Category: Army / National Service

“Attention, attention… 15% off all kevlar helmets at tent #27… Hurry, hurry…” Outside the tent I shared with sixteen other soldiers at Samuel Hill Camp was a loudspeaker that blared out announcements about every twenty minutes, asking this soldier and that to report to where at when. Very annoying when you’re trying to sleep. The…

But reservist training just might. The average NSman (the official name for ‘reservist’ since 1992, but seldom used outside Mindef) gets called up for standby duties and training stints until he’s around 32, now that the ‘training cycle’ has been shortened to 10 years. I’m 36 and have just completed the worst three weeks’ training…

Small talk over lousy coffee and sweet cakes at Samuel Hill Camp, Shoalwater Bay Training Area. “Eh, what’s that superhero called ah?” “Which one?” “Neh, that one?” “Which one?” “That one lah, cannot see him one?” “Which one?” “That one lah! Transparent Guy!” “Transparent Guy?” “Yah! Transparent Guy!” Technorati Tags: army, ExWallaby2005, nationalservice, Singapore

Hero shot: It’s all in the gear Non-hero shot: Queueing in the canteen “Eh, take picture of me and mms my girlfriend, can?” “OK, how come your phone cannot?” “Dunno lah. Take for me can?” “OK…” “Wait, wait. Dowan already. Take in canteen not hero shot, must wear all the gear then can”. Hero and…

Exercise Wallaby is an annual event in Shoalwater Bay, Central Queensland, that the Singapore Armed Forces conducts, and my unit (433rd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment) had long been slated to participate in as part of its ATEC (Army Training Evaluation Centre) assessment of its battle-readiness. Four times the size of Singapore, the training area provides…