I verily swear, I have, in one of my rare "Eureka!" moments, found the answer to the SAF's labour problems.
CIP-hour-hungry secondary schoolkids.

Imagine - they do menial work for us (compile reports, help conduct checks on equipment). We give them hours to top up their CIP. We involve them with community work (military defefence work benefits all leh), we get more things done, we see less flag day cans out there on the streets in the hands of bored-to-death teenagers. And they get their hours, and their CCA points. And they get a glimpse of life beyond BMT, a look at NS life behind-the-Carnival@Marina.

There are more deathly options available, of course. How about job attachment programmes? Experience the life of a clerk in manpower branch. Or a transport supervisor. Or an ops specialist. Or ordinary chiong-sua PS. Imagine, a chance to see life in the army even before you enlist. (And also to see how much menial sai-kang one can possibly handle). Brrr - you can hear the students shivering with excitement now.

If at all possible we should make this a compulsory programme (NS hours + CIP hours?), or increase the CIP hours requirement to a point where they have no choice but to come ;-) Singapore population is decreasing, mah. All you young-uns, time to do your national duty!

I can hear knives sharpening in the background already ^_^; but you have to admit, it is a pretty good idea...

The Recrudescence

As the reserve for the Padang guards, I never expected to be called back into action ever again after my officer allowed them to stay out and not return to camp till after NDP - effectively meaning you work 1 day and get 2 days off. So it was to my astonishment when in the midst of a lunchbreak whilst packing the NDP funpacks, my sergeant called me over and said that one of my friend couldn't be contacted, and I was to pack my stuff and head down to the Padang immediately.

Apparently, the duty times had changed from 12 - 12 and my friend who was supposed to report at 11 am didn't turn up and 2 hours of incessant calling turned up fruitless. He did call eventually about 5 hours later, overslept and in a blur about what to do, so I told him the best option was to report sick and to claim he had taken medicine. I know not the best advice to give, but at least it saved his skin.

I had mentioned slightly under a month back that I hoped I would never see Pte Khor again, (though my friends did jokingly mention he did ask after me) and I really did think I would never see him again, but alas as fate would have it, I would run into him again ... and guess what was the first thing he said to me as I stumbled into the room ...

"Hey friend! Wah how come you come back liao ... hey join my detail leh ..."

Myself - stunned in momentary silence, trying to compose myself ...

"Erm no thanks ... "

Then as with little warning he was in there as I entered, I left the room abruptly, preferring to hide in the next room. Its not like I'm trying to be mean or what, but as you should know from my previous entries, I just can't stand him, and some of his antics hasn't exactly pandered him to everyone around him.

Apparently one night he decided to take a nap on the grandstands and his partner left him there, and called the other 2 guards to have a laugh at him. He intelligently dropped his mobile whilst napping, and suddenly back at the ops room, unwittingly confessed to his crime in front of the BOS (1st sergeant on duty with the group)

"Alamak I lost my handphone, must be dropped while I was sleeping"

Spilt right in front of the 1SG no less, he escaped with a chiding for dozing on the job, and subsequently returned to pick up his mobile.

The duty wasn't as frustrating as it was with Pte Khor, and went by without event, though as we left City Hall, his 3 friends stood by and watched as we were coming out ... to see Pte Khor carrying the rubbish bag, ensuring the security guard didn't see him, before dumping the rubbish into the Supreme Court dump. It certainly gives a whole new meaning to taking the mickey.

Linus' Daily Antics |
Original Post

Equidistant of Emotions

The day started on a hilarious note, once again with my platoon-mate (yes the one who volunteered for a strip search at range, and slightly smarter than Private Khor (read Adventures of Private Khor & The Finale). Hmm, maybe I should give him a name - alright Private Lee it is.

Pte Lee: "Hey, you know today got JC students coming leh ..."
Moi: "Isit ... where?"
Pte Lee: "There the alpha recruits were carrying the signboards, CHIJ Toa Payoh, St. Michaels ..."
(BTW for the record, the erm signboards he were referring to were actually for the primary schools)
Sometimes I really don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The grave difference between the police and the army - police get ice mountain mineral water to drink, we get NEWater.

I'm always perplexed as to how my dad can put in so much effort and be engrossed in his work despite not getting the just rewards, and I fear some genetic inheritance might have set in along the years. Though I'm far from close to his dilligent attitude, I sometimes berate myself at getting "bullied" (just like my dad! ) - getting scorched in the blazing afternoon sun in the process whilst others hide in the shade (and getting sun burnt technically - my skin is reminiscent of my POP rehearsals ... oh but my former PC had it worst - his face was BLACK - literally ). Then, after the mobile column left, suddenly all the other 4 disappeared without a trace, leaving me alone there to man the area.

I've said before I'm not the most hardworking person you would find around, but I find it hard to dispense of all responsibilities and leave someone or no one alone to do all the work - maybe its an in-born or a generic trait, but perhaps something I should get accustomed to.

BTW the president made an inconspicuous entry to the Esplanade for a show at about 7.25 pm, oblivious to the surrounding crowds as all eyes were up to the skies looking at the aerial prowess of the Air Force. Just in case you were interested as my friend asked me today, yes the president has bodyguards everywhere he goes, coupled with ammunition. Well, they did join in my cousin's wedding when the president attended ... oh did I mention my cousin-in-law even made the president wait as they arrived late?

Linus' Daily Antics | Original Post