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.:Tuesday, February 21, 2006:.

1 Guards Alpha (Rawdy) Coy BMT Field Camp!

What an experience, going for field camp as an instructor rather than a recruit. Thinking back it was only more than a year ago that i had my first taste of life living out in the field. The daily camo-ons, the daily applications of the insect repellent, eating from the combat rations etc. Looking at the recruits makes me think back on how much i have grown int he army, from being a total blur-flip chao recruits to that of a commander than has that little something extra to share with them, i feel that i have indeed learned alot in the past 1 year.

I would say the recruits really had it hard this time around for field camp. As opposed to mine during my BMT days in BMTC, the emphasis here is more on combat

endurance rather than experience. True, for many of time it thier first time living and roughing it out in the fields, but for us, we take a different appraoch. We still try to let them learn as much as possible. In fact we teach them more than what is required. But the fact that they will go straight into the Guards formation after thier BMT means that they must have the endurance, tenacity and spirit of a Guardsman. Compared to the normal Infantry BMT, they are put through a bigger challenge. For example, BMTC recruits will never dig their shellscrapes a night, but my recruits had to dig theirs through the night (it makes more sense as we often dig only at night). I would say this field camp has been a very tough and challenging one for them.

True that many cried, many suffered, many people broke down, especially in the night when they had to dig thier shellscrapes before they were allowed to rest, the many leopard crawls, many pumping, many crunches that they did, but through it all, they endured and they persevered. They held on, overcame and accomplished. Accomplished something that for a first time outfielder, is a major accomplishment.

I as an instructor felt very proud of them, felt proud when i saw them never giving up, encouraging eachother to press on, giving thier best even when they were overcome with lethergy and tiredness. But i feel, that to give them one hard one in the beginning will prime them better when they turn operational later this year. It must only be through this way that they know how high the stahndard is and that it is indeed within reach.

I'm proud, so very proud of them. Proud not because they did it, but because they emcompassed the spirit of a victor, they persevered, they had integrity and they held their head up high, even in the total face of tiredness, they held on. I respect them for being able to take it and i respect them for never giving up.

I'm proud, so very proud of them.

=D

And when we left Singapore Ferry Terminal en route back to camp, i witnessed an incident that left a deep impression on me. My guys were walking out of the terminal when they saw a big group of BMTC recruits. The recruits had that face of awe for them and when one of them asked if my guys were from Commandos, they denied and said with pride in their voices "No, we are from 1 Guards". Immediately, the faces of the BMTC recruits changed and my recruits held their heads even higher. The told me in the bus that that sense of pride was only because they know that they are indeed different.

*

I took some pictures of my recruit's field camp to share.
_{It was only more than a year ago that i came to Tekong for field camp as a recruit, now i'm an instructor, teaching my own men the life of a soldier outfield.

The recruits having a lesson outfield.

Some of my Platoon men.

The campsite : Permatang Seaview Hotel.

Nice view of the sunbeams. This effect was because we popped a smoke grenade for demonstration.

Me giving a demonstration on Group Battle Tactics.

Two of my recruits : Rec Farihin and Rec Rohaizad

The wonderful Tekong Sea View.

Contacted!

The army makes leaders out of men.

Ditto...

Nice view eh?

The shellscrape i dug for demonstration purposes. I like this pic very much. =D

The first of many shellscrapes that they are gonna dig.

Covering it up, only to dig again.

The long march back to the tekong ferry terminal

Passed by the old SISPEC. The Spec tower.

More than a year ago, i slept on this bed as a recruit. Cannot believe that it is still the way i remember it to be. I miss my recruit days. Hahaha}

*

Thats about it. I think i've uploaded alot of pictures already. Gonna go down Si Lim later to upgrade my PSP. =D Buy new games =D

Hehehe.

Hullo everyone, this is 12Alpha, last message over.

Roger that.

Out.

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Alan gagged and reeled at 8:27 AM
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