It’s been 4 years since I’ve POP’d, so I would like to reflect a little on my BMT experience and how these lessons can help me in the future.
I hope one can find at least some meaning in Basic Military Training, even if they might not enjoy it.
Something Seems Hard When It’s Unfamiliar
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When someone begins something new, it seems daunting because of their lack of knowledge.
But, after repeating it a few times, they get familiar with the steps.
After a certain number of reps, it’s not as difficult as initially thought.
Though this seems like a lesson that can be learnt from anywhere in life, I believe that most guys my age relate to this the most during the first weeks of BMT.
It’s because I’ve been used to being a student and not a soldier.
Also, I was not in uniform groups in school, so I wouldn’t even know how to wear my long 4, or even march.
There were so many things to learn or else there’s punishment, such as Stand By Area, Force Prep, IA drills, and more.
Personally, I struggled a lot during the first few weeks of BMT.
However, my friend made me realise that the first few weeks will be the hardest.
Sure enough, being a soldier seemed hard because it was unfamiliar.
I hope to apply this lesson when I’m faced with something new.
Your Body Can Handle More Than You Thought
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Next, it was only during BMT that I realised how much my body can really handle.
For an average civilian, it seems crazy to exercise once every single day.
Tell him to work out twice per day, and he will believe it’s impossible.
How can his body handle that much stress?
Well, it’s only during BMT that I could answer that.
Now, I know that the training is progressive, such that by the last few weeks of BMT, one’s body would be conditioned to handle more strenuous activities.
Since the beginning, recruits would do 1-2 physical training sessions per day.
Don’t forget the random tekan sessions or the fact that they have to march a lot!
But I realised how much I could push my body only after I was forced to exercise and couldn’t give excuses.
Honestly, it will be challenging to exercise 2-3 hours daily when I have other commitments to take care of after I ORD.
Still, it’s nice to know how much my body can take so that I can stick to a workout routine that will improve my fitness, or at least maintain it.
Can You Alleviate The Pain By Singing?
Let me now speak on something that seems trivial.
I’ve learnt that singing songs together can be so fun.
A group of people would feel bonded when they put so much effort into singing.
This is seen in BMT when someone starts a song for everyone to echo after, while marching.
Full disclosure, I was the song IC of my platoon.
My experience with music has helped me to match the tempo of the platoon’s marching with the tempo of the song.
As someone who enjoys shouting while making people have fun, I would spend some time memorising lyrics so that I could begin a song for everyone to echo after.
Through this, I’m reminded of how powerful music is.
Yes, most people listen to music on their own.
But singing songs together is genuinely fun.
No wonder karaoke is such a great group activity.
Suck Thumb Carry On, It Is What It Is
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Lastly, what I’ve learnt from BMT is how to chill out.
Sounds tough, considering everything seems so serious in the army.
I acknowledge that BMT is the first time ever where one doesn’t have to worry about studying or working.
However, from what I’ve observed, there are many times when things don’t go as planned in BMT.
During my time, the PT session might get cancelled because of a lightning alert.
Since this is a conscripted army where one is the lowest rank, one would also have to deal with the unfairness of it all.
Thankfully, the quicker one accepts the outcome, the less worried or fed up they will be.
This is what is called “suck thumb and carry on”.
Though the meme “it is what it is” might mean nothing more than just a funny joke, I’ve found that it helped me to stop mulling over an undesirable result.
Of course, there should still be some reflection on how something did not turn out as expected.
To get there, it’s important not to focus so negatively on the past.
That’s the nuance of this lesson.
Just chill out.
For example, if my test results are bad, just learn why and don’t get disappointed for too long.
It’s not about not feeling emotions.
But after a week, a day, maybe even an hour of expressing them, it’s time to move on.
It is what it is, suck thumb and carry on.
Related to Basic Military Training:
8 Types of NSF in Singapore (National Service)
101 Bad Habits during National Service (NS) in Singapore Part 2
