this is Melvinno-more.: Block leave

The day I became a Private.

Yea, like I've mentioned in the previous post. BMT has since passed and we had our passing out parade(POP) just last Tuesday. Haven't really gotten the chance to settle down and upload these precious photos.

Come to think about it, many thing happened within this 2 months eh?

How we started as complete strangers.

How we adapt to the new habitat.

How we start to get back to sleeping and waking up early.

How we try to finish half-full bottle within limited time.

How we queue, eat, drink, dispose within 20 mins.

How we source out information to prevent blisters and remedy to it.

How we made our boots from awkward to comfortable footwear.

How we try to put everything on and off the shortest time possible.

How we learn to calling the right people at the right time.

How we start to appreciate our family and home.

How we start to get 'blood in our brain' almost every now and then.

How we replaced walking with "double up".

How we walked through the never-ending route marches with Full-battle order.

How we learn to strip and assemble rifle.

How we learn to fire a rifle.

How we throw a grenade.

How we dug shell-scrape.

How we survived during outfield.

How fucked up army-life can be and ultimately...

How we became a special band of brothers.

Well, everyone who went through BMT will definitely have what seemed like never ending stories to tell. It's rather amazing how this 2 months have totally changed most of our lives. Some may have matured while some became stronger. The most consoling event is when I see most of my section mates improved their IPPT score in such limited period. They said it was impossible, but we done it eventually. =)

I wouldn't say our platoon were the best in terms of physical fitness nor combat fitness. However, I still place my Section first, as the wildest and most happening group of 12 men.

Have I told you the prank they once played on me? It was embarrassing, but it was definitely unforgettable. Should I Share? I think i should...

Our whole platoon was once confined for a weekend, so the whole Company line sort of belongs to us all. Well, we're told to clean the COY line. When we're done, we returned to our bunk to rest but were warned not to sleep as we weren't allowed to. However, fatigue got the better of some of us, I was also a victim to the bed.

As i slowly doze off, i heard...

"FUCK ALL OF YOU! WHO SAY YOU GUYS CAN SLEEP!?! WHOLE FUCKING PLATOON KNOCK IT DOWN.. I SAY DOWN!!!"

and i woke up. I sat up on my bed, i turned to look outside of our bunk. I saw Glenn, our bed 1, being 'pumped' outside together with the rest of the platoon.

"1!! 2!! 3!! 4!!"

"FUCK!" I screamed.

Then I jumped off my bed, and tactical duck-walked to the door then...

Yes, it was just a scam. I was so embarassed. loL! I sat at the door (which I hid after the tactical duck-walk) and laughed at myself. It was so obvious yet i didn't realise. If they were to punish those sleeping, they would come straight in and pump me instead isn't it? Plus, my section mates would have waken me up right? loL! How silly. This happens when you're too tired. Like what our commanders always said "What?! Shaq cannot think?"

Yes, as expected, they laughed their ass off. Not only me, Eugene, a National Bowler from Section 3, fell off his twin bed upon hearing the counts. lol!

What a confinement...

Anyways, our POP!