I would like to think that I\u2019ve done many things in life that can be considered pretty adventurous.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve eaten worms, lamb testicles and a whole bunch of other things most people would not normally ingest. I\u2019ve gone snorkelling with manta rays. I\u2019ve jumped off a platform with nothing but a bungee cord strapped to my feet. I\u2019ve been battered by altitude sickness while ascending to Everest Base Camp and lived to tell the tale. I\u2019ve gotten married.<\/p>\n
But do you know what I would consider to be the greatest adventure of my life?<\/p>\n
National Service.<\/p>\n
And just like most adventures, National Service came with its share of enlightening discoveries.<\/p>\n
One discovery about tenacity came during the overseas training stint in Australia.<\/p>\n
I never knew I could hold my poop for five straight days (I refused to use the porta-loos).<\/p>\n
Come to think of it, I think I became a porta-loo.<\/p>\n
There were also times when life in NS was about preventing discoveries. Take for instance the time when I sneaked my Nokia 8250 into Pulau Tekong and had to conceal the device in the suspended ceiling.<\/p>\n
All was fine and dandy until the sergeants announced that everyone was going to be inspected right before we booked out.<\/p>\n
At this moment, I became the living definition of ancient Greek philosopher Plato\u2019s proverb \u201cnecessity is the mother of invention\u201d.<\/p>\n
But I suppose the appropriate proverb in this scenario would be \u201cPrickly is the road to my salvation\u201d.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s right. I pried open my Prickly Heat powder can and shoved the phone into it. I was not caught. But I was also not able to use the phone after this incident.<\/p>\n
Nokia really should\u2019ve made powder-proof phones.<\/p>\n
Receiving my posting was another discovery I\u2019ll never forget. I still remember asking my platoon commander, \u201cSir, so armoured infantry is like infantry but I get to sit in an air-conditioned vehicle, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n
He gave me a wry smile and nodded. I pumped my fists. I soon learned he was lying.<\/p>\n
Armoured infantry was and still is not<\/i> a cushy vocation. Imagine being an infantry trooper but with all the baggage of an armoured vehicle.<\/p>\n
But being in a formation which operates by the motto \u201cSwift and Decisive\u201d and where you get to learn to operate an armoured vehicle does come with its perks.<\/p>\n
I remember being particularly proficient in parking during my driving test. After all, if you can park a 12-tonne armoured vehicle, you can park anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cWah, your parking quite steady, ah,\u201d my driving instructor used to say.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see, I\u2019m from Armour. Swift and decisive!\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n
I wonder if my peers in the Guards formation would line up outside Singapore Pools and recite their motto too.<\/p>\n
What is the Guards motto? Ready to Strike.<\/p>\n
The situational test that I had to undergo during Basic Military Training \u2013 which is without doubt the most memorable experience in my NS life \u2013 was also themed on discovery.<\/p>\n
In this case, it was the discovery that NS can at times be a wonderful fantasy where you can let your imagination run wild.<\/p>\n
I still remember being dumbfounded when the invigilator pointed at my buddy Daniel and yelled, \u201cMan down! Sniper!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh? Sniper? Where?\u201d I said, scratching my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomewhere out there lah, you bodoh! So how now? What are you going to do?\u201d he scoffed.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, we weren\u2019t taught how to deal with snipers during training.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUse your brain, recruit! Create a smoke screen and evacuate your teammate!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThrow a smoke grenade!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we don\u2019t have smoke grenades.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAIYOH, CAN YOU JUST PRETEND YOU HAVE SMOKE GRENADES?\u201d<\/p>\n
My puzzled teammates and I threw our imaginary smoke grenades and fired imaginary bullets at the imaginary location of the imaginary sniper.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, what are you waiting for? Put Daniel on the stretcher and get a move on!\u201d yelled the invigilator. \u201cHe\u2019s going to bleed to death at the rate you\u2019re going!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay, sir. He\u2019s fine,\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean he\u2019s fine?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel\u2019s imaginary bulletproof vest caught the bullet!\u201d<\/p>\n