Lights Out!! Leo's one and only blog

Been a while since I last blogged. Finished SIT(Situation) test, SOC and finally(!) my live range. For SIT test, I did 2 missions. One as IC and 2IC and passed and failed the missions respectively. While moving from one mission to the other, the sergeant/officer assigned to you would shag you as much as possible so that for the next mission, you'll be tired and cannot think clearly(not to mention the time limit for each mission). The thing was, I did not feel pressurised. Rather, I was actually enjoying myself! For every day of the 2 days of SIT test there'll be a "special" mission(like I'll tell you), where everyone would get together to plan for and execute at the end of the day. On the second day, I did quite alot of the planning for the special mission and when it got to the time to do that mission, I applied camo(it was my BABY mission man!) even when it was not a requirement! So For IC for my first mission, mission successful, as 2IC, mission failed(My IC didn't do much and I was always waiting for him to give instructions that unfortunately did not come), the special mission, successful. Overall, SIT test is fun! For my friends who're going to enter NS, enjoy SIT test, dun stress yourself and you'll do just fine... and one more thing, try to give as much suggestions to the IC as possible to help them(but do NOT try to take over) and to succesfully complete the mission asap(you dunno how much you'll help them)!

SOC, I finished afew days ago. To tell the truth, everyone was tired that day as we spent 5 hours earlier in the parade square to rehearse for our POP(that is next week yeeha!). SOC comprises of a 700m run down, many obstacles and another 600m run. Sounds easy? In the words of the most ZAI officer 2lt "Heng": "F*** U understand?" during the 700m run, you'll start feeling tired. At the low wall, many people already cannot clear it. At the end of the obstacles to the 600m run, alot of people would be dragging themselves and alot others would be walking already though I kept on running(I never quit though I felt like dying that time). Anyway, my timing, 9.13 min which is quite good! I was actually targeting a 9.30(1 min earlier than the passing time of 10.30min) timing and getting this timing made me proud(because I repeated 2 stations where one, I forgot to unsling my rifle and the sergeant made me repeat it and the other, the low rope when I kept slipping off and did 3 times)! I'll be back with a better timing, I promise!

Finally, range! I finished my range last night. Why so late? Because was on sick leave on the test day of the range so I had to do a "rerange". I was actually very lucky because only 6 people could go for it and 4 others and I were vying for a 7th(which the officer said he would try to squeeze into) but day before he said that he would make a decision on who would be the 7th based on our performance. That night, I prayed for a place. So the next day, I went to him and he said that there would be no more 7th as not enough ammo was indented resulting in a tremendous fall in morale. Knowing that this could not happen, not here, not now, I've already gone so far and I cannot let the range stop me from going to commander school I asked if I could swap places with anyone who did not want to go and the officer gave me the green light. I immediately rushed to ask my platoon mates going to range if anyone didn't wanna go. The first, Calvin aka chao keng aka malingering had to go because he haven't gone for range at all, the second one, Nazrul(who failed the first test) said ok and happily I went to the officer to let him know. When I was there, another person wanted to swap with me so that he could do his IPPT. That meant that there was now 2 places but I swapped with the IPPT guy so that Naz could go for(and pass which he did) range. I really thank God for giving me the chance to go for range. And when drawing arms, I drew Shane's(aka Morpheus aka The Euraisian) rifle because I know that he did well for his range unlike the rifle that was given to me that cannot be zeroed properly(my first range was a disaster because I went BOBO). So after zeroing my weapon at range I proceeded to the actual test, guess what? I am a marksman! 28 out of 32 shots! Just nice. Once a marksman(NCC), always a marksman! Thank God again and thank The Euraisian for his very good rifle.

Next week, POP and IPPT test during bloc leave(I was sick for one of my IPPT tests that's why cannot complete mah). Finally a private and a $100 increase in salary. Hopefully, a place in commander school(Overseas Courier Service).