To all NYP MK0304 mates, the Army Open House will be held from 30 Aug to 3 Sep at SAFTI Military Institute/Pasir Laba Camp. For the first time since we enlisted, the five jokers will be together at the same place for 5 days. Do come down and visit because it would be fun.

I'll be a vehicle guide for the ride in this attraction called Missions World, where the public will sit in an army 5-ton truck and view the various army units fighting a mission. Armour tanks would be firing, combat engineers laying their bridges, guardsmen rappelling from helicopters etc.

I may not be a fan or advocate of conscription, but this army open house will showcase what the SAF is best at: deterrence. This AOH is also somewhat of an eye-opener for me too. The past year in NS has been all about whacking and whacking and whacking the enemy and then disappear. That is the bread and butter of special forces.

So it will be something new to me too to see how the various units in the army work and coordinate their plans e.g. Armour clearing the battlefield first, Artillery shelling the area, Guards securing the seized territory, Signals and Combat Service Support providing essential services... It will be interesting.

I've been given a super long weekend, lasting from last friday night till tonight. This is because of the AOH, which will burn my weekend two weeks from now. I went swimming, shopping, eating, chilling at home, watching tv.. Oh man, the life. It's drawing nearer and nearer and nearer.

I dunno which will come first, global recession or my ORD? I'm contemplating saving my money the old-fashioned way, in a piggy bank. DUn wanna risk the bank closing down on me.

Combat shoot is finally over. The whole process is so long and with all the reshoots, we only reached camp around 2.30am Sat morning. Because of this combat shoot, I had to book in early on National Day, and book out on Sat morning. I don't understand why they must keep us in camp for that few hours. We aren't gonna get any proper sleep anyway.

Just let us go home after the whole thing la. So silly, let us book out at 7am when they could release us at 3.30am. But of course that is my personal opinion. Maybe there are those who would rather wait for the first bus. I am counting down the days to my ORD, and I really really can't wait. It seems so far!

Yesterday while shopping alone at CitiLink, I bumped into Fabien and Nicole. He has become very funky with long hair and muscular arms, and Nicole is simply, wow. Heh they were on their way to attend some UK talk as both of them will be going there to study in Sept.

Everyone is living interesting lives, lives that they can choose to live freely. I feel like a prisoner. I am losing my motivation. At first I told myself this is for the defence of the country. But as time goes by, it doesnt seem to be so. It seems like my 2 years in the 21 time best combat unit is just to win, to be no. 1 and to aim to get 22 times BCU. Obsessed is the word.

Oh well, another week in camp beckons.Just 30 plus more weeks to freedom. 30 plus more bookouts.

On another note, yesterday I went to Pitstop with some of the Charis Youth, or rather, TACS. My goodness I feel so old la. Hearing them complaining that the 8 bucks fee is too expensive is quite amusing. I was once like that, surviving on 20 dollars a week. Had a chat with Pastor Gideon at a coffeeshop nearby while the rest were playing.

Well, firstly I do not have any problems, so this is my personal plea to everyone to stop assuming that I am facing some crisis in my life or that I am living on my own. I am at home on Sundays and it's just that I go out and play very late on saturday nights. So whoever that I confided in stuff, please don't go around telling the whole world. You know who you people are.

Conclusion: I am very much alive and well and OKAY. Just that my time is super duper short and maybe I dont sleep at home on some bookouts but that's just because Im out watching a midnight show or soccer at my friend's place or whatever. If I weren't in the army, I would be home every single day and night.

Anyway, it's a sat bookout again this week. So much for end of trainee life and senior company soldiers. Bluff.

I have been thinking more and more recently, about why my unit always does crazy stuff. They plan unarmed combat for us for four weeks, and during this time, we need to make two parachute jumps with combat equipment. On Friday, I did my second combat equipment jump and fifth parachute jump overall with the SAF. Several of my friends did not make the jump and remained in camp, citing various physical discomfort. Eventually, a few were taken to Changi General Hospital for X-rays to check for any bone fractures.

The previous day, Thursday, we had contact sparring during UC. Though the PTI said it was supposed to be light contact, it was anything but. Full blooded bouts took place, people had the wind kicked out of them, punches flew wild and free, and I took one myself full in the face. Thankfully my sparring partner wore gloves if not he would have broken my nose.

Having high risk activities back-to-back seems crazy to me. My ankle is hurting, and it is my old injury from my parachute jump in January. The jump on Friday was freaky, the wind was so strong the moment I jumped out the aircraft I was in a Superman position, body parallel to the ground. By the time I managed to gain control of my canopy, I have already fallen some 500 feet. With the ground rushing up towards me like really really fast, I panicked and fumbled with releasing my equipment.

I saw the ground coming up and I prepared for a really hard landing... Upon impact I pushed turned and rolled over and surprisingly it was a very soft landing - I landed in a pool of mud. Great. And to make a good landing great, my canopy did not collapse and caught wind. Just when I stood up I was pulled forward by the wind and got dragged about 10 metres on muddy ground. Arrgh.

But it was a good jump, a safe one so thank God for that. It's gonna be a busy few weeks, I just wish there wasnt any guard duty. What now with only five third sergeants in my company, and only three deployable as Guard Com, with the others being promoted to second sergeant, I am sure there will be many more weekends burned.

I hate guard duty!!!

When my next pay comes in this week, I am gonna do some serious shopping. First on the list is a new pair of shoes. Somehow I always wear shoes until they have holes in them. That will really top the priority list. And I'm still considering whether an iPod will be a good investment. And clothes! I've been dragged into countless Zara and Topshop outlets to become a fan of their merchandise. Pull & Bear too. :)

Now I know why girls simply love shopping. It really makes your heart smile.




The smiles would be brighter and wider on 6 May next year :)