Well, after my studies in SP, and after a few months of temporary work, it's time to do my National Service.
I was first sent to Pulau Tekong, an island off the North Eastern coast of mainland Singapore. As for the other minor details, I suppose I cannot reveal more. Basically, I underwent 3 months or so of Basic Military Training in that island, and after which, posted to School of Military Medicine (SMM) to convert me into a Medic, for the Singapore Armed Forces.
SMM was the place where I spent my 21st Birthday in, doing Guard Duty! As I was on course during the period where SMM was still in Ulu Pandan, I celebrated the occasion with a buddy while on Guard Duty, facing the main gate, facing the cars that zoomed past, heading towards Holland Village. So sad. Oh, the buddy was SYM, one of the VIP in my Credit List. In fact, I knew him during my SP days. We were in the same course, but differnt class. Now that in the Army, we get to know each other better. Another buddy I met during this period was EYS. He was also posted to the same unit as me after SMM.
During the trainee days in SMM, the most dreadful activity was having live infusion. Poking each other with a thick needle was no joke! Anyway, to cut the story short, I graduated from SMM, emerging Platoon best, and then posted to PLCMC, with EYS.
PLCMC was a 24 hour Medical Centre and hence a lot of manpower was needed. As PLCMC also covered other outfield activities, there were a lot of attachments to vaious units as well. Within months of being posted to PLCMC, I was then sent back to SMM. Nope. Not for re-training, but for up-grading. I was sent back to SMM for Specialist course, in which, after graduation, I will attain a rank of 3SG.
SMM was then re-located to a camp along Upper Thomson Road. This time, the faciities and living conditions were much better as compared to Ulu Pandan. However, I still like the Ulu Pandan camp more. Perhaps it is the run-down state and basic simple failities, that I enjoyed more. The new state-of-the-art facilities are good, but it lacks a certain kind of feel, that's hard to explain. Or maybe, just to illustrate... Imagine living in a kampong and in a modern HDB. Living in the HDB will have all utilities (water and electricity) readily available. However, it's living in a kampong that require neighbours to help and assist each other for simple chores, and it is precisely this, or what some calls it the "Kampong Spirit" that actually stands it out from the rest. So, Ulu Pnadan and the new camp. Same analogy, same situation.
After more live infusions, attachements to fire station ambulances and hospitals, I graduated again from SMM and back to PLCMC.
Life in PLCMC was pretty OK. I spent close to 2 years in PLCMC alone out of my 2.5 years Army life. The only ctirical times was during SARS, where health care personel like us, were under more pressure than during normal times... Body temperature taking became part and parcel of life. I was lucky enough to spend some time with some of the top officials to establish certain in-house and zonal procedures for SARS.
SARS over, and it's now back to basic safety. Again, I was working with some of the officials again to work out on some Medic Handbook so that it bacame a quick reference guide for the Medic as it came in handy during sticky situation times.
During my stay in PLCMC, I met up with another 2 more VIP in my Credit List, SSM and SBS. Both were my good Medics, asissting me back in PLCMC.
2.5 years passed like a breeze. Even though it was tough during the Army, time seemed to be better utilised. In fact, a lot of things were achieved during this 2.5 years. I learnt mostly on Medical knowledge and applications, but there are certain unspoken skills learnt as well... Human and time management.
All in all, Army life was fulfilling and time was best utilised during this period. Next up, post Army life, University life and work life...
I was first sent to Pulau Tekong, an island off the North Eastern coast of mainland Singapore. As for the other minor details, I suppose I cannot reveal more. Basically, I underwent 3 months or so of Basic Military Training in that island, and after which, posted to School of Military Medicine (SMM) to convert me into a Medic, for the Singapore Armed Forces.
SMM was the place where I spent my 21st Birthday in, doing Guard Duty! As I was on course during the period where SMM was still in Ulu Pandan, I celebrated the occasion with a buddy while on Guard Duty, facing the main gate, facing the cars that zoomed past, heading towards Holland Village. So sad. Oh, the buddy was SYM, one of the VIP in my Credit List. In fact, I knew him during my SP days. We were in the same course, but differnt class. Now that in the Army, we get to know each other better. Another buddy I met during this period was EYS. He was also posted to the same unit as me after SMM.
During the trainee days in SMM, the most dreadful activity was having live infusion. Poking each other with a thick needle was no joke! Anyway, to cut the story short, I graduated from SMM, emerging Platoon best, and then posted to PLCMC, with EYS.
PLCMC was a 24 hour Medical Centre and hence a lot of manpower was needed. As PLCMC also covered other outfield activities, there were a lot of attachments to vaious units as well. Within months of being posted to PLCMC, I was then sent back to SMM. Nope. Not for re-training, but for up-grading. I was sent back to SMM for Specialist course, in which, after graduation, I will attain a rank of 3SG.
SMM was then re-located to a camp along Upper Thomson Road. This time, the faciities and living conditions were much better as compared to Ulu Pandan. However, I still like the Ulu Pandan camp more. Perhaps it is the run-down state and basic simple failities, that I enjoyed more. The new state-of-the-art facilities are good, but it lacks a certain kind of feel, that's hard to explain. Or maybe, just to illustrate... Imagine living in a kampong and in a modern HDB. Living in the HDB will have all utilities (water and electricity) readily available. However, it's living in a kampong that require neighbours to help and assist each other for simple chores, and it is precisely this, or what some calls it the "Kampong Spirit" that actually stands it out from the rest. So, Ulu Pnadan and the new camp. Same analogy, same situation.
After more live infusions, attachements to fire station ambulances and hospitals, I graduated again from SMM and back to PLCMC.
Life in PLCMC was pretty OK. I spent close to 2 years in PLCMC alone out of my 2.5 years Army life. The only ctirical times was during SARS, where health care personel like us, were under more pressure than during normal times... Body temperature taking became part and parcel of life. I was lucky enough to spend some time with some of the top officials to establish certain in-house and zonal procedures for SARS.
SARS over, and it's now back to basic safety. Again, I was working with some of the officials again to work out on some Medic Handbook so that it bacame a quick reference guide for the Medic as it came in handy during sticky situation times.
During my stay in PLCMC, I met up with another 2 more VIP in my Credit List, SSM and SBS. Both were my good Medics, asissting me back in PLCMC.
2.5 years passed like a breeze. Even though it was tough during the Army, time seemed to be better utilised. In fact, a lot of things were achieved during this 2.5 years. I learnt mostly on Medical knowledge and applications, but there are certain unspoken skills learnt as well... Human and time management.
All in all, Army life was fulfilling and time was best utilised during this period. Next up, post Army life, University life and work life...
