Accomplishment or failure. POP LO

I present to you..... 1, check, 1.



The trained...... SOLDIERS.

3rd Sergeant Afiq, Recruit Pow Eamon, 3rd Sergeant Ryan, 3rd Sergeant ENRIQUE.

The long overdue parade is finally done and over with. The jockey caps, some floating along the river, but mostly back with their owners. 17 weeks is over.

Transforming from this:

To this.

The journey from becoming a civilian, to a trained soldier, took 17 weeks. 17 long, hellish weeks. What's worse was that we were in NINJA coy(company in short). 

Before I enlisted, I knew nothing about Tekong. I knew nothing about Ninja, Kestrel, or what so ever. I just knew that it was an island far away from home. I wanted to give up so many times, because it was that grueling, for me at least. Ninja's standard was, as they say, "up there". I was never proud to be a Ninja, because I hated it there. But my views and perspective changed when my time was nearing as a Ninja recruit. 

A medal for coming in second for frisbee on games' day. And the small cookie is for getting a Silver for IPPT.

The honor was mine when we were given the games' day shirt.

Best damn shirt in BMTC.

I felt the chill, the need to do well for Ninja. And when we cheered, together as a company, everything changed. I was suddenly proud to be a Ninja recruit. We represented one of, if not, the top company in BMTC, we were indeed, "up there". 

I did myself proud, I maintained my silver for my IPPT, and got myself a medal to bring home. A proof, if you will, to show that my time inside Tekong wasn't wasted. But I somehow got myself injured during the last week in Tekong. I went to the medical center, and I was deemed unfit for the 24KM route march, and the Graduation Parade. I thought, "That's it, game over". 17 weeks have just gone to waste in one trip to the medical center. I talked every commanders. I spoke to my Platoon commander, my Platoon sergeants, my Company's officer in command, my Company's sergeant major, I asked to see the school's Company Officer. But to no avail. I gave up, I had to. But I did get to throw my jockey cap when I booked out with 18 others on Friday morning, while the main body of the company prepared for their 24km route march. 

This journey has been one hell of a ride. Ups and downs came day in, day out. First, I got bald for the first time. Then, I got myself my first girlfriend. Then I did my max repetition for pullups, 19, and got my first silver for IPPT. I made friends, and enemies. Almost got in fights, and ate food that was not meant to be eaten. I went through rain and shine, in the jungle, and in the camp. I shed blood, sweat and tears, and got my heart broken when I lost my first girlfriend. Shot live rounds, threw a grenade, dug my own grave, pooped in the wild, went 6 days without brushing my teeth and showering, and learnt more stuffs than I ever did in school. 

The two jokers in my bunk. Recruit Ong Jia Sheng, and Recruit Zulfaiz

Recruit Tay Yong Sheng. Finally got to take a photo with this bugger. REGULAR LO!

2nd Lieutenant Daryl. My Platoon's commander. Can you believe he's only 20?

Recruit Ong. Buddies for 17 weeks, can't believe time flew past so quickly. An honor to be his buddy.

Recruit Man Yong and Recruit Jing Yuan at the bottom. Crazy ass bunkmates I will never forget.

Never thought I will ever say this, but damn am I going to miss all of them. The tekan sessions, a.k.a punishments, the marching sessions, meals at the cook house, creeping around doing restricted stuffs like buying drinks, making fools out of ourselves, and of course the field camp. I'm so going to miss, sleeping on the upper bunk of the bed on the second floor, the sea breeze, the ultimate pitch black sky filled with stars and a big bright moon, the scorching hot sun shining down on us mercilessly as training carries on, the taunts each company does to each other, and all of the songs we echo daily without fail. 

For now, I will take my long awaited week long break, and hope for the best. 

Tough days don't last, tough men do.

Duty, Honor, Country, Ninja Company.

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