Towards freedom!

Wow my previous post was like a year ago...the last was about me going for the much dreaded GCC,one of the courses most infamous in the army for their turn out.I can still remember the first morning when i was turned out at 4am in the morning,what with the sirens roaring all over the place.Running down the 8 flight of stairs in my full battle order,my breathing was jumping up and down,and in my mind i couldn't believed at what i had to go through again then.Following that,the notorious Ex.Welcome was presented to us.

I have since passed out,gotten the coverted kakis beret with its Guards tab,and conducted turn out drills.The passing year is one full of adventures,with many changes i can see in my life.I had become even stronger in my mental due to GCC,there is no 'can't do' ,only 'can do' in my life now.I have taken men under my wing,trainned them in the way of army,transiting from their instructor to commander and finally as their peer. How i wish i had the time taken and remembered to write it all down here what has happened in the year.The memories are slipping by me as i am recalling,leaving behind traces of reminiscence.

Month:

1-3:I was posted back to Tekong as an instructor,to learn how to take care of new recruits.As the only one wearing kakis beret in the coy,i was respected and feared by the recruits when i just arrived.I had my first taste of a commander life during this period as an instructor,learnt why certain things were done to me as a recruit,and why my sergents was tough on me.My peers commanders in Tekong may seem to be having an easy life,with many saying they are living like a king over there.However they admired me for having the chance to take a group of men under me,train live command those men for a year.To them,no matter how close their bond with their trainnees would be,at the end of the 3 months bonding,they would untimately be posted out.And they would be back to teaching the same things again to new recruits.My batch of recruits would be passing out of command school by now,with some being sergents and other officers.I also first understood how tough it would be uphold the Guards name,with many high expectation from the other,and we have to go the extra miles to prove Guards are worthy of the given Elite Status.

3-5
Came back to 3 Guards,took in a group of men who would untimately be with me throughout my final year in NS.There was tough time for us commanders as we had to take care of them and also fun time when we relate to how we are able to changed them.Feel damn proud when i see them doing their POP,having completed their first part of their transitation into the army.I could still remember one of my men looked at me in the eyes and wished me good night during his first night out sleeping in the outfield.

6-8
The period came when we are really going down tough on the men.Their AIT was a mini version of my GCC,however when it comes to Guards,there is no comproming of standard.We pushes our guys as hard as we could,telling them its a privilege for them to be a Guards and how high our expectation was.For their passing out test,i had to go through one mini GAC with my guys,showing them what is called 'the never dying' spirit of Guards and why we don't fall as easy as the other.It was another proud moment when they gotten their kakis beret and Guards tab at the end of the course.They were able to understand the high standard people had of Guards,the respect we gained and finally the 'never say die' spirit they would come to have.

9-11
We had settled into a routine,the guys knew what they are supposed to do and their body had already gotten uses to the tough trainning we pushes on them.Trainning,reteaching,going through what could be improved,slowly bits by bits we are starting to become a real army of elites soliders.Plt test,coy test we had passed them all,and we were just waiting for our trip to Thailand for the TEST that would see whether us 3 Guards has what it takes to be an operation ready army.

11-12
My 3 weeks in Thailand had passed,and i still couldn't believed i was back in Singapore when i touched down 2 days ago.I had gotten used to the inital cold,then blazing hot weather ,the common bathing area where all of us had to uses the water from the big tub,the 6am waking up every days,the canteen food and the slow pace of life over there.It was truely a great experience for me,but most importantly we had pass the test that was given to us.Now 3 Guards are ready,and i am relieved i have done my job in taking them this far.The rest would be up to their new commanders who will be taking over me and themselves for their last test next year.

My times is almost up,my 2 years has passed by in a wink of the eyes so as to say.I am glad i learnt so much things during this 2 years,those that would serves me for a whole life time.Now i must be preparing for my life back into the population after an absense of 2 years.I would not ever forget my life in the army,especially the time in Guards.I am proud to be a GUARDSMEN!Lastly this is the cheer our CO have given to the Bn since day 1 the men came under my care:

3 Guards!AIE!

*blazing towards freedom*