Book of thoughts

2LT Justin was once a recruit in BMT, not knowing anything about army, who dropped his rifle and got destroyed for it. Who was completely clueless what "wayang" "limpeh" and "liao gas" meant. In OCS, he found a home in tango, enjoyed his time there, meeting many there who shared similar thoughts, ideals and values. It was... comfortable for him. In Pro Term, he was posted to Alpha. A new environment that was unfamilar,. As he went through Alpha, to his dissapointment it was not as easy as Tango was. The way we would do things now were completely different. Everybody was different. At first, he saw it as something that would make him dread his time in OCS. However, slowly but surely, he realised that he himself was imperfect and that he needed to change the way he did things. It was only when he was put under the heat of an uncomfortable environment, that he was able to be moulded into something greater than himself. He gained an appreciation for Alpha, as ...

Two of my biggest inspirations as I integrated into OCS and Tango specifically. I don't think I'd be the person I am today if it weren't for them. They taught me how to be a leader that is fair and merciful. Both have shown me a great level of compassion, deciding not to punish us when we make mistakes, but to make sure we understood the significance of those mistakes.  The point was not to see us suffer, but it was clear that their intention was to see us succeed. They had a way of accomplishing their tasks in a proficient manner despite their lack of "tough love". It showed me that as a commander, winning the respect of my men was the most important thing. With respect, there wouldn't be the issue of worrying about whether they would listen to me or not, and having to burn them and watch them suffer in order for a task to be completed. When you are able to convince your team that your goal is worth it, and that you are someone they would want to root for, th...

Army is the battle, life is the war. It was never about becoming a soldier, it is and always will be about becoming a better person. Whenever we are given challenges in life, it is not uncommon to feel fear of the incoming obstacles, that we would, in our best ability, try to escape the fate that we have been sealed into. Fear of the unknown, a phrase common to us, yet so oblivious and inconspicuous to the men of our age. Most result to putting on a mask, in a bid to hide the fear inside and convince those around them and themselves that they are stronger than they really are. Others hide behind a bullet, shooting others and hurting others to deter the attention and exposure of their weaknesses. Especially throughout my army I’ve witnessed plenty of these experiences, and unfortunately, rarely do I see anyone capable of admitting their fear. Disappointment is all I feel when I see the soldier to my left and right throw incessant remarks and unconstructive criticism around. “You f-ing l...

  These guys always had my back. From week 1 all the way to week 38. From the worst of times to the best of times. From meeting up on weekend mornings to run, have breakfast, and talk, to, crying our hearts out as we threw our caps and berets to the deep blue skies. What a special bunch. How likely is it to find a group that would meet you every week for the past 38 weeks? To find a group that would stay with you for life. The army was surely not the place I’d imagined to find friends for life. I’m not very sure how my weekends and life in service term would've been without you guys, celebrating every milestone we accomplished throughout the army.  When we got our postings, there were mixed feelings. One, that we would be able to go out and finally specialize in our officership. Great news! One other, is that we would not be able to yell each other’s names down the corridor and expect the group to gather together.  Despite this, we continued meeting up every weekend durin...

  You are an absolute mess. Literally. Your room is crazily arranged, it kind of smells a bit musky, and your uniforms have been reused to an uncountable amount. But you know what, you’re still an absolutely solid buddy. Even though we aren't technically buddies, you were there for me in the grittiest, the worst, and the best of times. Holy crap I can't even imagine how the journey would have ended up if you weren't here. Never did I expect to get along so well with a 21-year-old 3SG commando guy living opposite my room. Our first time interacting being when we talked about anime and realized how much of degenerates we were. From there, we only became closer as friends as my negativity and your overwhelming positivity balanced things out. One thing you have to appreciate about yourself is your ability to move on, forget, and forgive, something I struggle a lot with. My worry, pent-up anger, and regret hold me down like a weight tied to my ankles. However, it is with you aro...

  A kind hearted officer who will always rush to the aid of a friend in need. Terrence, you’ve been my semi-buddy throughout pro term, enjoying many laughs and Maggi packets. An outstanding quality that you have is your kind-hearted approach to things. Although there have been times when you’ve been completely pissed off, for the most part you have been a kind friend to me. In alpha, I had many times where I felt angry, stressed, or simply done with being here. And surprisingly in those times when I sit in my room mustering up my hateful thoughts, I would suddenly hear a knocking on the door. You come in with your phone to “charge your phone”. I'm not very sure whether it really was charging your phone, but your presence was appreciated and you would come in and talk, or watch a video, just being a friend and chilling with me. It really took me out of these tough times and helped me calm myself down. When I needed help as a section commander you would willingly say yes. During toug...

  A man with conviction. An influence on me and others alike. A man with a great heart, that laughs, celebrates, and weeps with his men. A man that understands his people's needs and is willing to make the hard decisions, which undoubtedly could cost him the respect of his peers and subordinates, to ensure that they end up at the finish line safe and sound. “The people who truly care about you don't have to tell you they care.” Truly a representation of the soft-spoken, but big-hearted major. Thank you, Major Chan, you’ve impacted our lives, and we will carry the culture you’ve instilled in us over to wherever we go.

Master Hidhir, Master Stamford, and Master Bryant: Throughout this journey, they have been the most humble, professional, skillful, and caring instructors I've met thus far. They’ve shown what it truly means to be a respectable soldier. I’ve personally gained an appreciation and respect for the army because of them. At first glance, having pre-ops prep of them using a ruler to measure every single badge on the No.1, or making sure that all our zip locks were completely airtight and clear may have seemed unnecessary and almost irritating. However, it was only till the execution phase that we realized how important these things were. It was during CSB when I appreciated my zip locks being completely airtight as we traversed the swampy waters. It was during the parade rehearsal vetting where I stared into the glass panes and saw a neatly clad officer staring back, it was during the parade when my parents from the grandstands witnessed the sharpest and smartest looking version of Justi...

Wei Zi Gang Unbeknownst to you, you are the most genuine person I’ve ever met. Someone who isn't afraid to admit his mistake, to cry, to express your disinterest in something, or even to laugh at a joke that seemed funny to only you. It was because of this that I learned to trust those around me, to open up and be more like myself, and to step up with confidence. I had a blast in service term talking cock in bunk and even having deep conversations (surprisingly) once in a while. The time when we discovered that we both like horror game theories and ended up watching dreaming mary playthrough and explanation will always be something I will remember. We’ve had some rough patches where our friendship was tested: When we didn't lock the door during the leadership challenge (lol), and the trip flare we forgot to bring out to Ex Centipede. How did we overcome it? It was precisely because of our willingness, to be honest with each other, and to be open to admitting our mistakes and ta...