I've had endless teasing from so many people about this day that my terms of service to NCC would finally cease.
I know I shouldn't be dreading, but there was that...draggy feeling that trailed my footsteps throughout Friday as I went about my lessons, especially with Zong Da and Don (during Double Chinese) who kept poking at me about it.
Finally, after Geog ended I rushed down to the store (I'm gonna miss doing that) to change into full no.3 and to meet Yuk Tim to mark the parade grounds. Thank you Ken and Daniel for coming to help as well. One full rehearsal for the parade followed after. I had quite abit to say to each part just before the real parade (I lost my script! It's somewhere in the store now.) but there was a time constrain, so yea, I'd say what I wanna say a little later on this post.
Then the parade started. In D's words, pictures paint a thousand words: (There are a whole lot more photos up on our Facebooks in albums, go check it out there.)
These are the most significant moments to me during the parade:
Taking over the parade from the 2IC Wei Kit
All four contigents of CHS NCC (air) 2009 ready for the commencing of Passing Out Parade 2009.
Handing over the pacestick to the next Company Sergeant Major: Tsang Yuk Tim
And the sash with the CSM post tag follows. At that moment I was thinking how alike it was with Sir Warren and myself a year ago.
The change of command of the CSM.
The new Parade Commander giving his first commands to the entire unit.
The Guard of Honour of Part D'09 Seniors.
-then follows the hentataki cheer-
At the final stomp, I braced myself to conclude my NCC career in the same fashion as the many batches before us. Alot was going through my mind as I threw my beret upwards, I really don't know how to put it in words.
Then followed everybody's high spirits as we took photos :D Here are the new batch of NCOs with the Seniors (Wei kit, Myself, Wei Xuan, Yong Hwee, Yu Cheng, Jared) and Sir SP. Nicholas Wee what do you think you're doing :O
And the Part Bs with all the respective seniors as well! Where is Hui Yang looking? :O
This is my favorite photo from the whole lot. With all our great teacher officers, Mr. Jeffrey Goh, Mr. Julian Teo (where is he looking?), Mdm. Valerie Chua and Mr. Joshua Chan. And of course, the last time us Part Ds will be in one photo together in uniform. I'm going to miss them so much conducting trainings and camps together.
This was the evening sky right after the parade. I wonder if it means something. We had cake in the middle of the field!
I know I wasn't at my best during the buffet and waterbomb, there really was alot going through my mind about leaving the CCA. Never in my life have I put so much time, effort and stressed over an organization. I'm sorry if I seemed abit...unresponsive in the evening after dinner. I watched as the Part Ds went wild with dropping beret, throwing water bombs at one another, cutting the flag pole for the fun of it. Thanks everyone who comforted and talked to me while I was feeling down that night, like Sir Anthony, Stef and many others. And those who talked to me on the phone, especially my dear niece =)
The sec 3s got me a pencilbox from 77th Street, thanks guys =D it's really nice. And the sec 2s learnt that I draw (stalkers :O) and got me a sketchbook! And there was a card that came with it. Someone wrote in the card, translated from chinese: "A teacher to me for a day, A father to me forever." :O May I know who wrote that su yu?
I'm very thankful towards everything that NCC has given and taught me. Truth to be told, like how some of you already know, NCC (air) wasn't my first choice when I was in Sec 1. Mr Goh K.Y. suggested that I did not continue with table tennis, as the school team has already been filled with DSA players. He suggested I went for my 2nd choice, NCC (air), and he felt that I'd do well in it, who knows. Taking his advice, I joined the unit and have come this far. I really have to thank him for guiding me onto my right path at the moment of decision.
I spent my first year in NCC struggling to understand the concept and system of how NCC runs. Training after training with our Part A UDI (omg I cannot remember what he's name. But I remember his face very clearly as he spoke to us before his POP to do our best.) and screwing up our initiation parade like crazy. Then came Senior Wei Liang (thank you for coming down to our POP!) who was strict, and he used alot of mental punishments. I realised that psychological punishment hurts more than physical. Friday after friday of learning new drills, giving it all during PT and spending the weekends aching. Our very first Hell Night. Wei Liang, Si Chuan and the joker Qian Sheng. There was also the ASM Daryl who talked and taught me alot as well. I was surprised when I was chosen to received Best Part A Cadet. I'd always remember being a Part A fondly.
Then followed the next batch of NCOs. Under Senior John, everything became a whole lot harder. Many began to dread training as things took a turn to become super tough. Many of us viewed John as a terror, scolding us like crazy for every little thing, endless pumping and running like bad. We had many setbacks then as a unit, even resulting in one of us leaving as a CPL. I still recall Hell Night no.2. This is the year where we participated in alot of competitions and honed our leadership skills.
Then came the POP, where the 10th batch of cadets stepped down and the 11th stepped up. I took over as Company Sergeant Major and I admit - I felt really lost. Everything is so different in the viewpoint of an NCO, there is so much more to training and behind the scenes stuff that must be done. From a cadet's point of view I never knew there was so many details to take of such a simple activity such as drawing rifles. I really don't think I would have been able to conduct many trainings without the support of many of the NCOs, everyone of them who willing offered to help in any way they can. All the camps we organised and went through, nevermind the screwups, they were all stepping stones and lessons to learn from.
To the Part As: Best of luck, for now your NCC life really starts as you will learn all the basics of being a NCC cadet. It may be simple to learn, but difficult to master, but I'm sure you all will do your best. I have faith in Toh Hong to0 to maximise your capabilities, but only if you'all cooperate fully with him as well. And remember to greet out of respect for someone more experienced than you are, and not because you were forced to. Someday, you too would want your juniors to greet you'all out of respect as well.
To the Part Bs: Things are gonna get tougher and you know it. Being the most senior non-NCOs now, training will be more advanced and harder. You'd be participating in many competitions this year as well, so do your best in them all and make us proud. Learn as much as you can from the Part Cs, and guide the Part As as they begin their career.
To the Part Cs: Now being the NCOs of CHS NCC (air) 2009, you guys will be leading our unit to greater heights. Juniors will look up to you in direction, and much decisions will lie on your shoulders. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and ask for direction, you'd learn as you go along. I have much faith in your abilities to not only bring the unit up to getting Gold in BUC or top Air district unit, but to also maximise the potential of the juniors under your charge. Remember, Serve with Dedication, Lead with Pride.
To the Part Ds: I cannot thank you all enough for everything you guys have done for the unit. I won't forget all the endless Hell nights we went through, under different commands and how we push each other to attend trainings on Fridays. Then as NCOs, you guys carried out your duties willingly, even going out of the way to make things right for one another. The many camps we planned out and stayed through the night just for the heck of it, and all the sentry duties, playing the piano in the darkness, etc. All these photos of us are memories to keep, but I hope we can stay close friends forever :D Onward to great O level results!
To the officers: Thank you Mr Jeffrey Goh for all your guidance towards leading the unit, and Mr. Teo for all his constant reminders to eat lunch because I need to :O and about discipline. Mdm. Chua and Mr. Chan as well. And Sir Anthony, for his guidance in Sec 1, than again in Sec 2 leadership camp and mainly in Sec 3 as NCOs, and for talking to me after POP. And Sir Warren and Sui Peng as well for their guidance. There is also Sir Qin Zheng who gave much valuable advice during Leadership camp that I'd never forget.
A Part A cadet asked if he could buy my badges during the buffet dinner. I'm not amused. Seriously, working for and earning them is far more worthwhile. I wish all juniors a fulfilling NCC career ahead of them.
Well, this is from 3 and 1/2 years in NCC. Each and everyone of them holds a memory dear to myself. The one I treasure the most is actually the Swimming badge, which was a gift from Hui Yang because he knew I qualified to wear the badge but there was no stock in the store so he went to get it for me :)
This concludes my NCC career as an NCO. Primus Inter pares :)
Balthus The best choice in my life.
Protagonist
Within Nobody, Within Me
Benedict -- Balthus
Cat High since 2006 - 2009
4-3 '09
NCC (air) cadet since '05 - C/OFFR
CHS NCC (air) USM '08 - '09
A NCC Supernumerary
Member of the CMC since '07 - '09
The star of the Cancer
Stars to favour
People around me who care =)
Symbolism, the deeper meaning
CHS NCC (air)
CHS CMC board
Figurines I like =D
Improvement, no matter how minor
Pencils, colour pencils, paper
Traditional Art and CG
Drawing =D
Piano (:
Raindrops to catch
For my unit to flourish
For my grades to catch up - L1R5 of <8!
To choose my path in life
To improve my skill with the pencil Watercolour colourpencils! Thank you :)
To learn digital art XD Become a first aider =D OH YEA.
To play the piano (:
Taking over the parade from the 2IC Wei Kit
And the sash with the CSM post tag follows. At that moment I was thinking how alike it was with Sir Warren and myself a year ago.
The change of command of the CSM.
The new Parade Commander giving his first commands to the entire unit.
Then followed everybody's high spirits as we took photos :D Here are the new batch of NCOs with the Seniors (Wei kit, Myself, Wei Xuan, Yong Hwee, Yu Cheng, Jared) and Sir SP. Nicholas Wee what do you think you're doing :O
