The Green Life

National Service

I believe everyone has a say in this.. Common sayings will be.. NS sucks.. NS F***ed up my life..
NS took everything.. NS is useless.. NS waste time.. etc.. haa.. My platoon mates will shout Amen!

But come to think of it.. is NS really redundant? Is NS spoiling every mother father's son's life?

I pondered for the past 17months.. and i think i somehow got the answer.

I still remember my enlistment day.. the day i was crowned the Chao recruit.. the lowest life form in this world.. some call it. haa..

Then i realised i was a 5 no person..

no money..
no time..
no freedom..
no life..
and lastly.. no hair..

i guess every f*** father mother's son felt the same as me..

for 3 months.. i am labelled chso recruit.. superior shout at u like no father's business. We do exercise like no mother's businesses.. its hard.. really hard to adapt..

Took a boy.. and attempt to change him into a man.. and in the process.. deprived him of his family.. girls.. and freedom.. how can u expect a healthy growth? (platoon mates will say.. Amen.)

I saw with my own very eyes.. buddies broke down.. they cried.. they stoned.. they gave up on life.. when their gf left them.. when they struggled to be happy.. ya u need to struggle to be happy in the Army.

DAys pass really fast.. and Passing Out Parade is what everybody is waiting for.. the day that their fate change.. the day they anticipated.. coz after POP most ppl will be posted out to the units with more flexiblity and freedom..

Some of my friends ended up being MP.. Military Police.. 8-5 job.. check on others.. confiscate contraband stuffs.. sounds easy huh?

Some of my friends became RP.. Regimental Police.. also 8-5 job.. just stay in the guard room.. and check bags and guard the camp..

Some of my friends went to became Signallers.. stuffs gotta do with handling signal stuff.. communication stuff la..

And a batch of us were send to what we call living hell.. 3SIR.. the 3rd Singapore Infantry Regiment.. when i first got my posting.. the word Infantry echoed through my head for eternal...

Infantry means what? Infantry means... rifleman.. Just like all the war movies.. Those who fight with a rifle.. those who say yes sir! those who dive away from grenades.. those who see their friends die.. those who walk forever.. those who put their lives on the altar the moment war starts.. all of the above still alright.. the worst is what? i gotta stay in camp!!! only got less than 48hrs per week for personal things!!!

Oh God save me..

Life in 3SIR in not simple.. We do PT more then BMT.. We walked 32km for CSB.. We run SOC more than 30times.. some soldiers never do SOC before.. We were pushed to the limits.. Y? Cause we are Infantry.. Those with green berets.. We learnt how to fire.. not only fire.. but fire sharply.. we learn advance weapons.. we learn to survive.. we learn to kill.. we learn to fight for our country.

I am in mortar platoon in 3SIR.. firing a mortar? 'never ever cross my mind before'
I still remember the first bomb of my life.. earplugs on.. readings checked.. commanders waved the board.. the bomb shoot out.. a loud blast.. the ground shooked.. that is what me and my platoon mates go through for the rest of our days in army..

Many soldiers decided to give up.. came up with some medical reasons.. get a specialist to endorse.. and stayed away from training..

Sometimes.. giving up came to my mind.. 'why do u still hold on?'
Why work so hard? its just 2 years.. then life will be normal again.. not say u re gonna
fight like a soldier when u work outside?.. thoughts like these came to mind..

But somehow.. i know i cant.. y? cuz Mortar is a teamwork thing.. every single mother father's son is important and they play unique roles.. not say i love to do army stuffs.. but i dont give up on my friends.. maybe giving up on yrself is the same as giving up on yr friends.. those who will fight beside you in times of war.. haa.. funny.

Till now.. i am still working hard.. maintaining a balance.. work hard.. play hard.. and tell myself.. another 7 more months.. all will be over.. and I will complete what i start off 2 years ago..

NS do not teach u anything... NS only makes u realises things...

NS makes me realised how time with family is so precious.

NS makes me see the true people who will stay with you throughout.

NS makes realised that War movies are really based on true story.

NS makes me realised my own limits physically and mentally.

NS makes me realised how to live properly..

SO.. does NS really does so much negative things like how so many ppl commented?

If an Infantry rifleman can realised this.. y cant the rest see it more positively..

Look at things from different angles.. and life will be better.. like my quote..

Apples dont have to be Red to be Apples.. stevendetta

And i know what my platoon mates will say.. 'AMEN!'