I don't really have any sort of introductory thing that I'd like to add about this week, so I suppose I'll just jump straight into the week's happenings.

14.05.12 The rather tragic (and avoidable) accident last week meant that all training activities ceased; my camp decided to use the time-out period to clear off the Vesak Day off-in-lieu that we were entitled to - Monday happened to be the day that they picked. Yet I was not entitled to that full additional day off; I had been selected as a reserve guard for those doing guard duty. How unfortunate of me (it seems my luck has been particularly rotten ever since I entered this particular camp) - I had to enter the camp at 1.30pm, while those free from this obligation returned only at 9pm. Equally annoying was the cold (not a flu - that implies influenza, which is a far more serious condition) that I had - it had been something that started the week before towards the end of field camp. Yet I still reported to camp, with the hope of leaving after showing my face (that was something that the commanders seemed to imply was possible during the RO on Saturday morning); I had the intention of seeing a doctor afterwards. Doing so however was a huge mistake - it left me trapped in camp for quite a few hours, apparently we were supposed to stay in not only until everyone had arrived (many arrived late, some AWOL-ed, others "reported sick"), but until the active guards left for duty, at around 4.30pm or so. It did not help that someone in camp suggested that I visited the MO at another camp instead since the one in ours wasn't in, despite my insistence that camp MOs were not to be trusted for the standards of medical care they offered (this of course is merely my opinion)- they just seemed bent on not letting me go. To cut the story short, it was only through quite a lot of haggling - the sergeant on duty said, and I quote "this guy keeps coming down every 5 minutes" (he was being a bit hyperbolic in my opinion though - I came down every 10-15 minutes), and the blessing of God (by placing a rather helpful sergeant there on that day) that I managed to leave at 3.40pm; my dad who was waiting to drop me off at CGH had to wait quite a bit. There was quite a long wait at CGH for reasons unknown, and by the time I finally left it was already 6.50pm, with free medication, and feeling a certain degree of misery because of the lost "rest". Reaching back to camp, I learned that my buddy was successful in obtaining a specialist's letter recommending a down-PES; good for him, and I won't deny that I am a tad bit envious - especially when he was recommended immediate light(er) duties. But I still hold that God will provide me with a way out after AIT.

15.05.12

Galatians 6:9 - And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

The above verse reminds me of the lyrics in my JC's hymn, "They reap not where they laboured, we reap what they have sown". I suppose I have to remember that there is a time for everything, a time for perseverance and a time for harvest.

Tuesday was quite a restful day, given that the safety time-out was still in place. It started off with area cleaning, which like the previous occasions, saw me doing a bulk of the work. It is however heartening to see that the section mates are beginning to help. I really musn't feel self-righteous, my endeavours should be solely for the glory of God (hyperlink to the verse where Jesus said to give more than what is expected - roman soldier marching, clothes). While I had got a bag-full of medicine from the CGH doctor (cough syrup, paracetamol, flu tablets), I avoided taking too much of them (I effectively halved the dosage stipulated) because I hated the feeling of drowsiness - yes, nearly all the medicine given were stated to cause that. Thankfully however, God was working His healing power within me, and I was starting to feel better. But I digress from sharing how restful my day was. The sergeants postponed area inspection till after 10.45am (probably because they had a last minute meeting to attend), thus we got 2 hours or so for a morning nap. The OC "dialogue" (the inverted commas shows how I feel about it... it was more of a one way relaying of information than an exchange of ideas) did little more than revealing the schedule for the rest of AIT - the current week would be an arduous one (all of which would be elaborated below), and quite possibly the subsequent as well, except that we would be booking out on Thursday from the Army Open House at Marina Bay at a fixed time of 5.30pm (that in itself is a cause for celebration). After lunch was an episode of rifle cleaning - for me, there was little to do, since I had done it quite decently (if I may say so myself) the previous week in the wee hours of Saturday, and after that was yet another nap session - call it a siesta if you'd like to that lasted till 6pm.

16.05.12 Being in this camp has allowed me to experience, perhaps for the first time a certain degree of persecution because of my faith - it was the first time I've heard things like "don't preach" (just because I suggested that someone should be a tad less judgmental) and "that's why I love Christians", in response to the almost obligatory act of helping others. It doesn't really help that I'm probably the only Christian in the platoon, but I suppose I should persevere solely because of what that is stated in the verse below.

Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

That aside, the safety time-out that started last week ended our field camp's last activity prematurely - the Section Battle Course (let's just call it SBC), and because of that, we had to make up for it on this day. But before that, we did a "dry run" of the section live firing that we'll be doing this coming Sunday, using our field packs as the obstacles/bounds that we needed to go past as part of the course. I also learnt that many of my platoon, and on a more microscopic level my section mates were planning to take MCs this weekend...

The SBC was conducted at the nearby Salah (spelling) Hill; it was especially tiring, and I was weary about having to assume the role of the section's 2nd SAW once more (a fellow section mate was still not fully well), I feel really imposed upon, especially since I was merely a spare gunner, and my physical disposition made the SAW rather unwieldy for me - I don't deny that at that particular point in time, I was envious of my buddy's position: he had successfully got the MO to proceed with the down-PES procedure, and part of that included a 28 days chit for light duties. Because of the abovementioned reasons, I wasn't able to execute the required drills properly - I was literally falling behind, much like how it was during field camp, and a little like how it will be in the UO field camp that I'll be describing later. It also wasn't helped by the repeated and regular IAs that the SAW gave me - double feeding was something that occurred practically every other shot.

The day ended off with force-prep for the UO camp that came after, it took a long, long time, ending only at 10.45pm or so. I won't deny that I was weary, and I remain weary in my present situation.

17.05.12 - 18.05.12 I won't deny that I abhor any outfield activities. Thankfully though, this was a UO exercise, which meant that the amount of time spent in vegetation was limited - that however still meant that there were some. The exercise was conducted at Murai Urban Training facility, the scale of the place was quite amazing - the fact that the government dedicated so much land and resources into building a small neighbourhood for such a thing is perhaps a testament to the economic cost that the government is willing to bear for the sake of national defence. UO drills was the name of the game, and we basically spent the 2 days practicising them in group, section and platoon levels.

As with plenty of other things in the army, this was something that wore me down physically - it was an uphill battle (literally, given the terrain of the area); we had to trek through (quite) a bit of vegetation before reaching the outlying "urban" area of the mock town. Despite the weariness that I felt, I suppose it was to a lesser degree than what I felt during the earlier part of the week, or during the previous field camp. I guess that can be attributed to the fact that the weekend (and by extension the book-out) was approaching, that the exercise was far shorter (2 days), but it was I guess also due to the fact that I have always felt that jungle warfare was irrelevant in today's world, and by extension, urban exercises are far more relevant and effective.

I shalln't continue to elaborate on the UO training, because to be honest, there is little to mention other than what I have already done so. But I guess what I can say is that God is faithful. My rifle nearly got stunned twice in the 2 days - the first time because I clipped it around my belt in my sleep (apparently that isn't sufficient in this camp - I had to explain that in Tekong that was sufficient to avoid it being taken), and the 2nd time back at COY line during the second bag check, when my mind was so preoccupied with holding my bowels and helping someone else a distance away that I left the SAW aside for a brief moment. I guess I also have to thank God for the fact that the book-out was on a Friday, especially since I have to return back to camp tonight (Saturday evening) due to the section live shoot that we'll be doing tomorrow. I'm not exactly looking forward to the week ahead, nor am I feeling particularly optimistic about returning to camp with such a short period of rest outside, so I really need all the help and support I can get - divine or otherwise.

This is my prayer for the week ahead:

Job 3:17 - [In God's hands] the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.

Help me God, I beg and cry out to You.