Boxing Day, a time for tons of EPL matches, and here I am going back to camp. Ironic. Luckily my dad gave me a lift, felt bad about it but had no choice. Had to report very early, and the trains aren't up early enough for me.
Dad got a little lost, going to Pasir Laba camp instead (old OCS). Reached camp at a surprising 0640. Unpacked a little, then to pt kit and fall in.
Got an introduction to the school's gym, which is very new and a refresher course on CPT 1 and the new CPT 3. Feeling sleepy and tired. Just thinking about coming back on a public holiday turns one off.
A quick bathe and a lecture on CMR by LTA Yew. The 'Z' monster was devestating. Lunch was like a ghost town, only Charlie and Hotel booked in, what crap.
Another lecture, this time on the Risk Evaluation stuff and also the Training Safety Regulations. MAJ Shahrumi is a understanding person, able to handle this bunch of low morale, tired soldiers. His method is much better compared to jumping jacks and push-ups. We also had a surprise open book test. It was quite tough becausr it wasn't easy finding the answers from a thick file.
After dinner, we were given time to pack our field bag, so the airforce people gathered together to standardise among ourselves, kinda nice yeah. Lucky!
Five more days, before I'm home bound again, wondering what awaits the next few days. Before I fell asleep, I thought about some things. And I finally figured out what my nightmare is al about. The one that keeps haunting me ever since young, and for your information its not ghosts chasing after me or something. Come to think of it, it all now makes perfect sense. Sad isn't it?
Tuesday:
Fall in just to force down a bottle of water, someone vomitted and we returned back to our bunks to clean it up.
0700 marked the time for the briefing of our 4km Endurance Training. I think why I still did pretty alright was because of this instructor just tagging behind me all the way, shouting at those infront of me who started walking. At the last stretch, I ran with Zi Hao and pushed and encouraged him till the finish line.
Went to the CAI room to do our Navigation tutorials 1-5, pretty easy I guess, thanks to that someone who taught me, also because geography was part of the syllabus back in college.
A long lunch (finally), a short break back at the wing, before heading back to yet another lecture on leadership, this time concerning discipline. Had several section dicussions and flicks of Band of Brothers.
Went back to the CAI room to complete our G50, which mine was already mostly done, all thanks to Angie! I couldn't log in intially, so for a moment I thought maybe I came to the wrong place?
Dinner was short, then a long standy-by field pack items and off to sleep. I remember ko once asked the band people , "Do you want to go to OCS?" And the trick to this question is that most people want to go because its prestigious, hounourable and stuff, is that he would ask to go as RP or cleaner! It was funny, at that time. With me being here, I realise that coming to OCS has many other reasons too, like driver (rover/tonner) or MP or storeman or clerk or medic or even the cookhouse people! So when people say they're from OCS, make sure of their more specific job scope! =p Nitez.
Wednesday:
I was praying that we didn't had to do another lap on the run, luckily, we didn't have too. Phew -.-"! Finally we had our breakfast in the cookhouse, this time there will be sufficient for all! And I'm surprised to see fishball noodles being served! OCS is really a class of its own, no fight.
Managed to squeeze in a bathe despite the short time given, admin attire with boots, kinky man! Just like being half naked with SBO on. Had lecture for the Chemical Defence Package from 8am all the way to lunch time. Tried on the gas mask for the first time, only after breathing through it for a substancial amount of time, then would you appreciate the air we breathe is truly splendid. I'm serious. So don't take things for granted.
Having completed it very quickly, we had some admin time. Went to the e-mart for the first time to grab an extra pair of pt shoes needed to pack into my field bag. First platoon for lunch too! No need for long queues!
Next up was the practical part of the CDP, where we were taught how to suit up into the different MOPP levels, 0-4 and also the different drills like IA, drinking, canister changing, buddy aid, etc. The suit was thick and hot, smelt like the flight suit when we just draw from the stores. It was pretty fun, especially Jonathan showing me his wrinkled face with the hood on without the mask.
The buddy aid part really hit the spot, with the instructor demostrating on one of our guys, where the actual drill involved the penetration of a 4inch needle. He was so scared that he screamed and shouted even though there was nothing at all! When it came to practice, that irritating Jonathan, I'll get my revenge back!
A refreshing bathe after that hot and stuffy session, short trip to the emart again to get the size of my shoes right, western dinner withWei Siong getting a super big piece of meat! We were like all envious, even the uncle also stunned to see it so big. LoL.
Made it back to wing line before the rain got really heavy. Section 1 gathered at the kitchenette to practice our canister changing drill, pretty excited about the real thing. Get to feel how TS Gas feels especially using it a lot while playing Swat 4. Oh by the way, TS stands for tear gas.
Some quality time to sit down at my desk, looking out of the window with the rain coming down in numbers, with a dark blue sky. Actually feeling pretty good of my platoon, putting in the effort to be a little early, which makes out instructors happy with us.
Whipped out my music and the Kenshin songs reminded me of the figurines I saw the other day at WheelLock Place. Couldn't really decide on getting it because I was more concerned about the present she needed, pretty cool but I'm not really that kind of people who has all that. Oh well.
Briefed by Hotel's PC1 on the Parents' Visit Day, can see that they have thought well about it. Gave a call to my parents regarding the details, looking forward to it.
Thursday:
Fall in with MOPP Zero, kinda stupid isn't? But orders are orders, bringing the IPE suit to the cookhouse is lame, especially with the kinky admin attire with combat boots. My section was lucky enough to take the tonner to Pasir Laba Camp as fatigue warriors. It was the first time I stepped out of game during office hours.
We set up the water point and awaited the rest to march here. I was retail 6's ic, retail by retail, sent to the chamber. Once in MOPP 4, we look like some nuclear waste cleaners or chemical/biological warriors, quite unusual though. Walking in it was like astronauts in their space suits, skipping around on the moon.
Found myself in the chamber, did the 5 exercises, then the canister change. Panicked a little and I breathed some of it. Before removing our masks, the instructors put on a new tablet. First in the line, I was tapped and I proceeded on as tasked. With the smoke directly blown into my face, I shouted, "Officer Cadet Cheng..., NIRC S86... REPORTING SIR!"
As calmly as I could, I exited, where I can feel the effects of the chemicals. Face and eyes burning, tears naturally came out and mucus started to form in my nose. Exposure to the atmosphere, it started to wear off, and I could see the rest of my retail people coming out one by one in the same condition as me. Haha, I was laughing at them, the expression is something you won't get to see in others especially guys. Lucky I was the ic so I came out first.
As the ic, when I wanted to report strength requesting permission to return to the training shed, the instructors played a trick on me. With three of them together, they asked me who I needed to report to. So I just had to guess, probabilty of getting right is one-third right? But no, it was actually LTA Isaac Ho, who was not one of them. Darn! The toilet was once again back to the forest, just like the old times, upstream and downstream? =p
A brief orientation of the area, the new SISPEC school, rambutan hill and NTU just a short distance away, we marched back to wing line, crossing the magnificient Link Bridge, morale extremely high. Had to bathe properly in order to remove all the chemicals.
Nasi Briyani for lunch hit the spot! Back to CAI for Navigation Tutorials 5-9, pretty easy and also learned several new stuffs. Totally Top Secret, true true. A little back on schedule because of some slow learners, we ran back in our no. 4s and a 12min change to pt kit.
A session of interval training. A total of 9laps to do, on the 7th lap, somebody (I don't know who) shoved me from side and I tripped onto the divider (the raised thing between the track and the grass), my right foot sprained inwards, left knee cut and I spinned two revolutions before springing up to meet the timing. One of my airforce friend said he was running behind me and when I got up, we were side by side to cross the finishing line, I myself couldn't believe that too.
With determination, I ran/limped the last two laps. As time passed, my injury got worse. First was severe limping, then the ice packs on my leg (my leg really went numb because of the cold). Next I found myself on the safety rover, dependent on others' support to travel. The rest of the night was just me lying on the icy cold floor of my bunk, with an ice pack on my leg which was raised on a pail.
When it got a little less pain, managed to take a shower by wrapping my leg in plastic bag so the bandage won't get wet, just like once in BMT. It was really painful that I couldn't fall asleep at all, that really sucked.
Friday:
Woke up in pain, much worst than yesterday. Could hardly walk, all thanks to Brian and Chee Hean for helping me, aiding in my walking, helping me get food and stuff. All morning, I laid on bed, resting, waiting for time pass so I could go see the MO, who only arrives at 8am.
Limped to the medical centre, met Meng Siong (old Victorain) and chatted with him. The doctor was impressive, just by asking me to do some postures and he could tell what's wrong. Gave me 5days excuse lower limb and panadols (seems like any and everything also anyhow give). A left knee bandage by a merticulous and gentle medic and off I go.
On my back, saw my wing guys, LTA Isaac Ho saw me and told me about the things I missed in the morning. Saw my platoon guys too, kinda disappointing I missed out on the activities. Returned to my bunk to rest more, as instructed by the MO. They came back around 11plus, and I went lunch together with them. Got sandles from the emart (to fit a bandaged ankle) and cut my hair (on the way).
They all went outfield for the navigation exercise, and I was all alone back at wing line. It was boring and stuff. Half of them came back for dinner and left again. They return in two waves at around 10/11 plus in the night. A mass area cleaning and washing up of the equipment, total havoc. Because of tomorrow's visit, everything was rushed and stuff. Got it quite badly, only turned in at around 0115, and had to wake up at the same time on Saturday.
2:44 pm;