Pulau Tekong

Back dated to 8 Jan 2005


Enlistment day came anyway, no matter how much I might have looked forward to or dreaded it.

I laid awake on my bed a little longer than I normally would. Even if it is just for a few seconds more .. I wanted to enjoy lying on my own bed a little longer.

Then I dragged myself up and stuffed the remaining things that I think I may need into my back pack.
Packing was not easy. I had no clear idea of what I would need, and I kept wondering if I had over packed or under packed my stuff. The job was somewhat complicated as well with my parents' fussing. It seems that they were anxious as well, and slight quarrels ensued over what I should bring and what was way unnecessary.

Then, we left the house. My family went too. Family members are given a tour of the Tekong island. It was to allow parents to preview how their sons' army life would be like, and to put their heart at ease.

Pulau Tekong is an island North East of mainland Singapore. It was specially set aside to be the place where the Recruits of the Singapore Armed Forces are trained.
To reach there we had to first go to the Singapore Ferry Terminal. From there we took the ferry to the island and alighted at the Tekong Island Ferry Terminal.

The ride was bumpy, and coupled with my anxiety it left me feeling queasy. I am quite sure that I was not the only one feeling so; it was rather apparent on some of the other guys' faces too.

On the island my family were ushered to join the others for their tour of the island, while the enlistees were brought to sit in a queue to await our company postings.

I looked around me, and thought, "I've never seen a bunch of people as unlike soldiers as we are."
Most of us were looking around with lost looks on our faces.
Some of them still sported long or tinted hair, and the remnants of their "holiday look" hung sadly dead and subdued around them.

After a while a sergeant came to us to announce our postings.



I am in Leopard Company, Platoon 1, Section 1, Bed number 10.