Life After BMT

I'm here to share some of my experience after BMT. Do take note that this experience might differ as different people have different vocations and pes status.

As I've mentioned earlier I'm Pes C9L2, so after BMT my vocation was a Technician. 

Hopefully this can give you a rough idea how army is like after BMT.

1) Attend Courses

This is probably a technician thing. 

After BMT, its like you're studying for the next 4 months. 

From lessons in class, hands on to E-Learning.
They even have tests to test you and you have to score well for it.
If you never get at least a certain percentage you will need to recourse another 4 months. 

I'm not a very smart person but managed to get the top 12% in my cohort lah. So i think anyone can do it without a problem. 

After you get into your unit there are other courses you will need to complete.

2) Complete SOFUN

SOFUN is not actually fun. Its a term in army whereby you have to complete your IPPT, go for your range etc.

Range here isn't like in Tekong anymore, you do it in like this big facility where night time is simulated. Don't think you can escape SOFUN because the S3 clerks will haunt you down.

3) Healthy Lifestyle (HLS)

HLS is something you have to do every Odd day of the week. its tiring to exercise early in the morning. but you get to choose to go to the gym, run/walk or play games like basket ball, soccer, badminton etc.

Something to keep you going and look forward to lor!

(Anyway gym & games is depends on your unit have a not one ah) 

4) Bookout in CV

Oh gosh. Please everyone BOOKOUT IN CV. When you're in unit you can bookout in your CV attire.

I know everyone after camp will be very tired etc, want to sit inside mrt right? You want to risk wearing uniform and get stomped a not?

And now you don't have to tuck in your clothes like a nerd anymore, plus you can wear ankle socks as long as the socks are visible to the eye. 

*If you're the less fortunate one that have to stay-in camp, paiseh ah lol*

5) Botak hair is actually not allowed 

A bit ironic but you actually get punished if you shave your head bald.

There's a standard haircut by the army that you have to follow. 

Botak are for recruits & people who go to the Detention Barack. 

However you still have to shave your side burns and the back of your hair. 

*If you're naturally balding, that one of cause no worries lah*

6) Many Celebrations for you to attend

The one big fun part about army is that there are SO MANY EVENTS. 

They celebrate every festival (Chinese new year, Deevapali, Hari Raya, Christmas etc) 

On top of that you get to go on many army outings. (NSF Appreciation day, SAF day etc) 

This is what you can't get when you're actually working outside. 

Parades are also counted as such events and there are normally 1-2 events within a month. 

So this is something that you can look forward to instead of your normal standard routine.

Also, If you're lucky enough you get an OFF day on your birthday too! Well that depends on your superior too!

7) Superiors are actually very nice

I don't know about you. unlike BMT I was blessed enough to have so many nice superiors. 

In fact I think there aren't any superiors that I dislike in my unit. 

They really respect you, and care for you. Most importantly, they trust you.

My dog passed away one month before I ORD. I received the bad news while I was in camp and told my superior immediately.

Without hesitation, he asked me to leave and go back to accompany my dog for his last few moments.

Even after I ORD, they still asked if I was doing alright and how my family was coping. This is something that I will never forget. To have such gracious and genuinely kind superiors, I am truly blessed.

8) Instant Cleaning Sponges

If you're always in the mud, getting dirty or even having grease on you. This is something that you need. 

Better than wipes, this sponge is very durable sia. like forever won't spoil one I tell you. Dirty just use soap to clean it.

What's good about this is that it cleans you off very quickly, okay lah if you're a bit dirty you can actually just use the sponge to clean your face without cleanser. SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME.

Anyway, if you're a technician like me, you often get grease on your clothing and it turns into this dark difficult to wash away dirt. Just use the sponge  with water to wipe it away, the effect is immediate.

Update* People kept asking me where to buy the sponge its here:



CLICK ME

9) You can Trade Blood with Time

I think this is going to sound silly, but do you know that there's a blood donation every 3 months, and when you go and donate your blood in the morning you can get an OFF day straight after it?

I always joked about trading blood with time is worth it, come to think of it, you might help save someone else's time and at the same time you can get an OFF day! 1 stone kill two birds. HAHA (Okay la this one you all want say chaogeng say lah hor haha)

10) Plan your Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Please everyone. Get your wisdom tooth extracted when you're in the army. Don't be a pussy, scared to extract. Its free!!! On top of that you get 16 days of MC (8 for each side of your wisdom tooth)

I would say I went for the MC of cause. (I know people going to KP again, say you geng - please hor throughout my entire unit life i only took MC ONCE + this wisdom tooth extraction)

Moreover, if you were to get your wisdom tooth extracted after army, it will cost you around $700-800/tooth. See you want GENG a not lor *roll eyes*

11) You get to experience things 

One big part of my army career (I would treat this two years as an internship) is that you get to experience many different things that you don't see.

In my unit, I was the media guy, always in charge of anything that has to deal with posters/photos/videos just to make fellow NSFs have a better view of the army.

I will always feel blessed to be part of NDP SG50. Being the Media IC for our maintenance section. Sounds tiring but it was worth it.

For many of you haters who think I PES C chaogeng, wait until you did what I've done for my unit then you come and say i Chaogeng bah. - laughs

12) Before you realise, its over

This got to be funny because we always complain haven't ORD but actually time passes really quickly.

With so many events, course for you to attend, its like hitting milestones every few months which makes your army time fly like free flow one! haha

13) When you look back, you actually enjoyed it

I never thought I would say this. I've always thought that the army is a waste of my time but when so many good memories, the positive has already flushed the negative ones away.

Not to say that army is really FUN. It is the moments you experience are fun. I don't know how to put it but I felt very accomplished back in my unit.

I've done what I wanted to do, and i really thank my superiors for entrusting this task to me and also recognise my efforts for what I've put in for my unit.

I will always remember what my CO told me while he gave me the CO coin.

"I'm sorry but I don't have anything else to give you other than this!" - SIBEI TOUCHED OMG.

Last but not least, I would like to take this time to thank my fellow peers, my S3, DY, OPs Warrant, BSM, Superiors in my Depot for giving me such an amazing an positive army experience.

- I'm like 10months late to say thank you but still, Thank you for being kind and gracious towards me

I've come to the end of this post. I hope this will help people to have an idea of how army looks like. Its not all negative lah, Singaporeans just like to complain, and I know MANY MANY people will kpkb after seeing this.

I only have 1 thing to say to you haters,

If by scolding me will make you happier, then feel free to do so. At least I've made someone happy today.

P/S : PHOTOS ARE GOOGLED Feel free to ask me to take down thanks!