fallraen 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 Anyone here suffering the same fate as I? The woes of National Service have come upon me. Haha, just starting this post to hear some NS horror stories, or moments of Glory! haha... Alright, see ya later! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heady 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 Ahh. NS. I was in the first batch of recruit in Tekong (1973). I remember reading a story book during guard duty and the CO came upon me and said to me, "young man, no reading when you are standing guard". Nice CO but the most horrible camp ever. Bad food, surly cooks, tons of houseflies and no drinking water. Had water picquet everyday to carry water from Changi Point to Tekong for drinking. Each man only 4 water bottles a day. Lots of guys had heat exhaustion. The fun part was night exercise. Even the trainers scared of the Tekong ghost, so we all always "take cover" during night exercises. Oh, yah, the pineapples we ate during topo exercises. Yum! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
afbug 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 I'm quite lucky and unlucky for me NSF days and now reservist. I'm a division signaller (Lucky!) and naturally, my job is very much easier than other combat vocations. Posted to 3 Sig (Unlucky compared to 6 and 9 sig guys, 3 sig is more siong) but had very good and understanding commanders. I did many 'things that should not been done' and escape with no punishments. Enjoyed my time there and i missed those days. Moment of glory was when we passed/aced our proficency test and won the best platoon in my unit. Did 2 NDPs, yes twice! Once in 2000's mobile column and 2001's marching contingent. Went to ROC for overseas EX once too. It was great fun as always for ROC trips. Ran army half maraton twice too! But CSM for some reason, liked me, never put me in 21K run. I got to run 7-10K only. So after NSF days, posted to a classified unit supporting a siong division. Almost every year get recall back. Last year, went for ROC Ex again. End of this year going to Aust for another oversea Ex. For my case, I'm a div sig, so if i'm recalled for overseas ex, it is at least a Bde going, if not a Div. A lot of ppl and equipment. For horror stories, I only heard footsteps during my trainee days at Stagmont camp. Those days, the buildings are old. During guard duty, me and my buddy heard footsteps (Boots walking towards us) in a corridor but see no one. Scared the sh*t out of us. That building/place is haunted. Many of my platoon mates heard 'things'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aegisofrime 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 Wah this friday is my enlistment. Wish me luck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fallraen 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2006 haha my friends who went to stagmont camp also said the same thing. better be careful when you're there! signaller sounds interesting.... but, after i supported signal in thailand... i think otherwise now. haha. wah afbug in classified unit supporting a siong division... haha sounds like that unit you are at is affiliated to my unit. poor guy, 2 ndps and 2 ahm.... i feel your pain man. haha heady... tekong ghosts, got so many more tekong stories... wah i like to hear all this first batch story, damn funny! aegisofrime i think you better bring more hangers and pegs! hahaha... trust me you'll need it. don't forget that you can't bring mp3 to tekong, of course if you want.... "do but don't get caught.." hahaha oh and washing powder. err.... yah actually just relax everything will go fine just hope you don't get posted back to tekong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kehyi 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 ahh. ns. i'm pes E. bad eyesight, even though i don't wear glasses... Went home at 5pm on enlistment day. basically became an 8 to 5 office boy for 2.5 yrs. my 'office' at cable car tower (last time) somemore so i wasn't even in an army camp. plus: learnt how to use a computer... my office computer was a 286! i crashed it dunno how many times by deleting files randomly *heh heh*. when our office received new 486 computers, we were all like "wow, so high tech!" minus: always had the feeling that my ns was not *real* ns. on hindsight, if the army didn't have much use for me, then 2.5 yrs of office boydom was really quite a waste of time... plus: no reservist. unless singapore is super desperate (which is not a good thing), otherwise army will never touch pes E... scared they drop dead, i guess. btw, my office had 1) a national junior squash champion, 2) a water polo player who represented MINDEF, 3) a bodybuilder. All unfit for combat... sheesh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Lots of kengsters in the army. My friend's platoon had a national soccer player who was PES C, "Excuse Leg"!!!! And yet he could play for his club!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
afbug 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 haha my friends who went to stagmont camp also said the same thing. better be careful when you're there! signaller sounds interesting.... but, after i supported signal in thailand... i think otherwise now. haha. wah afbug in classified unit supporting a siong division... haha sounds like that unit you are at is affiliated to my unit. poor guy, 2 ndps and 2 ahm.... i feel your pain man. haha heady... tekong ghosts, got so many more tekong stories... wah i like to hear all this first batch story, damn funny! aegisofrime i think you better bring more hangers and pegs! hahaha... trust me you'll need it. don't forget that you can't bring mp3 to tekong, of course if you want.... "do but don't get caught.." hahaha oh and washing powder. err.... yah actually just relax everything will go fine just hope you don't get posted back to tekong. Yeah that camp is really not clean and its not only me who heard those stuff. Many of my platoon mates heard them. Somemore I spent about 3 months there as a trainee. My NS days at 3 Sig leh, under 3 Div, sure more siong than other Sig Bns. 2 NDPs/AHM and 1 overseas Ex but I no need to go for many local Ex or do sai kang because of these reasons. Once I passed the proficency test and into my last year of service, like king in my coy liao. Untouchable cos of these commitments. All arrows go to the other platoon and newbies. lol Now my current formation erm.....doing this year's NDP. So you'll know which one liao. aegisofrime, these days, NS at Tekong=holiday chalet. Just look at the buildings! Go in with an open mind and since you're 'wasting' 2 years of your time, try to make the most out of it. av98m, that one really dumb man. Maybe his leg insured, SAF dun wanna take risk? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 av98m, that one really dumb man. Maybe his leg insured, SAF dun wanna take risk? Dunno man, now I remember his name. Lee Man Hon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heady 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 I kena 12 years of reservist in 3Div. Every time got recall means weekend burn. Go in Sat afternoon and return on Sunday night. Must draw equipment and arms, unpack and have pasar malam for higher-up inspection. Then pray don't be the lucky company to be selected for field deployment. When you hear other unit people say, recall only turn up, sign and go home what, blood boil. An interesting "ghost" story. Our reservist training camp is Portsdown. Scene of WWII battle. Once I stayed over night the only one person in officer's block. While a few of my men stayed in the OR block. I very jumpy until cannot sleep, until 1am I think. Next morning, my men told me the whole night they were shivering cos got sound of foot steps and chain clanging outside their window. Me? Heard nothing. Strange ah. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 But sometimes the system is really hilarious. I enlisted as PES E temp, then kena upgraded to PES C9 and later did my BMT about nearly 2 years later. My whole BMT company was made up of people like myself so the lowest rank in the company was lance corporal LOL(We had to shave botak but were allowded to retain our rank and nametags, which caused confusion amongst the real recruits, as you can well imagine). I was excused from so many things it wasn't funny. Ever heard of excused marching? And I didn't even ask for that one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heady 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 btw, my office had 1) a national junior squash champion, 2) a water polo player who represented MINDEF, 3) a bodybuilder. All unfit for combat... sheesh Reminds me of the one reservist training, our coy clerk was a PHD in nuclear physics or something. He was very frust as all the officers only had Bachelor's degree so not so smart as him. Spent the whole 3 weeks scowling and b*tching at everybody. Reservist duty actually taught me not to be so atas. Many of our drivers with P6 education later on drove Jaguars and BMW 7 series to ICT. Of course some of them do business in Geylang but there were authentic businessmen as well. Not that I value people based on their wealth but in SG, to rise up despite your education is a feat. And it shows education is not everything. BTW - our drivers loved ICT. They tell their wives and family, sorry 3 weeks ICT cannot come home. Then they go JB at night. During ICT, only stay in for field camp and range, otherwise, we are 8-5 soldiers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stereo_Electronics 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Mono intake in Seletar camp for combat engineer..... if you've been to my camp, old trees, old buildings, old roads with roots runnin thru them, when everything is so old, it can be scary at night... that's why I sold 90% of my guard duties. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heady 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Hey Seletar Camp, good memories lah. When I was there, our office near School of Army Catering. At end of every batch of trainee cooks, I get invited to sample the graduation feast. Wah, no wonder put on weight in army. Also wonder why reservist cooks cannot cook like that. Also, always catch ride on army truck sending ORs home. My NCOs always hide me as officers not allowed to take transport. Big me hiding behind girls! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
