Yesterday was Singapore Arms Forces day.
I was called up to do National Service on 28th Mar 1969.l was amongst a small batch of newly graduated doctors to be called up.
It was a mistake calling only a dozen of us to do National Service as NS involve all and not leaving out some..True enough we were all discharged after my 6 weeks of military training. My rank was a recruit when discharged and l must be amongst the very few doctors still holding the rank of a recruit and not captain.
However not withstanding the sad episode, my 6 weeks of military training was an experience worthwhile going through...tough and challenging for 28 year olds..We were like old horses trying to pace with the 18 year olds. But we did well.
The six weeks of tough physical training was an endurance exercise that l will never forget. It was mind over matter that got me though especially after completing the last leg .....the challenging ?26 miles hike.
Some could not scale the wall.One broke his heel.I was scared stiff of the Jacob's ladder but we never gave up and at the end our trainers were proud of us.
l join SAF in celebrating Arms Forces Day knowing the dozen of us were part of this journey to build a strong SAF.
Here are a few photos of our NS training.days.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock
*Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=655169024557636&set=a.1179897849...