Got no time for BMT, but got time for POP!

8 Jan 2011 was a day of double once-a-lifetime celebrations:
Firstly, my cousin's wedding; the first of my cousins to get married. Congrats to him...
And secondly, is none other than my POP!
Though the clash made me miss the tea ceremony in the morning and my parents to miss my POP, i managed to attend both in the end.

POP marked the end of my BMT, and possibly the last of my times on that tekong island. Even if i have to ever go back there again, never again as a recruit!
Memorable is the moment where i tossed up my jockey cap together with 1900 other recruits, standing proud on the marina floating platform, in the sight of our friends and loved ones, and officially graduated from a recruit. But memorable also are the last events leading up to it.

During the last week in tekong, all hell broke loose during our free time in the bunk; pranking one another like there's no tomorrow. I got it one of the worst; with powder, toothpaste, booby trap on my locker, and a massive pin-down.
There was the farewell session with our commanders, where we all powder-bathed them till their hair and uniform were all white. haha.
There was the slightly emotional last departure from tekong island, with both happy and sad feelings.
And then there on the mainland, was our 24+km route march from Changi ferry terminal all the way down East coast park and finally into Marina bay, with our bulging field packs containing everything remaining in our lockers, all in. Our legs were crumbling, shoulders sore, hands numb, and stayed on the brink of falling asleep anywhere - pushed on solely by our morale to POP, so that not one person fell out.

But BMT is only the first 10% of my NS time, meant to turn me from a civilian to a soldier. Its just the tip of the iceburg, all just the basics, all purposed for adaptation. Now the real stuff comes when i join my next unit - to train me from a soldier to be a better, well trained, specialised army personnel. everything should be pushed a bar higher. but it really much depends, cause some accounts say unit life is more slack than BMT... just some give and take.
Now i get a brief 1-week break; a blessed relief nevertheless.
To recharge to fight on again harder and longer, for the rest of my unit life.

I just pray for God's best will for me as to where i am posted to next. i might be disappointed. but i must not let my personal preferences cloud my vision in seeing how God's plan for me is the best.