I'm a FREE BITCH, baby~~

Two years ago on this exact date, I entered the army. Two years later, I'm finally free!!!!

I know that I will be writing this post like months before I'm liberated but somehow, I feel that I'm suffering a horrible writer's block - suddenly, I don't know how to express myself in words as fluently as I could before. Could it be because of the sudden freedom that I've fought for for years affecting me or the sheer amount of things that happened these years that's too numerous to write about? I don't know...

All I care for is that I'm free and I'm happy once more! Well, not that I was miserable but being a free man is definitely more fun because you don't have to answer to anyone no more.

I went back to camp yesterday to collect my pink identification card back. Any color but green is good, yes? :D On top of that, I received some cards (extremely sweet ones!!), a plaque as well as my certification of service and my testimonial. And of course, my MR. status. :)

Now, y'all can call me mister...~!!

Actually, I wanted to do a post that covers my entire span in my National Service life but decided against it because first of all, it's going to be extremely long, lengthy and probably dry. Secondly, I can't find enough photos to support that post, making it even worse. Thirdly, there are just way too many things to write and I'm really afraid I will miss out something or someone and feel bad about it so might as well not go there.

I'll do my best to keep it short (but I have so many things to say and people to thank!!).



To summarize my two years, I've been from the lowest life form known as the recruit, to an even lower life form called a cadet to the lowest form called an OOC (Out of Course) to a signal operator trainee to actually becoming a signal operator. Well, such a roller coaster ride, yes? But I survived! And I have no regrets going through that wild ride~

Platoon 4 Section 1~

BMT is probably the place where I had the most fun. Training was definitely tough and tiring but it was the interesting people I met there that made the opening chapter of NS life so much more exciting.

People like my buddies, Wilson and Sam, for constantly being the bubbly selves that they are and for appreciating ayumi hamasaki's music just as much as I do. People like Kambing for being that deer caught in headlights. People like Boo and Moon for their inspiring friendship. People like Jun Kai and Norman for being loyal customers to my 50 cents penalty. People like our warrant officer, Warrant Ee, for his non-stop speeches which are mostly packed with a wicked sense of humor but still makes a lot f sense. The list goes on...

It's always the people that makes the whole experience memorable, don't you think?

Nicholas, Haikal, myself, Kevin and Zhi Kai

OCS made me realize a lot of things about myself. First of all, how I got into the prestigious leadership school is still a mystery to me because I'm not the most athletic person around. I realized that I'm indeed afraid of heights and water from that confidence jump but I did it anyway *pats myself*.

I realized that there are people in the army that genuinely cares for you too when I was in OCS. My PC, the-now CPT Ron, was the one who stood by me for the dreadful confidence jump and for assuring me that I won't drown to my death. But sir, I will never do that ever again!! :P Even when I posted out of OCS and into my unit, I still see him now and then because our units work very closely together and we can still chat, almost like friends. Thank you for "reading" my tweets. :P

There are also people in OCS like myself who dropped out but are still marvelous in their own ways. Like Nicholas, my unofficial buddy as an OOC until he left for green pastures, thanks to the manpower branch. :P Thanks for being such a wonderful friend and for making me feel at home when I first dropped out. Miss your random singing moments~!!

Zhi Kai and Kevin, thanks for guiding me through and for letting my clumsy self help out in your daily tasks. I think I learned a lot more helping y'all than being a cadet. Things like sending parade states and "being a bitch but not obviously being a bitch" in emails and pranks to play on officers (oops...). I think I was probably the happiest OOC back then. :P

Haikal Haikal Haikal... How do I even start... Big personality with a big body but yet, still proud to flaunt it. Your confidence is unrivaled and you are truly an inspiration! Thanks for not sitting on me and flattening me and for always being so fun to be around. And for also making all those funny faces just to make people around you feel happy. :)

And also, Warrant Goh and Staff Ong, thanks for taking me in and for allowing me to help out in the company and of course, for taking care of me and yes, all the random offs you give us. :P

My beloved IS Platoon (or at least most of them...)
...and a testimonial that my photography did improve over 2 years

I think being in the army is almost like going on a tour of camps. You go to different places throughout the entire course of two years and you meet different people. Before heading over to my current unit, I dropped by Signal Institute to be trained as an operator and there, I met even more interesting characters.

My Course Commander, Warrant Ng, is so unique in his ways. I mean, there's not a single time when he speaks and I don't feel tickled. He confirms the fact that warrant officers are funny in their own ways (well, at least the ones I've met).

Of course, there are also the funny platoon mates and totally annoying ones. For instance, a person who clean his nose instead of the bunk during area cleaning. There's also a particular one who punctuates his sentences with the F-word. Another person who complains his 脚板痛, etc. Like I said, in the army, you meet all sorts of people... The good and the bad...

I also met awesome people at SI and thank goodness they came over with me to my current unit as well!! *big happy face*



Jun Sheng was the first person I spoke to in SI as a normal human being. The rest were either behaving like monkeys or not very keen on making friends. Considering that he was also extremely quiet, we came together and kept quiet together for the first few days... Until we came to know that we're both FANTASTIC BITCHES! :P SI days were bitching, bitching and more bitching for the both of us. But having said that, we struggled to fail our tests (we came to a conclusion that it was quite hard to fail tests in SI for us :P). Having this JC student around made this polytechnic student want to prove that polytechnic students can do well too~ He was truly inspiring in SI!

Then we were posted to the same unit (thanks Warrant Ng~!!). Still as bitchy and yeap, we continued being the best buddies that we are. Even though we were not officially paired up, I think there's no one closer to me than him. Thank you, Jun Sheng, for being such an amazing gossip partner and for going through Wallaby with me! And yes, for being such a willing model for me to shoot! Without you, I don't know how my second year of NS life would be! You really made an impact to my NS life~



Aaron is the other one from my SI bunk to be posted over to my unit and I'm glad that it was him! Even though he slept across me in SI, we did not speak to each other a lot so I only got to know more about him when we posted out. Another amazing friend who displays no temper even though he does say that he angst now and then. Thank you for being a great friend and for being so adorable and patient!!


Amoz, thanks for messing up my bed whenever I'm not around and denying that you did it even though we all knew exactly it was you. Can't believe I'm laughing while I'm typing this sentence. Amoz slept beside me in SI and yes, other than his shiny boots, nothing else about him spells neatness. Nevertheless, thank you for your nonsense because they make me laugh. :D


As I'm no anti-social creature, there are also friends I've made in my unit. First of all, an acknowledgment to my seniors (Dalvin, Jian Yao, Che Jian, Victor, just to name a few...) who ORDed before me~!! Thank you for your guidance in teaching me how to perform my tasks and for laughing at our later ORD dates because now that I'm already out, there's nothing to laugh about!! :P

And for the people who are still in there!! Joel and Jia Wei - best bickering partners ever. I've never seen guys who can bicker non stop over all sorts of things but y'all are the exceptional pair. Go ahead and disagree, you will only prove my point right. :P Thanks for being such fun people and for all the nonsense and entertainment y'all provided! I will definitely miss the stupid things y'all do. :P

Shaun and Pei Da, the normal ones. Shaun, thanks for sharing your problems with me so that you do not have to carry the weight of the world all by yourself. Remember to stay strong and if things don't go your way, find another way. Pei Da, thanks for being so adorable! Your knowledge is food is remarkable and you're always like the walking food directory and I'm always amazed! Thanks for teaching me too when I first entered~ :) It's been wonderful working with you.

Kenneth, thank goodness I'm gone now so you cannot touch me. Remembered the first few days you were the first one to talk to us and to guide us through the unit and I really appreciated that. Now you can do that to the next batch, yes? :D

Ah Chua and Ryan, thanks for being such a photogenic couple that Staff Jo will beg to differ! Y'all are fun people to work with and your intimacy never ceases to amuse me. Continue on with the drama to add that fire in the platoon, yes? Can't wait till the next time I see y'all together so I can take more photos... :P

Staff Jo, the most enthusiastic person who claims that army is a happy place! Thanks for having me in your platoon and for allowing me to shine through the design assignments that you give me! I've never thought that I would be able to use my skills in the army at all and I'm glad to be of assistance~ Thanks for taking care of us and for protecting us with whatever you've got. Your patience is admirable and your pancakes are tasty! :P

CPT Ruoyi, thanks for proving to not just me but everyone that not every female who signs on is less than desirable (haha~)!! Thanks for genuinely caring for everyone of us, for being a really young and fantastic mom (娘~) and for being such a genuine human being who admits she has to use the toilet and dares to be unglam at times (oops~).

And to the previous PCs, Long sir and LTA Daron, thanks for heading the platoon and for letting Staff G6 y'all for my entertainment *evil laughter*. You've brought lots of smiles to the platoon and I really appreciate y'all for that!



Well, guess it's time to end this really long thank you speech, no? There are so many more people I want to show my appreciation to but thinking of things to write is really difficult because each of them inspire me in so many different ways. And furthermore, I have more photos to edit but... I apologize if I didn't mention any one. It's not that you don't matter to me but it could be because it just slipped by my STM mind. Or you could be one of those annoying ones that I don't even want to remember.



To all those who are still stuck inside, like I've always said, your turn will come. You'll be like me one day, thinking of what to write (if you even bother to write) and you'll definitely savor this moment of freedom~ I'll be waiting for you in the REAL world where ranks don't matter but you do!!


Bitching aside, I think these two years, even though I wouldn't want to go through it again, has been really memorable for me and really shaped me to become a stronger person than I was two years ago. Yes, I'm bitchier and probably fiercer but hey~ That's the way I am and at least I got something out of my two years, yes? I managed to prove to myself that there are lots of things that I'm capable of and even more than I can be capable of in the future. Two years may not be short but after enduring through it and learning so much from it, I think I can finally let out a sigh of relief.

The lessons are important to me. The friends and people that I treasure are important to me. But my freedom and rights are also important to me... But that's another story for another day. For now,

I'm a free bitch, baby!!