First of all bruh, there’s no need to be so harsh on yourself 👀. If it’s any consolation at all, know that you definitely aren’t the first Singaporean son to have felt terribly unprepared for NS (we - the author and the editor of this article - are two great examples of that...oops🤭).
Moreover, recognising your lack of independence is already half the battle won - it’s definitely better than being oblivious or even delusional, ain’t it? So now it’s just a matter of doing what can be feasibly accomplished within the time that you have till enlistment day to ready yourself (as much as possible) for this new phase in life and familiarising yourself with some general practicalities of being a recruit - which we will cover in this two-part series.
Let’s start off with the beginning of your NS journey - BMT on Pulau Tekong🏝 (apologies if that’s not where you are going for BMT...you might still find much of this article of relevance to you, though).
PRE-ENLISTMENT P.R.E.P.
Pack ONLY What You NEED
The military lifestyle revolves around standardisation and uniformity. This entails that everything you actually need will be issued to you on Tekong itself or specified on the packing list that has been (or will be) mailed to you. The official list should have two sections: (1) additional items from your home that you need and (2) optional items you may want to have.
Bring everything stated on the list and nothing more...DO NOT be kiasu. Other items that people have recommended on other sites or have passed around by word of mouth may not be what YOU need.
Just take the first few weeks of confinement on Tekong to acclimatise, and when you have figured out what extra stuff you may need (i.e. can’t live without because of your idiosyncrasies), it’s never too late to bring it in during your first (of many) book-ins.
Remember that whatever is brought onto the island will eventually have to be brought off the island...you really wouldn’t want to be lugging multiple bags on your last book-out.
Research
Sure, there is no need to mug for BMT as you did for A-levels, but there is no harm in understanding and recognising the rank scheme beforehand either. In fact, it would be useful (possibly even life-saving😜) to learn to differentiate between the specialists, warrant officers, and commissioned officers, and find how you should greet them.
If that still doesn’t feel like enough homework, you could also read up on the drill commands so you don’t get caught off guard during drill lessons. To make life easier, all of the aforementioned can be found on the CMPB website!
Ensure You Know What You Are Signing
Aside from military training, there will be various talks by civilians who will remind you about how great life back at home is😒, and in doing so they will try to convince you to sign up for whatever it is that they’re offering - insurance policies, community chest donations, and SAFRA memberships, for example.
Other than the MINDEF & MHA Group Insurance that MINDEF automatically purchases for all NSFs, the additional insurance policy riders (basically a top-up), donations, and memberships that will be promoted to you are entirely optional (we feel tempted to hint that you have a moral obligation to donate, though😉). This isn’t a simple consent form you sign to go on an excursion, so don’t feel pressured to sign anything that you may regret next time.
Do discuss these things with your parents/guardians before enlisting, especially with regards to insurance policies, as you may not know what they have or haven’t already purchased for you.
Prepare To Meet New People
Enlisting is a rite of passage for most male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, which obviously means that, during your BMT, you will be living with people from all over Singapore. Of course, Singapore is not that large of a country, but that doesn’t change the fact that you will be meeting peers from diverse backgrounds, whether it is culturally, socially, economically, or perhaps even professionally.
Like what was mentioned in the introduction, acknowledging that you are sheltered is half the battle won. However, no matter how prepared you are to exercise independence, you still have to be mentally prepared to work and interact amicably🤝 with people from all walks of life if you don’t want to be labelled as “that sheltered JC kid” - name-calling is usually triggered by enmity, after all. And don't forget: you might be just as alien to them as they are to you. It's hence wise to adapt to their various ways of communicating and be cooperative during training.
THE ON-SITE EXPERIENCE
Once on Tekong island, what’s next? Well, first of all, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your coy/platoon/section mates (this ties in with our previous point about being amicable)! If you are an introvert, just bear in mind that self-introductions will definitely be the least embarrassing thing you’re going to be doing anyway🤪. From seeing each other naked and botak, to getting screwed over by the sergeant in front of everyone, it is always better to have an extra friend and ally.
In the same vein, try not to rub your platoon mates and commanders the wrong way. If you have a question, don’t go home and complain to your parents. Your civilian parents may not have to bow and greet your encik but they cannot help you if you need to sign OFF to leave Tekong on a weekday for personal reasons. Don’t make life difficult for everybody. Just go straight to your platoon or section commander if you have questions. It’s sad to say this but the world is harsh and if your fellow recruits see that you are constantly getting in the bad books of your commanders (or think that you are a flake), then chances are that they’re not going to want to stick around you. The bottom line: make friends ASAP and keep them by your side; you will need them.
Our most important bit of advice, however, is to keep an eye out for the toilets during your orientation (no, we aren’t joking😒...we learned this the hard way). With the amount of water recruits are made to drink, you’re going to be flocking to the toilet every other hour and, sorry to break it to you but, not all your training will take place at or near your coyline. Whether you are at the running track, IPPT ELISS machines, cookhouse, or swimming pool, you’ll likely be there long enough to have the urge to pee😬.
On that note, whether or not you feel like peeing when a toilet break is given, just go! Pee whenever there’s a chance to. Don’t wait for the next one. Doubtless, you’d rather awkwardly stand at the urinal with no pee than hold it in while running 2.4km😖(notice how many times the word “pee” appears in this paragraph...we are trying to hammer something in here).
Lastly, chill out. You will get used to it, after all. You aren’t the first and you definitely won’t be the last boy-boy to enlist. Take it one day at a time and don’t overstress yourself. We’ll see you on the other side in two years’ time😝!
Comments