I’ve finally got my pink identity card back. The “status” field in the green one now reads “NSman”. 2 years and 2 months have passed, carving quite a memory. Definitely life-changing. I’ve always thought I’d never live to see the day I enter National Service. Pretty amusing, recollecting this piece of thinking, now that not only did I live seeing myself enter NS, I’ve even completed this whole phase of life. I’m so amazed by myself.
It really seemed like yesterday, when I first stepped aboard the ferry to Tekong, wishing I wasn’t born a male. I remember I felt the happiness from within myself when I was on the ferry from Tekong during my first book-out. I was secretly smiling to myself, actually. Hehehe. Somehow I still recall that special feeling, like I’ve never been happier in my life, thus far.
I was posted to a service unit as a clerk (or admin support assistant) after BMT, and was actually late on the first day of work because I missed my bus-stop! You can imagine how flustered I was, calling my mum asking for directions (she did tell me where exactly to stop but I somehow missed it). Thank goodness the unit was situated deep inside a camp, where no newbie could’ve ever found their way in. I saw a BMT mate (who i’ve never spoken to but we know we share the same chinese name) who got posted to the same place and he was enquiring about where to report. Phew!
That was a lucky day for me because the unit had a huge mobilisation exercise the weekend before (which I narrowly escaped, haha) and was given a half-day off on the same day i reported! I’d hardly settled in and I was asked to go home! Days we just have all the luck!
Forward half a year later, I received sudden news that I’ve been posted to MINDEF’s legal dept. There I was, thinking that I’d be spending the rest of my NS with the people I met on the first day, imagining about the final day of my NS, buying some food for these people to celebrate my last day, and all of a sudden I was sent somewhere else! I was finally gaining some recognition for my capabilities from my superiors when I was assisting them pioneering a new office, and out of the blue, I’d to start from scratch again.
But I knew I had to leave for the new place. At that time, my thinking was not only would I be putting my Diploma in Law & Management into good use, the experience that I might gain and the knowledge that I might learn is definitely going to add some weight into my résumé. Heck, I prolly get to use more of my brains there than in the unit. Damn right, I was.
Almost couldn’t get posted to the new place because my superior was unhappy with the people who transferred her subordinate (that would be me) out without consulting her. Luckily, she knew how important it was to place the right people at the right places (haha, that was from me) and I was finally released with no other problems.
Life was meaningful thereafter.
I went to work in normal office attire (no more ugly uniforms!!); I had a (kinda huge) working cubicle and 2 computer terminals (intra- and inter- net)for my own use (yay yay! no more sharing!); My rank of a Private (yes, I was still a low-ranking soldier back then) was concealed (so I could act like some impt figure when talking to unit people, esp those officers, haha!); I was appointed a Military Prosecutor (wow wow!); I fitted the pieces about what I learnt (actually, what I could recall, if anything at all) during Criminal Procedure lessons together; I was involved minimally in the editorial process for our office publication (the runner kind); I was appointed Welfare Officer (those celebratory and Family Day events I had to plan! grrr); and many many more.
Basically, I killed many many brain cells and was mentally exhausted, like never before. Not to forget all those office politics and work woes that I experienced. At least everything was less regimental, though at times some colleagues still put a lot of (unnecessary) attention into the whole ranking system within office.
Well, everything does seem like yesterday. I have been clearing my leave since 15 Aug. Gave myself about a month of break before embarking on my next phase of life. Doubt it’ll be enough, but I can’t rest forever.
Wish me luck! And may everything be smooth-sailing from now onwards. 
