So another week goes by. How long has it been since i was posted to OCS? 10 weeks? My, how time flies.

 

Already, as i look back at all the things that i've been through, i'm surprised at how far i can go, especially with God's help. I wonder what would happen if i never was enlisted into the army... I would never know that i could dig for 2 days straight without much sleep. Never fire an assault rifle (for free). Never know how far my body's limits are and how much it can be pushed. So many experiences that a normal civilian would never get to experience unless he deliberately chose to join the army also.

 

I must admit that i miss my civilian life though.. I miss my family, i miss melbourne, i miss going to school (except the lectures... the only interesting lectures in the army are the tactics), i miss my friends over there... so many things! Yet i realised that it's pointless to keep on looking at the past. If i do that, then how sad will i be! Instead, i choose to look ahead. Both in the present and in the future. I plan to take each day as it comes, yet to keep the goal of commissioning as an officer and to one day board the plane to melbourne again after i have done my duty. That's how i can survive the pain that comes with leaving my loved ones.

 

But my life here in singapore is not all that bad. I've made quite a few friends and have so far adapted to the lifestyle here. (How different singapore is from melbourne!) I usually call my family every week when i book out, often updating them on what has been happening and how i've been. I try to keep my walk close with God as well, but usually i'm too busy in camp to properly set time aside. But the haste will soon subside as the to commissioning draws closer.

Sorry for not blogging last week. I was on duty on saturday and sunday, so i didn't have much time to blog (much less use the computer) when i came out for that few hours of freedom. Well, before i was on duty (i had to lower and raise the state flag at certain times during the day), i had a patrol field camp where we learnt how to (as the name states) patrol. It was ok, except for the fact that we only had 2 hours of sleep over a period of two days.

 

However, the patrol field camp was nothing compared to the field camp on monday to wednesday known as Exercise Spade. This was a torturous field camp where we had to dig trenches for 2 days and 2 nights straight without sleep! I was practically digging until my arms where sore. And every time i took i break, i find myself sleeping! So tired was i that when my spade went into the earth, i froze and stoned for a few seconds. It didn't help when it rained on the second day as well. Now we had mini swimming pools in our trenches which we had to scoop out muddy water! (some of my friends used their helmets!) Anyways, the 3rd day was spent cleaning the stores and packing up to go back to camp, so in total, i was deprived of nearly 72 hours of sleep... (ok, i had a few snippets of sleep here and there, but it wasn't enough!) When i look back at all this, i must admit that it's fun. But not while i was going through it!!!

 

Well, i got this email from my dad which i though i should share with you:

 

Nothing much this week expect for my demolition live firing on thursday. I was selected to ignite the side charge (one of the powerful bombs we have), and i must say, i ran like a speed demon when the safety fuse caught fire. Basically, a side charge is a charge used to overturn enemy vehicles (sometimes killing the enemy in the process). We blew up and witnessed a few other explosions that i am not allowed to write about here due to security reasons (i'll have to kill you).

 

Other than that, this whole week was either lectures or running/fast marches, which left my legs in very bad shape. I can hardly walk without having a sharp jolt of pain in my calf muscles and having to limp as i make my way around town. I pray that i would be healed very quickly because the IPPT test is coming up on tuesday... *gulp*

 

I found out that my batch of officer cadets can either stay in the infantry batch, or get chosen to be artillery officers. I pray that i'll get selected for arty. I don't think i'll be able to survive as infantry, which basically "chiong sua" (literally means running up the hill) a lot. Also because i've found out that the JCC (Jungle Confidence Course) is back. JCC is where we are left in the jungle of Brunei for don't know how many days to fend for ourselves alone. During that time, we have to built our own shelter, make our own fire, drink muddy water, catch and kill our own food.... *re-reads again* Please God! Send me to artillery!!!