Pixelated Targeting [Link]
12 February 2014
12 February, 2014
07 February, 2014
28 January, 2014
Hobby - Freedom of SLOC and Protection of Merchant Ships
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| Maritime Protection Task Force |
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| Navy 2040 |
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| Air Force 2040 |
Extended Range Multi-Mission Frigate
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Extended Range Frigate (Sylver- M41 VLS combo)
Formidable Multi-Mission Combatant
Submarine AIP
28 January 2014
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19 January, 2014
10 December, 2013
Conscription Military Service and "National Service"
Yahoo! : Swimming for Singapore is already doing "National Service" [Link]
With all due respect madam, compulsory conscription to do military training is very different from other forms of "National Service" that some people may have in mind.
i was very happy for Joseph when the news broke that MINDEF has granted him deferment from Full-Time NS till possibly after 2016 so that he can completely devote his time and energy to train competitively in his sport.
i know of parents' at my son's school who are completely dedicated to see their child excel in competitive swimming. The dad is always present with the lad, for two hours, daily, five times a week, going through the paces, regardless of semester exams or school vocations, they will be there, training. Such sacrifice and dedication, and just for the DSA (Direct School Admission), the lad has "only" been training for the pass four years... what more Joseph Schooling !
The form of National Service that most of us go through, i.e. Compulsory conscription to do military training, for some tragically, demand the ultimate sacrifice from the parents of the national servicemen. They have to "let go" of their son at the time of enlistment and pray for their safe return ...
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| in memory of a trainee and a fellow NCO (specialist) 1973 - Autumn 1992 |
The news came in through the company line, a tank has overturned! i remembered vaguely was it a Wednesday morning (?) At first we did not know the extend of the accident, whether was there any injuries or worse, fatalities. It was a lull period for our company but the other company (combat team) happened to be out field training...
i remembered the few of us fellow NCOs were at the canteen, received the news about someone was injured and the name of the Tank commander whom we knew, it was patchy at first. He was injured, how seriously?
We were trying to recall the days when he was a recruit, mono-intake (i.e., the conscript enlist directly into an operational battalion as oppose to the usual "boot camp" route via Pulau Tekong). He was our recruit trainee for his BMT (Basic Military training). Later he went on to Infantry NCO school (Sispec) and from there, on to further training in Armour school (SOA) to be trained as an AMX-13 SM1 light Tank commander. He returned to the unit and joined one of the combat team as a tank commander, a fellow NCO.
As "A" - Vehicle commanders, be it SM1 tank or the M113 APCs, the responsibilities placed on the shoulders of a nineteen year old is not for the faint of heart. Especially on the matter of safety, be it personnel or property.
i was a M113 APC section/detachment commander. I learnt how to drive a "tank" before i knew how to drive a car! We learn to operate the APC, we learn about its engine and transmissions and the mechanics and we memorised its performance characteristics. Prior to the advent of all things I.T. like today, the Armour School (SOA) at the time already has a class room equipped with personal computers, it was named the Computer-Aided-Instruction (CAI) room, the best part was it's air-conditioned, a rarity in those days. We would go there for our theory lessons on all about the characteristics, performance, operation and safety of the M113. At the end of certain modules we were required to take a MCQ test. You can try the test as many times as you can, the object was not to fail the trainee but rather to equip the latter with info on the M113 at their fingertips through sheer repetitive testing. Some of us would go to the only air-con facility made avail to us during lunch break, supposedly to take the test. Looking back, i thought the training pedagogy we received at SOA was quite advance for its time. But i digress.
Practical sessions on the M113 was carried out on an armoured vehicle circuit, of various undulating terrain features and fording, just some distance outside from the camp gate. We spent days and nights driving and qualifying on the M113 drivers' test. We went on floatation "swim" (i.e., we prep the M113 for river crossing... keep your fingers cross one, bilge pump working and all plugs fastened) We practised ground guiding the vehicle. We practised guiding the APC onto and down from low-loader's truck. How many nineteen year old high school graduates get to drive and guide an eleven ton Armoured Fighting Vehicle onto trucks we only see utilized in the construction industry operated by hard hat construction work men ?
Whatever we do, wherever we go at SOA, safety was drilled into us. Safety, safety, safety! We got shouted at, we got punished, we got knocks on our CVC helmets by the instructor's vehicle guiding stick until it became quite second nature, they have a way to make us stay focus whenever we were operating the armoured vehicle! Vehicle overturning drill was a big deal with SOA, as there were pass incidents involving fatalities. i remember there was an impressive mock up of a chassis of the M113, suspended on a pair of giant circular wheel structure. The chassis was made to swing like a see-saw simulating the vehicle was about to overturn. We got to train inside this giant see-saw. Of pertinent to this exercise was the vehicle commander's position at the cupola. The vehicle commander invariably always kena pinned down during such tragic event. So the school make we future armoured vehicle commanders practice squeezing under the VC cupola under trying conditions, with the section trainees shouting "vehicle overturn !" until it became quite second nature when we hear someone shout "vehicle overturn !" The task is made awkward with the commander having his bulky webbing (skeletal battle order) on and trying to squeeze into the cupola with the whole chassis starting to tilt while one is fighting momentum and gravity.
We could not believe the news! We just cannot accept it ! Then it began to sink in. A fellow NCO was his immediate section trainer during BMT, he was affected.
From our platoon, all of us NCOs volunteered to attend the wake together with a few of his recruit mates who stayed on with the company post BMT.
Armoured vehicle commanders have myriad of things to look out for whenever we are on the move. It doesn't help matter when the visibility immediately in front and behind one is obscured by heavy dust cloud kicked up by your platoon convoy, the fear of knocking into the front vehicle, damaging both and the impending punishment to come from the CSM! We also need to keep a constant look out for the immediate rear vehicle during a convoy, make sure they are following up and not lost en route, all the while breathing through our make shift face mask fashioned from our towers, all that dust, turn our mucus brown in colour. There are a myriad of tools and kar chang mounted onto the vehicle top, back and the sides, which must be tightly fasten. But invariably some of the fasteners came loose from sheer vibrating force from an eleven ton aluminium match box on the move riding on rough terrain thus one run the chance of missing stores if not careful, another grounds for punishment. The long whip antenna we secured with a fastener rather than letting it swayed freely like what we see on the head dress of some Chinese opera costume. Like that also some people can get lost. Punishment, punishment, punishment !
The diesel exhaust stack is just right in front to the two o' clock position of the VC's cupola. One get used to the smell of the diesel fumes after a while. We find ways to cope and adapt. For example, part of our immediate drill was to erect camouflage net within a set time frame, we became quite adapt after countless drills. Those damn nettings always get entangled from the stuff sticking out from the vehicle top like the exhaust stack and tools and even the fore sight tip of the mounted weapon conspire to trip me! So what i did was to make used of the signalling flags (we have quite a collection lug along but hardly practice using), spread them across to temporarily cover those damn irritating protrusion and other stuff like that... Even while keeping the camouflage net we have to be careful, there was once i witness when the net got caught and entangled the sprocket wheel of some unlucky M113 while on the move! Of course we were not allowed to cut the netting but painstakingly disentangle the frustrating mess. Try damaging SAF property! I was fortunate to have a capable and responsible M113 driver in my section, so needn't worry too much on the operational state of our APC, of which this is, if not, the most important aspect of a VC responsibility i.e. the functionality of your combat vehicle. The vehicular signal sets we have to draw out from the signal stores. While mounting the heavy signal set and trying to manoeuvre within the crammed confine of the M113, macham like going for a sauna. Don't know why they keep giving us dodgy signal equipment. Like the CVC helmet so prone to intermittent comms. Vehicle commanders are rue to lost communications, its not like in the infantry you can whisper to the next section to get their attention. i had developed a habit of constantly keeping a look out for the connecting socket between the CVC helmet and the "intestine" cable coming from the junction box, which i clipped onto my combat fatigue, for added insurance, i had the vehicular set "Push-To-Talk" handset pulled up onto the VC cupola, the PTT handset kiap in between the cupola mount and the periscope guard. We try ways and means to beat Murphy. Talk about kiasu and kiasi sinkie !
Mount Vernon columbarium was hauntingly serene that night. After getting permission from the CSM to indent for a three-tonner, we made our way to Lavender street. Apparently someone at the company office told us the wake was at the Singapore casket. Imagine the look on the face of the receptionist when an army three ton truck pulled up in front of the building, along the busy Lavender road and unloaded almost a platoon of soldiers! Wrong lah, a few phone calls later confirmed and we made our way to Mount Vernon, we got rid of damned Murphy!
We paid our respect, fellow NCOs and friends and buddies. The mortician did good. He was tanned and lean, just like the rest of us. We went through the same NCO and armour school. Losing our baby fats, civilian fats and whatever fats along the way. 日晒雨淋 - We went out field for training as infantry in our combat fatigue, it rained in Mandai, we were drenched, and the noon day sun baked dry our combat fatigue, no sooner it was drenched again but this time by our sweat. And when we were not out field we were running, in PT kit, in vest and slack or in skeletal battle order, clearing SOC. And while we were doing all these, invariably always kena punishment of the physical sort coming our way, simply because this is the military. We were conscripted.
i couldn't recall all the good reverend said during the service. The battalion RSM prepared his company buddies for the ceremonial service. The pall bearers, three volleys of shot in his honour immaculately attended to by his company mates. There was a short, solemn procession to the crematorium, casket resting on a gun carriage. i remember his younger brother bearing his portrait ...
Till today i have no details of the accident. Here, i can only imagine base on the experiences of having done the armoured VC course and served time in an operational unit...
Armoured Vehicle Commanders do the darndest to make sure nothing untoward happen to our combat vehicle. This "sense of responsibility" borne out in no small part from fear of punishment. Sheer fatigue, constantly sticky and sweaty and smelt like chao sng (ammonia pungent), it's the humidity of the tropics. Bearing those barang barang weighing down on our bodies while trying to reach the objective in the dead of the night in some god forsaken ulu trail in Singapore that we never knew existed till then. We were more afraid of being punished for failing mission objective and got no time to be afraid about the row of tombstones we just passed by. This mentality stays post command school.
i imagined he never ever expected the SM1 to overturn. It's just not like that. Even till the very last moment when the inevitability sunk in. Even till the very last moment he was trying his best to salvage the "situation". Safety, safety, safety fails, punishment, punishment, punishment follows, we are like that. We are conditioned. Cannot let the tank overturn! Is the driver inside his hatch already? The gunner? Driver pull left! Driver pull right driver ... !!!
i don't know.
The day you are conscripted, you don't belong to yourself, you belong to the Army. You have no say and no control over your time, your routine, your rest and even your body. It is almost akin to servitude, almost. It is this maladjustment more than all the physical discomfort you endure that inevitably gets you. And this is the "National Service" the rest of us have to submit.
Accident happen and he tried his very best to remedy, to salvage and paid the ultimate price. He is a good commander. A good buddy, a good brother, a good son to this country and a beloved of his parents. No Olympic medal can bring their son back. It has been twenty-one years, but sadly there had been some more tragedies involving our NS boys and men. Detractors can say that these boys never really gone to war or fought a single battle and so they are not real soldiers. Tell that to their parents. They paid with their lives so that we don't need to go to war? Because potential adversary think twice before bullying us in this world of Realpolitik? We don't want young Singaporean men to die needlessly. We don't need that and we don't want that. I know, because the wife and i have two young boys. While they are still with us, we hug them, we kiss and smell their hair every night we tuck them to bed. Soon they will grow up and we have to "let go" of them to the SAF and pray for their safe return.
The boys and us will be cheering for Joseph :-) ! We are damn proud of Schooling come what may, because he is one of us and we know he will do his very, very best to compete ! We will be rooting for you brudder .
10 December 2013
Post Note: For some who have not been through, they may not understand even after reading, persist to make light of the experience. This, we seek in our hearts to understand them. Being a grunt in the infantry and Armoured-Infantry, only those who have served will understand [Link] . For a personal blogpost like this one, matters regarding weapon systems, tactics and live-firing are out-of-bounds, of which there is a whole gamut to them. A lot of the stuff we do that are mention here may give the impression as mundane and trivia, but these things are no less important then the hung-ho stuff people who have not served will come to expect, maybe because of the exposure to too much Hollywood combat movies, served as "exciting" yard stick, expecting combat action, nothing less than blood and gore?
19 November, 2013
SAF going professional for Boot Camp Instructors ?
Todayonline: It [MINDEF] is also looking into hiring more career soldiers in order to make training more effective for full- time National Servicemen (NSFs) [Link]
It is good to have a professional cadre of "Boot Camp" instructors and trainers. Recall personal experience of being trained at a certain facility specially tailored for inducting civilians and turning them into SAF automatons LOL... and later taking up (a role reversal of sort) of a one time "boot Camp" instructor in a certain operational unit training Mono-intake recruits.
Till this day still feel that we may have "short change" the mono-intake lads in a true BMT (Basic Military Training) fashion that we had the "privilege" to go through at Tekong.
The then Infantry Training Depot (ITD) at Pulau Tekong was a boot camp churning civilian conscripts into Army recruits, drilling them in the Basics of Military Training.
The instructors at ITD then consisted of a mixture of regulars (lifers) in the higher echelon (Platoon Sergeants, CSM, Company Commanders [OC] and above) and Full-Time National Serviceman (NSF) as section commanders/trainers (Corporals at that time) and even some platoon commanders, 2LTs freshly minted from OCS. Some of these NSF trainers were even our peers in terms of age only that they were enlisted earlier or in cases where some attended the 2 year Junior Colleges vis a vis the 3 year Polytechnic graduates.
By the time yours truly enlisted, the training company instructors were well "seasoned" having taken a couple of batches of recruits. Contrary to perception that taking recruits are not complicated affairs. This is only true when one has the Boot Camp Institution at your backing. The boot camp instructors have the advantage of doing only one thing - training recruits. They have institutional memory in the form of experience trainers to guide the new instructors. A specialised boot camp also preserves the SAF tradition and culture in a sense that all enlistees must go through in transit from a civilian to a member of the Singapore Armed Forces, this period in their lives is the most unforgettable, so by all means, train them hard, but also give them a good memory by giving them fair treatment.
Try shouting at a platoon of recruits and dishing out punishment that commensurate with their infringements. How much is too much, going too far? How to "takan" (Malay word for whacking) them but not to the point of abuse? (Get real, this is the military). How to "humiliate" them to shake them off their civilian mentality but not to the point of demoralising them? And then build them up.
The PTIs (Physical Training Instructors) were a class act ! Their white sleeveless PT shirt with the PTI emblem and black PT shorts. During our time the PTIs wore a kind of wrist band (if i remember correctly) also with the PTI emblem (?), stylo. The thought of PTs will make you break into cold sweat. Remember prior to PT lesson at 4pm, the whole company lads of a hundred odd of us strangely fell silent, changing into our vest and slack, with our M16 rifles, slouching at the bunk corridor waiting for impending "company fall in !" to what awaits.
That lanky and lean PTI stand tall on a pedestal and the grind begun. i don't remember hearing him shout. In his clear, calm voice we dare not disobey least we incur physical pain inflicting upon us. There was no need for him to shout. They dish out pain and exhaustion, making your muscles and cardiac go through hell, but just enough.
Throughout the session, our company PCs, NCOs were walking among us and watching out for recruits that might be on the verge of collapsed, "catching" them just in time. They were seasoned, well coordinated bunch.
It is not easy training a conscript force as oppose to an all volunteer force. Conscripts come in all shapes and sizes. They are "compelled" to enlist through the National Service enlistment act to come to boot camp. i suppose the TRADOC for BMT takes this into consideration. Striking a balance between realistic military training and preventing injuries to limbs and souls.
19 November 2013
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| in memory of a trainee (all good lads) 1973 - Spring 1992 |
24 October, 2013
SAF studying to induct Women and PRs into Voluntary Corp
Read here [Link]
Me think it is right that Singapore women citizen should NOT be drafted.
The Committee to strengthen National Service (CSNS) is working on details and determining roles for Women Citizen Volunteers.
IMHO, besides non combat service role and professional/vocational roles that aligned with their civilian work/career, for example, Healthcare. Woman Citizen Volunteers can be deployed in a limited combat role. They may be assigned to homeland security units such as the People's Defence Force. When activated, they donned combat fatigues and armed. They render combat presence in public facilities like hospitals, polyclinics, survival items distribution centres (NTUC fair price - war time role), heartland underground bomb shelters, etc. In times of distress, to the women, children and the frail elderly in the community, the women citizen volunteer can bring a measure of "maternal" (whatever you call it) assurance amid the violence, destruction and chaos around the frightened civilians. But make no mistake, they can be "fierce" when the situation requires, hospital matrons of yore and the female regimental sergeant major comes to mind LOL.
Women citizen volunteers should not be working alone. They will most likely be paired with a PDF male counterpart and/or attached to the police land division or the police paramilitary KINS (Protection of Key Installations) units.
There is definitely a role for combat trained women citizen volunteers in the order-of-battle of the SAF [Link].
Now to the matter of inducting Permanent Residence into the voluntary corp. I have my reservations. For obvious security reasons, PRs should NOT be inducted into the SAF.
If the CSNS die die must have PRs inducted for reasons be-known* only to them (such as deriving partisan political mileage?), then these PR volunteers must only be deployed in limited combat roles. Perhaps similar to the women citizen volunteers. A suggestion, instead of PRs, should we induct new citizens into the SAF instead. This make more sense.
New citizens should be inducted on a voluntary basis into the SAF, NOT PRs.
To the matter of training. The volunteers, especially men, must make to go through the full Basic Military Training regime of the current full time National Serviceman, and not a watered-down version of BMT! But having said that, women volunteers may take a modified version of basic military training which will be tailored to their body build .
The current BMT last for a duration of approximately 3 months. Which is roughly equivalent to 480 hours of training contact time. It is not possible to expect these volunteers to take 3 months off their civilian jobs to train with the volunteer corp. Thus a part-time version of the BMT should be in order.
Training should encompass the whole aspects/experience of inducting them into the Singapore/SAF culture and not just instructions in basic military field craft. These recruits will NOT be treated differently from born and bred Singaporeans who are currently undergoing their national service. Go ask them, they will tell you the strict regimentation, tough physical training, rough language and in your face treatment which they must come to expect in the military environ. The same exact treatment and full measure of regimentation and punishment for infringement is to be bore on the new citizen volunteer recruits. No niceties to be afforded least they think SAF training is chicken feed and anybody can go through, throw in comfortable lodgings, shower facilities and slightly better than food court standard mess halls.
As to the weekly training roster. There will be a weekday evening training and a fortnightly weekend training. The one weekend off gives them time to spend with their family (got welfare right). To make up for a total contact training time of 480 hours, this part-time BMT will last a duration of 10 months. No joke. Because training to become a combat soldier and be given the trust to bear arms is not a casual walk in the park exercise.
An example of a typical time table:
Weekday (Wednesday)
1900hr - 1930hr : Officer Commanding (OC) parade.
Company assemble for OC address. Break up into respective platoons for foot drill instruction conducted in the Malay language. The recruits from up north may find this slightly easier.
1930hr - 1945hr : water break. Preparation for PT.
1945hr - 2030hr : Physical Training.
In the form of basic PT or Rifle PT (post Rifle Presentation), duration of 45 minutes, involves vest and slack formation run of not exceeding 3km cummulative. Or circuit training in PT kit with 3km run. Or training in preparation for their IPPT test nearing the date. Post rifle presentation, they will have solely Rifle PT to get them in tune with their personal weapon. They will get use to the handling, they will get use to the weight, they will get use to the constant oiliness on their hands, they will get use to the sight and smell of the cold hard metal rubbing against their bodies. 101 ways to be "tortured" by your personal weapon during Rifle PT :-) For the uninitiated may think it is chicken feed doing some PTs and running 3Km only. Well while they are at it, let's throw in some punishment and humiliation from the PT instructor when somebody or any fellow in their PT formation do something kayu (dodgy). That sense of frustration of repeating senseless physical exertion through no fault of your own will begin to eat into you. On paper it's only 3km ;-) ... also an effective method for building team cohesion.
2030hr - 2100hr : water break. Preparation for training instructions. Medic rounds - anybody unwell? (got welfare right)
2100hr - 2145hr : Instructions.
Class room instructions in personal field craft, personal weapon handling, etc. and/or training shed practical sessions. Individual, group and section movement and tactical drills out field.
2145hr - 2200hr : Night snack cum debrief. (got welfare right)
Consume x01 bread item and x01 cup of coffee/tea seated on the bare floor while PC debriefed.
2200hr - till all stores are accounted for and weapons accounted for and area cleaned up. The faster you do, the faster you get to go home.
Weekends (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) Fortnightly
Friday evening
By 2100hr : Book-in to camp for Ammo party (for tomorrow range firing)
By 2259hr : Book-in to camp for main body.
Saturday morning
Reveille 0400hr : Breakfast cum for Ammo party to draw arms and movement to ammo dump to draw ammunitions for the day and night live firing at range.
Reveille 0530hr : Breakfast cum Main body draw arms convoy to rifle firing range.
Day and Night firing completed at indoor air-condition range by 1600hr. (got welfare right KNN)
1715hr - 1800hr : Physical Training.
1800hr - 1930hr : Water break. Medic rounds - anybody unwell? Dinner. Preparation for night training.
1930hr - 2230hr : Night field training. (Out of camp)
2230hr - 2345hr : Back to camp. Account for stores and account for weapons. Night snack cum debrief.
0015hr : lights off.
Sunday morning
Reveille 0545hr : Morning PT (Light) cum 1.5Km run.
0630hr : Breakfast.
0715hr : Preparation for instruction and field training (Out of camp) or Standard Obstacle Course training (in camp)
0800hr - 1100hr : Field training.
Or
0800hr - 0930hr : SOC training.
by 1230hr : Account for stores and account for weapons. Company debrief. Book-out. (no lunch indented).
Lack of sleep and under constant physical exertion is a given during operations. Under a pack schedule of only less than 2 full days for a weekend, the recruits are subjected to this regime, though it will be gradual build up to give them time to adjust. Time - time is needed, it cannot be rushed. It takes time to get a recruit from the civi streets and turn them into a semblance of a citizen soldier. There is no short cut.
And it is not over until the SAF say its over ;-)
And for some who got injured or down with medical condition, good luck to you.
And it is not over until the SAF say its over ;-)
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| Officers at 50 and the rest of us at 40 y/o |
Not forgetting Annual reservist 7 high keys and 3 low keys call up, last for a period of 10 years and more depending. During reservist operational manning and training, you are expected to perform the combat requirement as in your 20's when you first enlisted for full-time NS while negotiating the inevitable aging process (The enemy don't care whether you are 20 or 40 years old, thus the older individual reservist need to expand more effort to maintain his combat effectiveness). The annual IPPTs, recall manning, Exit Permit registration prior to leaving SG, etc.
Already 50% of the Singapore populace are conditioned to be automatons by the compulsory conscription of National Service. I really do not want the other 50% of the Singapore citizens (aka women folk) to be subjected to the same regime. Please no compulsory draft for them. At least let them be free. Free from the reflexes that are in-bedded in the sinkie male population. No group think. It is good to have a diversity in thinking and behaviour for you never know when you are in dire straits, solutions might come from persons in the Singaporean family whom are not mind numbingly subjected to the same regime.
*Fishy that the G of the day wants to induct PRs into the SAF... what's next? Since they are serving so they can vote in the 2016 general elections ?
23 October 2013
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