Better After BMT

It has not even been one month since the day of my graduation parade, passing out from BMT. Yet it seems like an all so distant memory. NS life in my new unit has been very much different from that of BMT... and mostly better.

In BMT, the schedule is packed stiff almost everyday, until the last 2 weeks where we finally experience some adequate free time. Training could last into the night, and even if there was no program after dinner, there would always be some administrative stuff for us to do. so often it even drags past our usual lights-out timing, and they would give an extension not even long enough for us to bathe. on the average we get about 6 hours sleep a day. Now in unit, the program for the day ends by 6pm, and after dinner its all OTOT, free from commander's disturbance. i foresee some night activity in time to come, but probably not too late or often. we can easily get 7 hours sleep everyday now, sometimes even 8.

In BMT, the duty sergeant breathes down our neck every step, every activity we do. Now in unit, the sergeants just follow us around and hardly do anything. Officers and warrant officers have closer contact with us, but only play a supervisory role. Now our own IC takes charge of minor activities. In effect, the 'power distance' between us and each rank of commanders is severely shorter now, and we no longer feel like the lowest lifeforms around.

in BMT, all sorts of people with all sorts of backgrounds, characters, personalities, abilities, and way of life are put together. My platoon, and especially my section, was just a bad combination of people, and our differences were great. Now in this new community, we are all sorted out as those of a certain kind. All the 'leadership quality' people have gone to leadership schools. Those include all the stuck-up arrogant ones who think they are on top of everything and begin scolding all their peers who dont perform as well. they think they are the leaders, so they should be in control. I am now together with the 'non-leaders', who prefer a supportive, backseat stance. we dont insist on our own ways, and so can cooperate much easier. we do not enjoy bossing others around. there are none among us, so far as i can see, who are arrogant, chiongsters, overly influential, or have attitude problems. Now just after 2 weeks, i can feel the bond and camaraderie among us, even greater than my platoon at the end of BMT.

Of course, the camp im in now is significantly lousier and older than Tekong's. But on the take side, at least it is back on the mainland, feeling much closer to home, and takes only half the time to get home, despite being quite an ulu location.

And whats more, after my training phase, life should get even better!
Thanks be to God, who has planned for me my paths, to fulfil His plans for me.