It has been a long time ago since I entered the army to begin my 2.5 years of compulsory national service at 18. I went in as a naive, innocent and pampered teenager and it eventually molded me into a man, rich in new life experiences.
Initially, it was a total cultural shock to suddenly have to bunk in with 39 other strangers for the first 3 months, in an army camp located on an island. This was followed by another 3 months of vocational training before I was assigned to my permanent home for the remaining time.
As luck would have it, I was the only person in my batch that was sent to the Air Force. I joined a team that was in charge of an island which was used for live firing practice by the fighter pilots. We were a small group of about 15, made up of a motley bunch of people from all walks of life. Being better educated but the most junior ranking newbie meant that I was at the mercy of the older guys there. I grew up fast. Learn to curse like a pro and was able to describe in dialect terms the opponent’s parents private parts in graphic detail. Somehow, I managed to pull through it all. We were required to stay on the live firing islands for a few days at a time and none of them could cook a decent meal. As I was interested in cooking since I was young, I decided to try my hand at this. They were my guinea pigs. Thankfully, they liked what I dished out and hence my social ranking order notched up a little.
If I could sum up my overall experience in the army, it will be that I discovered how fortunate I was. I made friends with a lot of the GD (General Duties) guys on my team who treated the army as a transit station with zero plans for the future. For me, I had the bright prospect of going to the uni after it was over.
Some colourful characters I still remember till this day : Teo, the loan shark runner with the golden necklace and bundles of cash; Yeo, the bulldog looking one with a soft heart; Lin, the wise looking one who would eventually return back to Holland to work as a cook in his uncle’s shop; Ong, who started a vegetarian noodle shop in a hawker center; Ling, going back to helping his mom run her vegetable shop in the wet market.
All of us shared a short time together and then parted ways forever. As we were young men not jaded by life’s ups and downs yet, we learned to enjoy each other’s company as best as we could during difficult times. I learnt about human nature and behaviours, made friends and toughen up. I began to appreciate my family even more than before, knowing that my parents will always be there for me and to help me create a better future for myself. I hope that my two sons will also gain positive experiences like me when it is time for them to serve the nation.
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