Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean was at Jurong Island this afternoon to see a demonstration of the enhanced capabilities of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for dealing with terrorist threats.

The Army’s 2nd People’s Defence Force (2PDF) Headquarters has been configured as the Island Defence Headquarters (IDHQ), whose role is to monitor and respond decisively to security threats to the homeland, particularly terrorist threats. Working in close collaboration with the Home Team agencies, the IDHQ has command and control, and co-ordination functions. The IDHQ maintains a 24/7 national security picture which integrates the land, sea, and air pictures with those provided by the Home Team agencies. It also provides security support for high profile events taking place in Singapore.

Since November 2004, the IDHQ’s capabilities have been reinforced with the designation of the 6th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (6 SIR) as the Army’s first active Protection of Installation Battalion (POI Bn). In the current security environment, there is a need for a highly trained and dedicated force to provide round-the-clock protection of key installations. 6 SIR was thus reorganised and trained as a unit fully capable of conducting a range of POI duties. It has the skills for area search and bomb cordons, as well as new competencies like operating special-to-type weapons. 6 SIR will be augmented by the SAF’s Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive (CBRE) Defence Group during operations.

During his visit, Mr Teo was briefed on the roles and functions of the IDHQ. He also witnessed a mock intrusion demonstration which showcased the swift and integrated response and capabilities of 6 SIR, working closely with the CBRE group and military police elements.

Okay, in short, here is what I recomend to all potential kengsters. If you can carry on training, carry on training. I learnt from bitter, bitter experience that it is sometimes worse to be service personnel than combat personnel.

Story of my NS Life:

Point of Downgrade: I was serving my 3rd last week of BSLC in Tekong in Nutcracker when I struck a huge rock with my changkul and tore a major ligament in my arm. I was sent to CGH and downgraded within two weeks.

Fast forward 1 week: As an OOC in SISPEC, I was seriously treated like SH*T! U wake up half an hour earlier than the rest to set up safety and water points. You stay up an hour later than the rest to maintain the radios and signal sets. Yet, when the coy books out early for good performance, you find yourself taking the bloody last fastcraft out of Tekong Holiday Resort.

Fast forward 2 months: I was sent to 42 SAR as a clerk. Same story, except WORSE. On top of all the Sai Gang earlier mentioned, I was often sent to the Ossifer Mess to EFFING Shell Prawns, Scale Fish and Kill Crabs for the Officers Quarterly Mass Chao Geng celebration. Those Cheesepies would puke on the floor and order us to go over and clean up. NBCB... In addition, the clerks in my dept were a mix of Homosexuals, Ku niangs and Kengsters who play politics, porh the Chief Clerk and push weekend duties to me. It practically made life in BMTC feel like heaven. Plus, 42 SAR is in farking LIM CHU KANG JUNGLE!!!

Fast forward 4 months: As the Battalion's despatch clerk, I got the chance to make friends with the CPC clerks in CMPC, who told me how to get an upgrade and secure a posting back to SISPEC. I made friends with the CPC captain, who decided to post me back to SISPEC after I told him my story. I actually PAID for a private specialist to certify me combat fit and I went back to Tekong, the Happiest man ever to go to SISPEC.

Fast forward 7 months: Secured Coy 2nd best and got selected for OCS conversion, where I eventually commissioned as a Combat Engineer PC 13 months from the time I OOCed from SISPEC.

Moral of this EFFING Story: Service vocations aren't as peachy as most think. Often, service personnel are despised, looked down upon, mistreated and unfairly allocated Sai Gang ++. If you can Chiong Sua, pls dun downgrade. Dun waste the precious time in Army being someone's nosedig slave when you can do something for yourself by working out, getting fit and doing the best of the time you'd have to waste in this effing army anyway.

With this story, I've probably sexposed myself to all of the 27 and 29 BSLC pple le... Believe me. A life of a clerk can be REALLY TOUGH.

Best of luck. Be inspired.

haha.. RP... machiam sign extra for your 2 years.

about the 2 weeks excuse for dat in-grown toe nail; you will not be out of course la.. coz RP no need training de.

really RP is very slack de. coz u r the 1 catching other ppl. nobody will catch u. u can do watever u wan.

there is smthing call RP Spec (unless u make him tulan) and then CSM, RSM, and the whole bunch of saddist regulars. LOL

the govt played with our lifes. its time we played their system

Tell us the whole story leh. What happened to the RP afterwards? Say sorry 2000 times? Knock it down till next year?

He must be an idiot as well lah, the age of the person should imply to him that it's either NSMan, or somebody higher ranking than him. Unless the LTC super high flyer and look uber young.

this is not first hand story btw... just heard it from a friend lah...

basically what happen was that, it was in an airbase. then the LTC was driving the rover into the middle of the field to do the scouting for some exercise or something.

suddenly, the MP (3rd sergeant) went to shout "oi! what the fark u doing there? where u from? who are u? what u doing here?"

so the LTC, whose rank was being covered by his LBV, reply nicely, "oh, i just looking around for this exercise, blah blah blah"

then the MP still damn rude, say "where u from?" then he scold scold scold blah blah blah, "!@##$%^&&*", then he say "come out of the car now!"

so the LTC feel damn dulan already, then he say "ok, sorry ah, let me take out my LBV first..."

then the MP face totally changed when he saw the rank...:eek: then he salute and say "gd morning... sorry sir."

after the LTC fark him verbally, i think he kana complain to the RSM... then in the end i heard the MP kana 20 plus extras for abusing authority and whatever they cld come up with. orbi good

from what my friend told me, the LTC look quite young cos it was air force one, u know airforce, all these ranks like LTC like got alot anyway, alot of high ranking people in the camp one.

actually, i feel no matter who it is, whether recroot or general, esp if u not sure, u shld speak to the person firmly but with respect. u can never go wrong there. no point abusing ur authority or treating the guys below like dogs cos there's always someone on top of u who will treat u like dog back

Mr Tan Yong Soon, 55, who will become Permanent Secretary (National Climate Change) in the Prime Minister's Office.

French Chef Weather Maestro
coming to an Orchard Road restaurant near you soon !!
Let BG(NS) Tan show you how to cook up a storm...
...without flooding the kitchen !

Taoist Federation chairman Tan Thiam Lye and New Creation pastor Mark Ng

I am a SISPEC Crossover to OCS. I was awarded the Golden Bayonet in ASLC and Coy Best in BSLC.

In OCS i was nominated for award but i didnt get any. But its alright.

Anyway, honestly, the training in the SAF is generally very safe and noone should really have to be overly concerned for safety matters. Just pay attention to the briefing and pay attention when bullets are flying then you’ll be cool. This is not withstanding if there is a moron around you that does dangerous things ofcourse.

Section Live Firing, Platoon Live Firing are very tame events. The procedure is so set in stone that the likelihood that anything will happen is slim to none. I have done it twice the amount an average commander trainee would have to on account that i have been through SISPEC and OCS and its a really dull affair. I got bored during the second time. Especially since there is a dry rehearsal, then a blank rehearsal and finally a live rehearsal plus another one for night (atleast for SISPEC).

Also, for those wondering, which is tougher, SISPEC is tougher hands down.

I was from one of the most laid back company in SISPEC, and went to one of the toughest wings in OCS but, SISPEC is tougher hands down.

SISPEC is tactical all the way in the outfield. Meaning when you go outfield training, the moment you get out of the tonner, you’ve got to behave as in you are in the enemy can be around. Totally no nonsense. You only get a break when it is all over. The longest i have had to endure this was in taiwan for a continuous 7 days.
This means that even when its time to sleep, you have to maintain the alert ratio as per ordered. usually 50:50. This was even during the rain (the temperature was 5 degrees that night) and we still had to carry on with the mission. It was the single most physically and mentally toughest things i had to go through in the Army.

In OCS, its alot of symbolic and theatrical bullshit. I am not saying that i am ashamed to be an officer. But OCS doesn’t do training like SISPEC does.
In OCS’s toughest experince for me, was in taiwan (again, though in the summer now), it was a 5 day exercise, but in between mission we can have a tactical break (that means you can just chill) at one point we were sleeping on top of an open hill with all our equipments scattered around me. I’m not especially proud of this, but if you’re in rome.

I just get a little upset when officers behave like they are better than specialists. Cos the truth of the matter is that the best specialist is better than every other officer. And officers like to brag about going through the tough trainings of OCS, without knowing that SISPEC is tough too, and much more so.

It's 4 weeks, NS MOCC for NS Men, the normal MOCC is around 3 months. You will be CPT(DR), not LTA, LTA can't be military doctor because LTA don't have the security access to the PES "Bible".