OCS Delta 10 - The Beginning

We entered Officer Cadet School (OCS) in SAFTI on the 1st of March, and left at the end of the year after the standard 9-month duration course. The course was divided into two terms: a Junior Term, a Senior Term.

Before that, we were pretty much doing our 3-month Basic Military Training (BMT) at the Infantry Training Depot (ITD) in Sembawang; it's not far away from the Sembawang Shipyard, a leftover British army camp with a ring road and (of course) a large parade square. Not long after after BMT, this ITD camp shifted to Tekong Island that itself became the de facto BMT training camp for generations of NS men. The island, once a thriving fishing village unto itself, became also a military area off-limits to the civilian population. My OCS buddy Liaw is from that island and our PC used to call him our "Tekong consultant", so good was his local knowledge of the place. (I actually led a sea-hook exercise to Tekong one sultry mission night.)

How we got selected for OCS was after having to go through a series of initiative tests and an interview during the final weeks of BMT. Not all were from BMT though; some joined us from the School of Infantry Section Leaders (SISL) at the start of Senior Term. Usually they were the more outstanding grads from SISL. And usually those who did not happen to pass OCS (and there's an element of luck there) would be given the rank of sergeant. Those who made it would be given a provisional rank of First Lieutenant (1Lt, the lowest of the lowest rank possible for an officer!) After a year, he would become a Full Lieutenant or "Full Left" (abbreviated to 'LTA').

In those days, we all served a two and a half year National Service. These days it is two years and OCS weeks have been cut back too. My own personal feeling is that a lot of hard learning (such as facts about weapons, etc) can be learnt quickly. Leadership on the field is something all leaders (officers or NCOs) need to master. And of course, courage under fire/duress.

Platoon 10 of Delta Company (IOCC 1/82) was rather special. We were a mishmash of trainees with the shortest of soldiers and the tallest. We weren't the 'scholar' platoons or in anyway outstanding. But with grit and teamwork, we took home the Sword of Honor, Best Knowledge Prize, Best Fitness. Folks have wondered about our success, but all it took was some inspired man-management and our training platoon commander (Capt Ang) telling us: "Don't make me lose face." AS SIMPLE AS THAT. Haha. What Capt Ang and his staff sergeant Karu did was to pretty much leave us alone. Let us manage ourselves to the school's end. In the end, we did not suffer much "buggeration" (the late-night turn-outs, that is) and we worked better as a platoon/team. 

I will write more of our training days in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy some photos from our training days. Our generation of NS is what I call the "cross-over" period. The transition from green uniform to camouflage, and from mindless "tekanning" (stress and punishment) to "desired outcomes". That we - as instructors of OCS - had to undergo Transactional Analysis (popularly known as TA (by celebrated psychologist Eric Berne) speaks volumes of the sea-change sweeping through the SAF then. And oh yeah, we had new No.3 uniforms too. ;-) 

First Infantry troops to wear camouflage. This was for National
Day Parade 1982. Only those of a certain height took part.

We all started in the old smartly starched No.3s. Later, before we
RODed, the Army  adopted the new, soft No.3s.

Even during field camp, we have to provide entertainment for
our fellow comrades.

Best command? "Exrecise cut!" Here we are seen waiting for a
Landing Ship Tank (troop/vehicle carrier) to bring us back to the
mainland.

Gung-ho guys at a platoon Live Firing.

The M60 mortar. The base plate and ammo carrier were absolute
back breakers! Everybody tried to siam that duty, but no choice,
had to take turns.

GPMG live firing. Barrel is hot and can easily jam. A bit of a
relic.

Anti tank weapon: 84mm RR. Beware of the back blast!

That's Willie with the armour piercing round! Behind us, the famous CB leaves!

Boxing - to train aggression as well as self-defence.

This is when you discover how weak your arms are after 5 mins.
Salute to the boxers who can sustain 12 rounds!

Your bunk mates are your cheer mates. "Through thick and thin,"
as they say.

Bunk is where the home is especially when you have to "take extras"
and get confined in camp. And why oh why must Delta Coy be the
last barracks at the end of Foxhound Ave? That extra 200m to walk from
the main gate!

Flying Fox rappelling. The tower was just built. 

Confidence training Canvas Jump. Later an abseiling wall
was added to the tower. 

Jungle Survival briefing. See snake eat snake. See bear? Run.

Yeah, easy to ASK someone else to do the swallowing!

All in PT kit. Clean and happy. 

Shorts from Taiwan made from their hemp plant.