I finally became a guardsman warrior..
Monday
-SOC Test. I was at my physical best after having ample rest last nite and drinking a can of red bull prior to my test. (Red bull has become one of my fav drinks in camp b4 taking physical activities. Just as it says "Red Bull: Energy Drink". Beat my personal best record by passing the test. Shld be less than 9:20. I completed all the stations successfully.
-Guards' Games Day. It's the games competition b/w the 4 companies in 3 guards and the points will be contributed to the final score for "Guards Challenge". We played the 4 games : Frisbee, Tug-Wrestling, (Multi) Tug-of-War and Sock Wrestling in section level first.
We totally owned the opposing team in Frisbee, ranked 2nd in a 3-way tug-wrestling, won surprisingly against the opposing team in tug-of-war and were runner-up again in a 3-way sock wrestling. Then came the games in company level. The first game was a 4-way tug wrestling. (To play this game, u have to eliminate the opponents by pulling them out of the "ring" onto your side)
I was involved in the game too. At first, it was chaos and each team has a few of their members eliminated. But after realizing Bravo has the strongest and most no. of players, "The Legend" Sgt Poh came up with a plan. He decided to ally with Alpha (2 guys) and Charlie (3 guys). Together, 10 vs 6. We managed to eliminate the whole Bravo team. (I heard that sgt poh used his reknowned bribe techniques again.."I treat u all to snacks and drinks k?" Lol.)
Then it's a 3 way messy fight where we got back-stabbed and lost sgt poh, leaving only 1 Alpha guy, 2 Charlie guys and 2 Support guys (Me and Guan Yi). We decided to team up with the alpha guy against charlie. But i was eliminated in the fight (Spectators fr my coy say that while I was tugged by Charlie and Guan Yi, the alpha guy who's supposed to be our ally sabo me and pushed me out of the ring.) That left : Charlie 2, Alpha 1, Support 2.
Then the show really heats up. Guan Yi allied with the alpha guy. While the alpha guy approached dangerously to our zone, Guan Yi suddenly wrestled him out of the ring! (According to him, he was deciding whether to team up w/ alpha, it was really by instinct that he pushed him out. At least he revenged me! haha..u betrayer..lol/)
And that left the finale where guan yi was in a handicap match against the 2 charlie guys. they approached him and try to tug him back to their zone. But it was really luck that they were wandering too near our zones. B4 they reached their own zone, they cornered guan yi. And the whole support coy shouted :" Fall back, guan yi!" At this point of time, 1 of the charlie guys tripped and guan yi juz fell back, pulling him along. Out!
1 v 1. Guan Yi's up against charlie. He aimed for his waist and promptly shoved/carried/pulled him into our zone. Victory!!! Guan Yi is the first-ever 3 guards tug-wrestling champion. Score 1 for Support!
Game 2: Tug-of-War. It was won easily by Charlie. It took only 3 minutes, which is 1/10 the time used (and excitement generated) to play tug-wrestling. Score 1 for Charlie.
Game 3: Sock-Wrestling. It was a game where u have to enter the arena in socks and the main aim is to remove the opponent's socks while preventing them from removing urs. It was rowdy. Our coy was the 1st coy to get eliminated. Charlie won the game. Score 2 for Charlie.
Game4: Frisbee. Legend has it that our sergeants are champions in Frisbee. Well, the legend continues as we prove to be as good as our sergeants. Together with Sgt Loo (who is really good at frisbee), Caron (almost got in2 national frisbee team), DingJie, Kenneth Ng, Elton, Abisheq and guys fought and won beautifully against Charlie 4-0, preventing them from sweeping the games. It was a tough fight with Alpha. Along the way, this alpha sgt got so agitated that he scolded a 2LT umpire (uh-oh). He was severely reprimanded by his OC (spectators say that the OC pointed his forefinger and thumb out at him) and it wldn't have stopped if not for the flag-lowering ceremony, where everyone had to stand at attention. (well, the sgt probably got 7 extra, he deserves it for not giving respect). Eventually we won 4-3. Score 2 for Support.
At the end of the day, our section was joint 3rd..with 16pts.
Tuesday
-Guards Challenge, a challenge that was created to take the place for Guards Conversion Course, was held from 0920 to 1120 2dae. The teams have to go around the camp in FBO (Fxcking Bulky Order..nah..it's Full Battle Order) and a stretcher + 2 jerry cans to gain as many points as possible by completing as many stations as possible. Our section commander for the challenge: "The Legend" Sgt Poh.
With Sgt Poh around, we nv really got time to rest coz he digs phsical challenge. We did "7 knolls" (A physical exercise created by Support, u have to climb up and down the stairs around the 3 guards compound. Coz it was equivalent to climbing up and down 7 hills, it was named 7 knolls.), running up and down a multi-storey carpark and SOC respectively, really stretching our physical limits. Then we took a little rest by taking weapon handling test, crossing of danger area and heritage test. We'd like to take IPPT, but after realizing we didn't have the time, we went back to the parade square "Victroy Square" to take the Beep test. It was insane..but Thev proved to be the fastest in my section (and the fastest in our coy) as he reached lvl 10.
We reported at the finishing point 5 min b4 time's up. We were surprised that section 1 completed w/ more points than us! But the time has to be taken into account..
Juz as we thought everything was over, our CO came up w/ his usual "stunts". We had to walk ard the stadium in the camp, then exited from the side gate and walked outside in2 ECP b4 we came back to camp again from the main entrance, then walked into 1 guards parade square b4 we marched back to Victory Square..with FBO and the stretcher + 2 jerry cans!
I cldn't bliff it when i completed it. As the CO gave its speech b4 announcing results, he said:" ...if this was carried out in the past, u all wld probably fall out b4 completing, looks lyk the carrying of field packs around the camp really strengthen ur core muscles"...u all have proved that u all are physically fir, mentally tough and full of fighting spirit."
And when the results are announced, what a surprise!
3rd: Scouts Section 1
2nd Scouts Section 3 (My team!)
1st: Mortar Section 2 (WTF?!)
And the CO said:"It's a surprise to see that Support Coy clinched the top 3 places...so it proves that u not only have to work hard, but work smart." Haha..completely demoralizing to the riflemen coys. LOL:p
But i was surprised mortar beat us. Well, quite smart sia..but that's not the end...
-The whole afternoon was spent on POP rehearsal. Fxckin hot.
-At nite, our commanders (actually, it's PC simon) treated all of us to Canadian pizza. Wow..never had some wonderful meals for that long! Oops..i think i'm getting fat.
Wednesday
-National Day eve and half day for all soldiers except for 3 guards. All the battalions, 1 guards, 7SIB, HQ gathered at Victory Square for National Day Observance Parade in the morn. We sang the national anthem and said the pledge (i haven't done this since JC graduation..it's memorable). there was some quiz where sols were invited to go up and explain the meaning of the national anthem in eng and say the national pledge in chinese (this reminds me of the times i had in sec sch, where we said the pledge in chinese for 4 yrs..)
-Preparation for Posting Out Parade Rehearsal. Juz b4 we went for the rehearsal, sgt poh came to us with good news.."Scouts section 3 is the best section in the battalion!" Alright!
We also have to tidy up our bunks as the 3 bunks from scouts are going to be used as "display bunks" for the parents. Sgt John oso gave us our posters..only for section 3! It looks like some upcomin movie film advertisement..haha. It was a really rush day. We went for dinner and was delayed due to some sai gang where i had to help give out distilled water bottles for parents. And when we were supposed to go back to our bunks to get our LBVs and rifles..imagine what surprise we had when we realized the parents were ALREADY takin a look in our bunks! It was so embarassing when we had to go in and take out our equipment and smartest fore, changed in our commanders' bunk and were greeted abruptly by our parents upon finish changing. My parents were there to take pics w/ me in the bunk. I guess they muz be quite proud.
-Actual POP from AIT/GCC at the 3 guards stadium "Ring of Fire". We waited for some time while the parents were treated to entertaining shows of field movement and gunfire, as well as fireworks (from the tripflare, of coz). I only caught a glimpse of it at the back. Really cool man. Then we marched in and did the drills for the parade, listened to the CGO (Chief Guards Officer) speech and recite the guards creed.
I felt really honored when my name was announced during the prize presentation ceremony, where it goes like this.." Best Section in 3 Guards: Scouts Section 3, headed by commanders 3SG John Tan, 3SG Jasper Chua, 3 SG Daryl Lim and 3SG Poh Ching Hong, members include, PTE Kenneth Ng, PTE Ang Ping Lon, PTE Chen Ding Jie, PTE Thevandran, PTE Ang Jia Liang, PTE Kelvin Tay, PTE TOH LIN RUI, PTE Ho Guan Yi and PTE Terence Ching".
It was more emotional for me this time round as i got to wear the prestigious khaki beret, which was put on by my parents, as well as pinned up the guards pin and velcroed the guards step by sir. I really cherished the moment.
At the end of the parade, we threw all the scouts commanders present in2 the air..Sgt Poh, sgt john, sgt jasper, lieutenent simon. We also got to watch a video presentation of how we go thru AIT training..Ex Welcome..Section Field Camp, Live Firing+Live Demo Firing..10km endurance run..2km Coastal Swim..Heli-repelling..Guards Challenge. We've come a long way man...to become a guardsman warrior.
After the video, section 3 took pics 2gether w/ our precious plaque of "best section in battalion". While we were takin pics, CGO, COL Y F Tung talked to us and congratulate us for our performance..hoping that we can become proud guardsmen. Our CO, MAJ Mark Tan oso congratulated us and told us that each of us will be issued a specially made step that wrote "Best in AIT" to commemorate the moment! Hooray to SCT PL Section 3! Hooray to 3 Guards! Now i'm really Always Ready, Ready to Strike!
&its not what you think
3:19 pm
