Saturday, May 30, 2009

War Cries

recently.. during this one week break..
i faced a problem..
i had time to meet up with people
and unknowingly im using terms that we in NDU always uses
so, people asked me what is Hooyah?
hmm…
so i decided to read up wiki abit..
there are 3 war cries that US uses..
Hooyah, Hooah and Oorah
US Army uses Hooah
US Marine corps and Navy SEALs uses Hooyah
and lastly the US Coast Guards uses Oorah..
some of the meanings are..
Heard, understood and acknowledged
Good copy
Roger
solid copy
good
great
message received
understood
acknowledged
Glad to meet you
welcome
All right
Thank you
You've taken the correct action
Amen!
Outstanding
To motivate another soldier
Anything and everything except "no.”
because of this little reading..
i went to rewatch some of the movies related to the military life..
to check if they really use such language
the Black Hawk Down… depicts the US’s Rangers using Hooah
the Guardian.. the US Coast Guards using Oorah
i’ve yet to find a movie which shows any of the units using Hooyah
so.. maybe Singapore Entertainment industry should make a movie of the Naval Divers lol..
but that will never happen..
yea never..
these war cries has also unknowingly create a identity for us..
we are Naval Diving Unit..
its obvious that we uses Navy terms..
like Heads, Child, Evolutions and stuff like that..
but in Singapore.. i think we are the only one to use Hooyah..
hmm~  so… how is it really spelled?.. Hooya or Hooyah?!?!
later

Thursday, May 28, 2009

A Week of Sleeps

well well..
half of the break is gone..
and i think most of us the 31st batch is feeling time really flies..
31’s bbq at pit 31..
meeting up with friends these couple of days..
light training everyday..
and most enjoyable the time to sleep..
i believe some of us will wake up at 5 in the morning and thought they heard someone shouting
31! WAKEY WAKEY!
lol..
checked online for my application status for NUS..
finally.. its FASS..
oh man..
serious shit?
its my 6th choice man..
lol..
the final decision.. i am going for NTU’s Mechanical Engineering
hope it will turn up better..
Friday is our NDU’s Appreciation Day..
hopefully there will be lots of fun playing games..
paintball? fresbies?
Naval Diving Unit.. what a name we’ve got for ourselves..
Physical-Condition Phase is up for 7 weeks before our hell-week..
and then finally we will be respected as the Hell-weekers
Hooya 31 Hooya!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

31st Batch Diver Trainee’s Passing Out Ceremony

Finally..
We, the Naval Diver Trainee of the 31st batch BMT pass out!
Hooya!

this last week of BMT became emotional for me..
Monday to Thursday was easy days..
on Wednesday..
my Brother smsed me about a letter from SRJC..
about SRJC’s College Day Prize Presentation..
3 awards for me..
upon reading it..
i called back home to double confirm..
yes.. it is 3..
all from my Shooting.. Leadership, Team and Individual Achievements..
my brother passed to my mother..
and immediately asked my mum to place the letter infront of my father
i was wondering how happy he would be if he is still around..
and another motivation to fight his illness
after the call..
i sat down outside my bunk and cried big times..
Ian was there for me.. really need to thank him for that..
how i wish my Father will be there when i collect my awards back in SRJC
………………. i think he will be there

on Friday..
Instructor Koh reconfirm to us that there is no such thing as an Easy Day..
12km Route March..
our final March to a place that they called “a no man’s land” to keep an element of surprise
just before we go off..
he gave us 15 seconds to camouflage our faces..
”you all thought i was joking right? 15 second?”
”whole lot go dive pool and get wet”
all of 31st batch jump into the dive pool in our nice and dry Long 4…
and a half shit green faces..
out of the pool are milky green and black camo cream dripping down our faces and down to our chest..
Instructor Koh gave us another 30 seconds..
our faces were really like shit..
Full Battle Order ON!..
and there we go for our final Route March with all of our Instructors and offices..
the Evolution that i feared the most..
from top to toe wet..
with our Goretex boots.. waterproof..
our feet was dipping in and out of that boot filled with water
we march and march.. 4km.. 8km…
last 4km… last 3km.. last 2km..
my head was really lack of blood..
every break we had..
i had to bend down to let the blood flow to my head to keep myself conscience..
i know i might faint just anytime..
and everytime my head was in great pain..
i thought of my Father..
i think he watching me from above..
i hung on and go.. and keep going..
last 1km was the longest ..
not because of mental hay wiring..
but we know that.. we have walked much more than 12km already..
dame~
Sembawang Camp… Woodlands..
Marsiling..
Singapore Turf Club..
Krangi War Memorial…. our final distination..
Instructor Puy was there to welcome us..
and we know our BMT is ending in minutes..
one minute of silence for the Heroes lying infront of us..
a walk inside..
and our Passing Out Ceremony…
CO Dive School presented to us our Navy blue Berets
and all our Instructors helped us to put on the Berets..
that was the end of BMT..
Choong Song Hon is the Best Trainee.. and Kuna got his Best PT
we seat on the step infront of the War Memorial and took some photos..
lighting was sucks..
so Toners was used to high beam our faces..
lol.. it was 2300 already..
the buses were here and we went back to Sembawang camp..
returned arms..
and we chiong back our bunk and change to book out NO.4..
tried to scretch down our faces to clear off the camo creams..
but some how.. it just dont go off..
took cab with Ian Angus and Sean with my face all black…
reached home finally at 12+..
what the shit POC is this..
people in Tekong POP nice nice..
we POC like dogs..
lol!
how much more unique can we be..
yea.. we are one of a kind..
Graduation.. it will be our day.. 5 months more to go..
HOOYA!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Diver’s Field Camp

last week..
the beginning of the week was really worth a mention..
we did almost nothing!
HOOYA!
mostly admin stuff and most of the time we were slacking all the way..
but hell came on Wednesday to Friday
it was our 3 days 2 nights field camp.. with Edward as my basah mate
or Individual Field Craft
we reached a jungle-like area with a sight of a highway..
we were told that we were at Lentor
well..
now we now what are the greens around Singapore are meant for..
lol..
we reached there dry and nice..
smells good too..
built our basahs..
dug our drainage system in case of rain
and we learn how to camouflage and blend ourselves into the surroundings..
during the night..
during the observation post..
Feng Ling, Terry, Edward and i went into the side greens of the HQ and tried to infiltrate and steal some of the instructors stuff..
Feng Ling successfully went in and stay for 5 mins..
just went he wanted to steal Instructor BK’s bag
instructors came back and he got to run..
DAMN!
it just too bad that it rain couple of times and it was CAT 1 situation during 1-2 am..
we were forced to muster out asap..
and we took our time to do that..
so..
”on your back! on your belly! on your back! on your belly!”
we need to walk dont know how long to reach a underpass for shelter..
but halfway through the walking.. the rain stopped..
but it was still CAT 1.. DAMN..
we did the same thing two times in a night..
and that was the first night..
second day..
we woke up with a few hours of sleep..
and found ourselves WET!
morning dew flooded our tents
had our breakfast and waited for instructions..
the programme for us was to learn contact drills..
the training area sucks to the core..
we got to prone on hard ground with lots of gravels
and those are with sharp edges
damnnn it!
well well..
Instructor BK took my section first..
and halfway through..
Jacob dropped his FAD..
and so.. we saw ourselves looking at the mud pool and try to love first..
before we roll ourselves into it..
just seconds later.. Platoon 1 Section 3 is covered with mud!
hahahaha
those mud really smell bad..
and that was in the morning man! damn again!
abrasion starts to kick in after that..
we gathering back with the rest..
and we realise.. all of us.. the Diver Trainees were all in mud!
hhahahhahah
oh… i got the chance to throw a smoke grenade.. 
had lunch and Warrant Tan took us for the second half of the day..
same deal.. contact drills..
but this time.. a more serious one..
do it once and do it good..
we did it good and covered ourselves from continuous drills..
with those blanks that we got left..
Warrant Tan allowed us to switch to auto mood and finish it
and we turned into RAMBOs! lol
Master Teo later came and offer us some thunder flash..
throwing that was another kind of fun..
the night came..
we were all looking forward to the powder bath..
and to change to a new set of No.4
BUT DAMN IT AGAIN!
we were suppose to wear back the muddy No.4 after our powder bath..
how disgusting can we be?
we were slow in changing down and up..
so,… changing parade kicks in..
our socks were extreme
with all the mud dried up and harden..
we got to tear in down..
OUCH man..
changing parade dragged all the way to midnight..
the very last morning of the field camp..
we got a very black Friday..
i think the distance was around 100m..
the whole company got to leopard crawl through the distance..
and the distant includes muddy areas.. sandy areas.. and hard ground area..
and throughout the whole crawl…
it was the gravels with seriously sharp edges that made us cried in pain..
one funny moment..
someone shouted, “AHH!! my cock hit the rock!”
another replied, “damn! i can feel your pain!”
finally.. we changed into a new set of No.4 and waited for our bus to arrive..
that was the field camp that ndu go through..
i really appreciate being in the pool now.. hahahha..
after the field camp..
most of us got abrasions …
the worst of it..
Josiah’s.. blood was already flowing out..
besides..
heat rash also killing some of us..
mainly Eugene and Timothy Er..
the itch really cramp their face up..
next was the feet cracking..
due to the long hours of maintaining our feet in mud..
most of our feet were white when we took out our boots and socks..
i overheard one of the senior mentioning that field is worst than hell week..
but.. we will stay in No.4 throughout the 5 days during hell week.. without taking off it at any moment..
i dont know how to survive it man!..
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
until then ba..
last week of BMT and we going to enjoy one week of block leave..
but again.. we got the 12km route march..
am i going to die?

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Happy Mother’s Day

Mother's Day 2009

Naval Dog Unit

Tuesday.. i finally got my Diver’s Gold..
9mins 12sec.
credit for Instructor Sia.. he paced me from the last 3 rounds..
and Instructor BK for the last push..
”10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… YES!”
rope climbing with fins didnt match my expectations..
in fact… it is easier to climb with fins than boots
confidence jump hurt my balls again..
i wonder how it will hurt when the HMS Terror comes..
timed swim.. i tot it would be a suffering session..
i realise i was wrong in the middle of our 8km road march…
it was Thursday..
early in the morning..
drew our arms.. all set ready to go..
for me..
first 50m.. was the only easy time..
the rest was hell
the pace is fast.. very fast..
it was a battle in the mind..
give up!!! give up!!! it shouted..
but i didnt..
the field pack was dragging me..
songs were shitty
and everyone were scolding one another..
spirits were low..
4km mark.. Ian fainted for a few minutes….
scared the shit of out me..
Instructor Puy slapped him hard in the face..
finally he recovered his conscience
we continued after the spread of cool water
never did we tot it will be so suffering
next 4km to go.. and we went
more and more people could not take in..
after the 8km march alot of us has problems..
overheat.. physical exhaustion.. chest pain.. the list goes on..
Friday.. Warrant Tan told us before we book out for the half day..
”today is the introduction of PCP, it is only the less than 50% of what you will expect”
and we were all like dogs already
Divers… A Special Breed of Men?
or Divers… A Man-like dogs?
hahahahahaha im crazy..
but i wont give up just like that..
i’ll be a Naval Diver of the 31st Batch!
HOOYA!

Saturday, May 02, 2009

My Bosses

i was wandering around facebook..
and i decided to search for all NDU people who i personally know..
i got a lot of from Team Navy..
saw quite alot of photos on IFC shooting competition..
i wonder if i can join Team Navy for their Air Rifle Team

from left we have.. Warrant David..
Warrant Tan Hong Heng.. my PC..
Warrant Tan Hong Bong.. saw him only once during my footdrill with Warrant Lawrence
our Commander NDU 2nd from right..

here.. we have CO Dive School just above the word “DIVERS…..” (RS there)

Warrant Lawrence at the right

i tot this is quite funny.. haha
but still.. even though i don’t know who is in this pic..
im mindful that they have ranks
it will not surprise me it he is a Master Sergeant

i think he is the most charming Instructor in DVS
Instructor Puy here

Instructor Sia..
i didn’t know he is a Dive Leader under Red Scuba
really cool to know this kind of things by myself man lol..

Instructor Roy
Instructor Tor BK
Instructor Rai

Instructor Koh
Instructor Ang

Instructor Jason on the right

Instructor Seow
i remembered all of my bosses.. with their shades.. on my heaven..
i loved all of their shades man..
hell week.. and i think i can purchase one myself.. haha
Master Teo’s pic.. damn difficult to find



finally.. my form is coming back..
i did IPPT on last Monday..
left only my 2.4km run.. 9mins 21sec
Diver’s Gold.. Diver Gold.. pls come to me!
i think im quite getting use to my fins..
even though it is still quite tight..
IPPT/SOC/Time Swim.. easy week..
besides those.. we, the 31 batch.. helped out during the 30 batch’s graduation..
all of us Hooya-ed each other after all the 30 batch jump of the HMS terror
in uniform No.3 somemore..
hahahah..
going home with the whole body wet..
nice one..
31 batch graduation.. we shall see what will be surprise for us..
well.. there are more months to go..
stay in course and dont OOC.. C:
later