Ask not what your country can do for you...

...ask what it can do to you.

1. Basic Military Training (BMT)

Adverse Conditions:

• 6 hours (max if lucky) of unrestful sleep,
• and a pathetic portion for breakfast (sometimes a single tiny miserable burger),

• at around 6am and expected to last all morning until lunch much later around 12pm.

Damage to Health:

• I was once denied rest for not running a fever,

• despite having all the other symptoms of flu,

• and was accused of trying to 'geng' (malinger).

• My stamina also dropped rapidly to an abnormal level,

• I'd gasp for air after running a mere few metres without any load,

• compared with junior college days of catching my breath by just panting several times,

• after running all the way from the bus-stop to assembly while carrying a heavy school bag.

Care for Soldiers:

• I was still reeling and too exhausted from the prior strenuous exercise,

• to run while making my way to the armskote room to return my rifle.

• Platoon Commander singled me out to be punished,

• with not only further physical strain but also open humiliation,

• and as I was struggling to "knock it down" (do push-ups) in front of everybody,

• he screamed at me a sentence forever etched in my memory "I don't care if you die!"

Hoops of Persistent Negligence:

• Medical Officer trivialised my difficulties and declared them all to be "purely psychological".

• I had to insist on a check-up and was referred to their Central Manpower Base.
• A heart murmur was detected but carelessly dismissed as "functional",

• despite it being a new symptom not present during the pre-enlistment screening.

• I had to safeguard my life by seeking help from a specialist,

• and mindfully chose a government/ public rather than private one,

• to avoid being accused of "buying letters" (fake or exaggerated diagnoses).

• I was found to have mitral valve prolapse by National Heart Centre,

• and downgraded to PES C9 status promptly without further question.

2. National Service (NS)

Empress Dowager:

• S1/ Manpower Officer asked me whether I went to Principal Staff Officers (PSOs),

• to personally remind them to collect their transport claim reimbursements.

• I replied that I didn't because my upper-study never taught me to,

• and also that they'd know since reminders were being published in Routine Orders (RO).

• She said that they might not see it,

• so I asked wasn't it "every serviceman's responsibility to read RO"?

• She replied "no arguments!"

Escalation for Clarification:
• After obeying her commands I emailed Commanding Officer,

• to seek an answer to my question and also ask whether it'd be fair,

• to fault or punish me if I failed to remind PSOs to collect their reimbursements.

• He confirmed that it was indeed every serviceman's responsibility to read RO,

• but presumed that due to the nature of their work,

• she might've wanted to offer them a service,

• in which case she should've specifically tasked someone to do it.

• He gathered from the way I wrote that she didn't and instead simply expected me to know,

• in which case it might not have been fair to me,

• but "if otherwise" (meaning if she did task me and I refused),

• then I "did not comply with lawful orders".

Ending with Disappointment:

• I responded to confirm that she didn't task me beforehand and to share that I was surprised,

• because by offering them a service which belittled their abilities,
• it'd appear as if she herself had lost faith in their competence as PSOs,

• for how were they supposed to handle affairs involving the whole unit,

• if they couldn't even remember such simple personal matters.

• I assured him that I would not refuse to comply with lawful orders,

• would instead remind the PSOs to collect their own money,

• and thanked him for his enlightening advice.

3. In-Camp Training (ICT)/ Reservist

Sacrifice:

• I was still on probation at a new job and so could apply for deferment,

• which would push this last ICT past my statutory age and effectively let me miss/ escape it,
• but eventually decided to withdraw my deferment application,
• in anticipation of one last opportunity for positive closure,

• should things have changed for the better as my new S1 seemed nice,

• and in support of the camp's KPI/ goal of maximum reservist turnout.

Reward:

• I was unfairly charged for the very first time ever,

• and punished for essentially not having psychic powers,

• to know about an offence which was supposed to be expounded on,

• during a briefing that I was actually on my way to attend.

Circumstances:

• SMS stated vaguely to "not bring in any camera enabled devices even your in car camera",

• it was not even indicated on the SAF100 full official notification,

• my previous ICT was 13 years ago (in 2006),

• nevertheless I had a sense to leave my iPhone at home,

• but my IVC could not be removed without risking damage to the windscreen,

• so I not only disabled it by unplugging the wires but also used a pouch to enclose it.

• When the guard asked what was inside I answered candidly and he stopped my car,

• so I did not even enter/ drive into camp.

• As a result, I missed the initial half of the briefing,

• which my buddy said covered this rule in-depth for 20-30 minutes.