This week has been a can of sardines - it was packed to the max! Basically what I went through was the driving package. I learnt how to drive the tank and how to maintain the different parts of my vehicle. I learnt how to strip the tank's tracks, what to do if my tank breaks down and the basic maintenance that will prevent such incidents from occuring. I also obtained my tank driving license! Woohoo, it is official! I can drive!
This week is not just about driving, I also had my IPPT test on Friday. The rule is simple: no gold, no bookout on Friday night and remedial training on Saturday morning. My only problem was the standing broad jump again. I had to hit 234cm in order to qualify for the gold award and the $200. It seemed seriously impossible to jump that far, and I have never really actually hit that distance before. I prayed.
Throughout the week I tried to train for my jump, but time was very limited. We return from driving classes and after-driving maintenance very late everyday. I only had the opportunity to train once in the entire week. I just had the faith that God will see me through this obstacle that seemed so massive to me, but is so insignificant to Him. On Friday morning, an hour before the IPPT test, doubts crept into my mind, screw the devil. I rebuke it straightaway, and prayed for God to give me the belief that through Him all things are possible. My faith was never stronger. I just knew that I was going to bookout that night.
When I came to the SBJ station, I knew I was going to jump 234cm. I muttered a short prayer before tossing myself into the wind. Upon landing I hit 234cm. The next few tries even see me hitting further distances. I could not believe myself, and I thanked Him repeatedly. It was seriously not possible for me to do what I did, I know it for sure. Just like my SOC few months back, God has helped me overcome my obstacles. It is written in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Therefore people have faith in God for He is almightly and nothing is too big for an alreadly so massively big God.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
New experiences..
Well..my first week in the School of Armour had been pretty ok, all praises to God! I prayed for the initiation to be less torturing, and God answered my prayer. It is a custom that if you are new to a unit, you have to undergo initiation. On monday, I had my initiation. That night, we had happy hour at the mess, and guess what? Every cadet had to down a mug of Tiger Beer! I was scared stiff because I do not drink. I looked to the Lord in prayer again, and He pulled me through. After drinking the beer, my face was the reddest amongst the cadets, this caused quite a commotion. However, I felt quite ok other than being very tired. =]
This week was also very hectic. We had to rush from place to place. Furthermore, it is all just the tip of an iceberg. What is to come will be worst. I am looking forward to it though. Learning new things and all. This coming week I will be learning how to drive a tank. I will get my license by Friday if I pass the driving test. Hahas..I will definitely pass it because I have an almightly God!
Lastly, something which I read this week : A man who kneels to God can stand up to anything. Beautiful isn't it?
This week was also very hectic. We had to rush from place to place. Furthermore, it is all just the tip of an iceberg. What is to come will be worst. I am looking forward to it though. Learning new things and all. This coming week I will be learning how to drive a tank. I will get my license by Friday if I pass the driving test. Hahas..I will definitely pass it because I have an almightly God!
Lastly, something which I read this week : A man who kneels to God can stand up to anything. Beautiful isn't it?
Sunday, July 09, 2006
The road less travelled...I guess...
After returning from the 10 days training at Brunei, I was seriously dead beat! Looking back at the things I did, I could hardly believe I overcame the training. The climb up Mount Biang was the ultimate killer experience. One would be faced with a slope almost close to 85 degrees to the horizon, climbing up such 'common' slopes required one to be on all fours, any slip proved to be injury-causing if not fatal. To top it all up, the route up and down the mountain was not as direct as it seems. It was full of ups and downs for the ascension and descension, causing you to wonder whether or not have you progressed up the darn mountain.
However, inspite of all this, everyone looks forward to 5pm because it is then when we settle down at a suitable harbour site to rest. Hammocks sprout up like mushrooms after a rain, and bonfires were a frequent sight. For me, I derive great joy in cooking Maggi Mee when I harbour. The feeling of surpling down warm noodles and sipping hot soup was the ultimate killer concept. Temperatures at night and in the early morning was cool. It was like being in an air-conditioned room, just that the air-conditioner was too cooling that most of us shivered loads.
A lesson that I have learnt from this trip was that water is seriously precious. We had to collect river/stream water because 3days 2 nights of walking and climbing took a toil on our personal water supply of average 4litres. The water collected was cooling to the max! Just seconds after filling your bottle, you could see water droplets forming on the surface of it. Of course, Puritabs were added to the water to kill off any bacteria present, making the water potable. It was truly a cool experience...literally.
Now, back in Singapore at Sungei Gedong Camp, I am undergoing an extremely packed and vigorous training programme. Being selected to be a tank officer-to-be, I am excited yet apprehensive toward the training that is about to occur. I will learn how to drive a tank and how to operate the main gun of the tank in the coming week. Sounds like fun! I hope I will be able to survive another week in the School of Armour. God will pull me through. I believe!
However, inspite of all this, everyone looks forward to 5pm because it is then when we settle down at a suitable harbour site to rest. Hammocks sprout up like mushrooms after a rain, and bonfires were a frequent sight. For me, I derive great joy in cooking Maggi Mee when I harbour. The feeling of surpling down warm noodles and sipping hot soup was the ultimate killer concept. Temperatures at night and in the early morning was cool. It was like being in an air-conditioned room, just that the air-conditioner was too cooling that most of us shivered loads.
A lesson that I have learnt from this trip was that water is seriously precious. We had to collect river/stream water because 3days 2 nights of walking and climbing took a toil on our personal water supply of average 4litres. The water collected was cooling to the max! Just seconds after filling your bottle, you could see water droplets forming on the surface of it. Of course, Puritabs were added to the water to kill off any bacteria present, making the water potable. It was truly a cool experience...literally.
Now, back in Singapore at Sungei Gedong Camp, I am undergoing an extremely packed and vigorous training programme. Being selected to be a tank officer-to-be, I am excited yet apprehensive toward the training that is about to occur. I will learn how to drive a tank and how to operate the main gun of the tank in the coming week. Sounds like fun! I hope I will be able to survive another week in the School of Armour. God will pull me through. I believe!
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Platoon Field Camp
ATTACK
Taking cover before the strike.
Smoke out! We commenced the attack. 
Enemy taken down..DEFENCE
Setting up of defense site
This is where the action is...
Defence site fully up...
Nostalgia
I believe that many tend to cherish something more the moment they lose them. They take the things dearest to them for granted most of the time.
"I can't wait to get out of this screwed up place!" was the sentiments of many cadets when the training in OCS got a little tougher. I was one of them; to think that I expressed interest in getting into OCS. However, now that I am really leaving SAFTI MI due to my Professional Term posting to the Armour Training Institute at Sungei Gedong, I cannot bear to leave this 'screwed up' place. Furthermore, the many bonds forged will be tested when we all go our separate ways due to the different postings we receive. Looking back at the wonderful moments we spent in Tango Wing, I seriously struggled to hold my tears back.
Being part of the Video Team in my wing, I was tasked to produce a video of our life in Tango Wing to be distributed to every Tango cadet. Whilst doing the project, looking at the various clips of our training, fond memories flood my mind. Although I had very little sleep, staying up till the wee hours in the morning to meet the project deadline, I felt it was worth it. Looking at the end product gave me tremendous satisfaction.
Thinking of all the obstacles which I faced during training and the family and friends who were there to motivate and encourage me to carry on, I feel very blessed. Thank you to all of you out there, you know who you are!!Hahas..Therefore, for these people out there I will hang on during the tough times, and get commissioned eventually as an Armour Officer.
"I can't wait to get out of this screwed up place!" was the sentiments of many cadets when the training in OCS got a little tougher. I was one of them; to think that I expressed interest in getting into OCS. However, now that I am really leaving SAFTI MI due to my Professional Term posting to the Armour Training Institute at Sungei Gedong, I cannot bear to leave this 'screwed up' place. Furthermore, the many bonds forged will be tested when we all go our separate ways due to the different postings we receive. Looking back at the wonderful moments we spent in Tango Wing, I seriously struggled to hold my tears back.
Being part of the Video Team in my wing, I was tasked to produce a video of our life in Tango Wing to be distributed to every Tango cadet. Whilst doing the project, looking at the various clips of our training, fond memories flood my mind. Although I had very little sleep, staying up till the wee hours in the morning to meet the project deadline, I felt it was worth it. Looking at the end product gave me tremendous satisfaction.
Thinking of all the obstacles which I faced during training and the family and friends who were there to motivate and encourage me to carry on, I feel very blessed. Thank you to all of you out there, you know who you are!!Hahas..Therefore, for these people out there I will hang on during the tough times, and get commissioned eventually as an Armour Officer.
Take care peeps..Over and out.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Divine Intervention
The low wall has always been my problem for SOC since the BMT days. My momentum will be hindered by it due to me having to clear it more than once. I thought by passing my SOC back then with a timing which even qualifies for a pass in OCS, everything will be fine. I was wrong..
During one of my OCS SOC training, I suddenly slipped down the low rope even though I had coiled the rope tightly. This caused me to fail the training. I was stunned because I never had any problems with the low rope. Having cleared the low wall, I believed I have cleared all my problems, but this had to happen! This problem was erratic; it happens only sometimes. Having failed my trial test due to the low rope, I was feeling very low because the actual test will be in 6 days time.
I immediately looked to God for help. Prayer on this item was brought up in the days prior to the test. I visualised myself clearing all the obstacles in the actual test and claimed it with the name of the Lord. I believed in Him, and had faith that He will definitely pull me through. I drew my strength from Him through Matthew 21:21-22. I knew deep down inside He was going to help me pass this test, I just knew.
The day of reckoning came, and I prepared myself for the test. I prayed before I left the bunk and before I knew it, I was running down to the low wall. I cleared it in one shot and proceeded on to the next few obstacles. I then came to the low rope. Believeing with all my might, I jumped and grapped the rope, coiling my body and twirling my legs around the rope, stepping on it to make it firm. I then straightened my legs, and I did not slip! Touching the top, I shouted "YES!". The next few obstacles posed no threat. I completed my test 1 min earlier than my personal best. The best thing was that I did not really feel that tired. I knew this was not of my own strength, but of God's. It was a killer divine intervention!
During one of my OCS SOC training, I suddenly slipped down the low rope even though I had coiled the rope tightly. This caused me to fail the training. I was stunned because I never had any problems with the low rope. Having cleared the low wall, I believed I have cleared all my problems, but this had to happen! This problem was erratic; it happens only sometimes. Having failed my trial test due to the low rope, I was feeling very low because the actual test will be in 6 days time.
I immediately looked to God for help. Prayer on this item was brought up in the days prior to the test. I visualised myself clearing all the obstacles in the actual test and claimed it with the name of the Lord. I believed in Him, and had faith that He will definitely pull me through. I drew my strength from Him through Matthew 21:21-22. I knew deep down inside He was going to help me pass this test, I just knew.
The day of reckoning came, and I prepared myself for the test. I prayed before I left the bunk and before I knew it, I was running down to the low wall. I cleared it in one shot and proceeded on to the next few obstacles. I then came to the low rope. Believeing with all my might, I jumped and grapped the rope, coiling my body and twirling my legs around the rope, stepping on it to make it firm. I then straightened my legs, and I did not slip! Touching the top, I shouted "YES!". The next few obstacles posed no threat. I completed my test 1 min earlier than my personal best. The best thing was that I did not really feel that tired. I knew this was not of my own strength, but of God's. It was a killer divine intervention!
Monday, May 01, 2006
'Normando'
Could not really think of any title, so hence the killer moniker.. =] I think it sounds really fierce! Sublime! A smart inference you can make now is that I am still alive! I have survived the 2 field camps in 2 weeks back to back. First, it was the section field camp, lasting 4 days 3 nights, in which we were taught how to fight and move as a section in a fire movement. Next was the patrol field camp, lasting 2 days 1 night, in which we were given 4 missions to complete - 2 day missions and 2 night ones. The total sleeping time for patrol field camp was 5 hours in 2 nights! I was literally a zombie on the third day (thankfully it was bookout day!!!).
Coming out of these 2 field camps, I feel like a different person. Perhaps more mentally tough and more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. It rained for both my field camps and we slept with wet clothing, on wet ground which seriously caused our morale to dip well below zero. The creepy crawlies which swarmed the undergrowth at my harbour area in patrol field camp made me think twice about sleeping that night. Anyways, I did not have to make a decision because the moment I lay down, I was knocked out. The Zzz monster won! Missions were continuous, giving us little or no time to rest. Battle stress was taught to us in this manner. Inspite of all these, I somehow feel that both field camps were realistic simulation of wartime scenario. It was good training..seriously..=] I learnt that it really took character and tons of fighting spirit to overcome these field camps (small picture) and to be commissioned as an officer (big picture).
One interesting thing to share was that earlier this week, I suddenly felt very negative about everything. My postive attitude seemed to have deserted me. I felt very down and sianz in camp. I prayed. It came to a point that I could not take it anymore, so I SOSed for my mum's advice. Speaking to her before my 7km run in the evening made me cry (she did not know), it was tears of sianz-ness. Maybe all the rushing in camp has taken its toll on me, I do not know. A famous saying of army is that of "rush to wait, wait to rush". Cool yah..=] Back to the topic, after putting down the phone, God somehow planted a thought in my mind asking me to use this 7km run as a landmark in my life, in which I ran into a new life, one that is stronger, it was as if the run was designed to help me abandon the sianz-ness I was feeling. I ran as if the devil was chasing me that day. True enough, after the run, I felt lighter and a little bit more positive. Things changed for the better from then on.
The tightness of the training schedule in camp also made me temporarily forget about my birthday! How killer is that? Anyway, it was a very quiet birthday I spent in camp, celebrations were done before I booked in earlier this week. I am 19 already..time flies..I am an oldie now.."There is one thing you can't recycle, and that is wasted time". So i guess one of my goals this year is to try and make full use of whatever time I have to the fullest. Time indeed is precious.
To end this post, I wish to share a quote I saw today on TV Mobile: The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw. I hope this will set you thinking a little bit..
Coming out of these 2 field camps, I feel like a different person. Perhaps more mentally tough and more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. It rained for both my field camps and we slept with wet clothing, on wet ground which seriously caused our morale to dip well below zero. The creepy crawlies which swarmed the undergrowth at my harbour area in patrol field camp made me think twice about sleeping that night. Anyways, I did not have to make a decision because the moment I lay down, I was knocked out. The Zzz monster won! Missions were continuous, giving us little or no time to rest. Battle stress was taught to us in this manner. Inspite of all these, I somehow feel that both field camps were realistic simulation of wartime scenario. It was good training..seriously..=] I learnt that it really took character and tons of fighting spirit to overcome these field camps (small picture) and to be commissioned as an officer (big picture).
One interesting thing to share was that earlier this week, I suddenly felt very negative about everything. My postive attitude seemed to have deserted me. I felt very down and sianz in camp. I prayed. It came to a point that I could not take it anymore, so I SOSed for my mum's advice. Speaking to her before my 7km run in the evening made me cry (she did not know), it was tears of sianz-ness. Maybe all the rushing in camp has taken its toll on me, I do not know. A famous saying of army is that of "rush to wait, wait to rush". Cool yah..=] Back to the topic, after putting down the phone, God somehow planted a thought in my mind asking me to use this 7km run as a landmark in my life, in which I ran into a new life, one that is stronger, it was as if the run was designed to help me abandon the sianz-ness I was feeling. I ran as if the devil was chasing me that day. True enough, after the run, I felt lighter and a little bit more positive. Things changed for the better from then on.
The tightness of the training schedule in camp also made me temporarily forget about my birthday! How killer is that? Anyway, it was a very quiet birthday I spent in camp, celebrations were done before I booked in earlier this week. I am 19 already..time flies..I am an oldie now.."There is one thing you can't recycle, and that is wasted time". So i guess one of my goals this year is to try and make full use of whatever time I have to the fullest. Time indeed is precious.
To end this post, I wish to share a quote I saw today on TV Mobile: The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw. I hope this will set you thinking a little bit..
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