One of the many meaningful
events that has shaped my life was when I enlisted into the National
Service(NS). On the first day of enlistment, everyone was as lost as me. We did
not know what to expect and what was expected of us. Before we enlisted, all we
had heard was stories about the life in Army. The stories were usually very
extreme and disheartening. I was a little afraid when I boarded the ferry and headed
towards Tekong. I soon realised that the stories I heard outside were nowhere
near the truth. My superiors were all around my age. They had all been through
the same experience as us, and they knew how it feels like to be enlisted.
They would have wanted to make life easier for everybody. However,
training and discipline standards had to be upheld as the sole purpose for
enlistment was to defend the country when the need arose. Standards should not
be compromised. NS was a fun experience for me as I not only managed to get
fitter, and made a lot of close friends on the way, but I also changed. Many
people believed that NS was actually useless, since they all believed that a
war was not going to occur and NS should be abolished. However, one of the main
reasons why a war might be considered unlikely was due to the strength of the
Singapore Army and with the display of hi-tech weaponry during special
occasions such as National Day Parade. This would be a form of deterrence for
the enemy. Another reason why NS is important is because it is an aspect of Singapore
culture. All boys who reached the age of 18 have to take on the responsibility
to protect the country. Through all the tough training, discipline and
regimentation, I have grown to become more mature. At the same time, I was given
a chance to become a commander. This had allowed me to experience what it feels
like to lead people, and to find out what kind of leadership style is most
suitable for me.
[Edited]
Thanks, Zhi Kang, for this informative post. It highlights areas of NS that I have never heard discussed, such as the idea that some folks want to abolish it. You also mention that your experience dispelled the myths that you had heard earlier. What isn't explained though is what made those stories 'disheartening.'
ReplyDeleteIn this post you make a good case for your learning various skills and maturing. I also find it especially interesting when you suggest that war is unlikely due to the displays of the "hi-tech weaponry" from the National Day Parade. You state that this might be a deterrent to 'the enemy.' I'm very curious about this: In the world post-9/11 (where it was not a conventional army that brought America to its knees, but a group of extremists using box cutters to commandeer civilian aircraft, who do you think might be the most likely 'enemy'? Can the training in NS address this sort of war?
All in all, this is a thought-provoking short essay, with a clear focus and compelling content. At the same time, there are a number of language issues that, if corrected, would make this an even better post. Most issues are tense or s-v agreement related.
Let's talk about these.
Thanks for kindly allowing us to dissect your work, and for the edit!
DeleteHi Zhikang!
ReplyDeleteIts actually a very interesting vocation you have there!! Really happy that you can look at NS in a different view as compared to the majority others. Hope all the skills you learn in the NS will aid you in your future life!!