our mainland for a few hours of rest and the off on our 35km march. And it tradition with our company, it rained! We got tekan again by our CSM. 2WO KASINATHAN S/O KANARAN. It was one of multitudes he rained down upon us. He asked something, we didn't understand and so he punished us right in the middle of our route march and immediately after dinner..it continued raining through the night. We marched up and down 1/2 of ECP. We were super tired by the return leg and were happy when we reached changi beach. We were told we would take shelter and wait for the morning before we continued for our corporal rank presentation. By jolly were we glad when we were under shelter away from the rain. It was beside the beach and by all the things I learned during geography lessons, I had to go forget about land and sea breezes. I woke up like a popsicle. Frozen stiff in the joints. The goretex the issued was no use. We walked like zombies f0r a few hundred meters before we warmed up and began walking in painl. We got punished again at the end site by that CSM. He said stand in a straight row. We were. From our perspective. So we knocked it down again. Got sand everywhere. Standing at the beach. We could see the sky turning a light grey and the rain continued to pour down. Finally the CO arrived, we got our ranks and our marched our asses back to camp.

We went for our various vocational trainings. I was in demolitions. I loved it. I remember the warrant telling us before he opened the bunk door "Sorry guys, it's a bit cramped. Hope you will bear with it" He opened the door to a chalet!! At hendon, it was like 16men/bunk. Here it was 8. ON KING KOIL BEDS!!!!
Oh wait..I had boat training too..we learned different skills. I was called P-Plate by my boat instructor (MSG Raj). I couldn't keep the boat in the wake of the front boat and stuff..Who knew..at the end of the course, I was the 2nd top boatman. Haha. I lost by peer apprasial. I kept screwing the other guys in the boat..especially FREDDIE LAM. That guy talks way too much, does way too little.

Next Phase..we went to Brunei well, we'll let the pictures to the talking:
That's my detachment on the first outfield...the one where I stepped into a big pile of doo doo...Literally....
River Crossing...Notice the green and yellow lifejackets? Yellow was for the weaker swimmers..Yup..that's me in there...the water was fine..the mud however..was slimy, gross and smelled like crap..literally...
I dunno about the rest of the detachment, but it left me wasted...totally wasted. Look at that face and deny that it's true...


But we had our share of fun..haha..our first mission rest point by the river..we ate (maggi mixed with combat rations) and drank(water, pocari, milo, coffee) our fill. Along with a refreshing bath in the river. I hope there wasn't anybody upstream from us who did the same thing and pity whoever was downhill from us. Haha.

My assigned detachment on top of some hill..Brunei's outfield can be summarised..Uphill, Downhill, Stream. Uphill, Downhill, Stream...
Here we are again. Going for the final mission objective in Ex Red Hat..Little did we know we were going to run out of water the next day.

Clearing brunei, we had our airborne training. 3weeks of endless "Push, Turn and Rollover" commands. It was a fun experience. Especially my first jump where I resembled a lady in labour with the with face and deep breaths. Had I eaten..I'd have probably gone along with cramped abdomen too..

Our 72Km road march where it took nearly 24hours to complete. Came back all sore and tired. But we really had to dig down to our deepest of mental and physical strength to complete it.

(ONE MORE PHASE HERE. UNABLE TO DESCRIBE)

We had our falcon phase while we prepared for ATEC..where I pulled off some dumb stunt that got me into the crosshairs of the higher ups.

Atec..yes...I got pictures for this one too..

Our Navex exercise...after taking this picture..further down the road..I sprained my ankle and was out of it till the actual mission started...









That's me with the busted ankle. Stepped into and hole. Foot went one way, body went another. Crack it went...and it's till not completely recovered.










Preparing to move off for our second mission.
The smiling faces and gung ho attitudes were all a facade to the dreaded feeling.












The final picture moments before our final mission move off.
We were planning to take a picture after the mission ended..but that was never to be..










We hosted the indonesians for Ex Chandrapura. Memories are on DVD..bite me

And finally....

ORD!!!
It was a long journey of suffering and pain. But we came through it as BCU for WY 05/06.

We may go seperate ways, but I will never forget anyone of you. Special Thanks to

Cpt Arnold Low
Lta Alastair
2Sg Lin Shide
3sg Ian Ho
Cpl Jumbo
Cpl Kang Wei
Cpl Kio Sai
Cpl Hong Kong
Cpl Tong Zhi Liang
Cpl Dana
Cpl Jin Han
Cpl Dexter
And the rest of 6 Coy for going this journey with me. And bearing with me despite my gripes!


Posted on 7/21/2006 by <$The One$>