SGT Course and nonsense
I was supposed to be promoted to the rank of sergeant way back in January. However, due to my accident exactly one day before the start of the course. I had to defer my attendance for almost 4 months. While the batch of corporals that I was supposed to be promoted with had a whale of a time on their first day of the course. I was getting my face sewn up. The irony.
If I had attended the course in january, I would have gone with people like Kaveh and the like. The strange thing was that another promotional course was held in March, but I was not allowed to go. The reason given by the Police National Service Department (damn cmi one) was that it was "exclusively meant for other NSmen in the divisions only". (With a big emphasis on "only"). What nonsensical logic is that? Since when did the police force have such a thing.
It is all a plot to delay our well-deserved promotions so that they can still give us corporal pay, which is far less than what an NS sergeant usually gets. Comparing with a regular police sergeant. An NS one can get a maximum of half of that of the regular, so it is to a certain extent, a good sum of money. I guess the system is unfair. NSPIs get paid 1200 bucks a month just to sit in an air conditioned office and do simple clerical work. Sounds exactly like how white horses are treated to me.
Because I was promoted four months late. I lost out on almost 1200 dollars of back pay. I was told that previously, most NSmen were given the back pay. But apparently, the police is trying to cut costs. So what do they do? They squeeze their NSmen like a towel bein wrung dry. And continue to lavish big bonuses on all the senior officers for "excellent services rendered" (more like being able to wayang). Without NSmen, the police force cannot survive. Because they are doing all the menial jobs that no regular wants to touch.
Thus, the PNSF said that there would be a sergeant course "exclusively for special units in April". Police Force only has two special units generally. Police Coast Guard and The Special Operations Command. So very technically, we could expect a "small sized class".
To my surprise on my first day at Police Academy (Tracom), where the course was held. We had tonnes of division policemen there as well! Like I said, the PNSF Dept is really really really cannot make it one. An utter catastrophe in administration matters indeed. Plus their stocked with all kinds of arrogant clerks, a bunch of sad NSmen who only know how to "update leave on the leave forms".
It was good that there was more division people there. I met up with "prominent" ACS people like Wei Chin as well as a good lecture mate Beckie. In addition, I met up with one of my badminton seniors back from Barker. And of course. A joker called Alfian. Hahahaha. Also from ACJC. But ARTS. I remember that as my squad was 3 days to the passing out parade, his squad enlisted into Tracom. It was good because we were both in the same company back then.
The Sergeant course was really fun. We had a bunch of slack Station Inspectors who would come and ask us to give impromptu speeches about vagaries of perception like "Passion to be a Policeman" and all kinds of theories pertaining to "management". I really suggest that they offer lessons in "Political Backstabbing" as well. Since like a large number of people I've met outside the team are supreme experts in such a dark art indeed. It was fun. We had break time than class lesson time. And most of the time we were just playing around and joking to each other.
Lunch was good too. Very often, we'd take a taxi and try up the "Prawn Mee Soup at Balestier" as well as heading down to try all kinds of nice food at coffeeshops the guys at the division shared with us. That's the good thing about land divisions. You're like a part time food critic during lunch time because of the breadth of food one can taste in the course of normal duties. I agree. Balestier Prawn Mee is good stuff. As is the western food in the same coffeeshop there as well. Although honestly, nothing still beats the Bak Kut Teh at Balestier road that The Coast Guard people love to frequent.
I found it odd that most of the people in my group, that was pre-assigned to discuss issues, was made up by tonnes of clerks and all manner of policemen who did everything except ground work. Apparently, they are more adept at photocopying vast quantities of paper than swinging their T-Baton. And none of them believe it that I get to go for patrol and see the sea on a regular basis, thinking that "Coast Guard should use more A-Level people to do office hours work".
What's the point of being in the police force for two and a half years and when people ask you what you did in your NS life. You say things like, "oh I was a clerk..." or "oh I was an assistant to some big shot". Too bad, too sad. They probably forgot how to handcuff accused people as well.
The good thing about having so many clerks was that they were all supremely gifted in the use of powerpoint. So we just taichi everything to the clerks to do. From the presentation all the way to the excel worksheets. And since I had ground experience. All I needed to do was to talk and eat lunch for the whole duration of the one week course. Our group leader was so supremely gifted that he actually managed to land himself a copy of the Commissioner of Police's presentation about "Passion". Which was the exact same topic that we were supposed to cover. So basically our group was the most slack, least worried, and had the most fun.
Most of the time during "lessons" it was just plainly talking to Wei Chin and Alfian "about our days back then in ACJC". It was so funny when we recall all the experiences that we've been through and run through all the nonsensical things we had heard. Its good because after some time, we can gain closure to certain events that were "left hanging" when we left school. And we laughed and reminisiced about our old times and "all the things we should have done".
Well it was good. And we so bet that Sandy Chua wouldn't win Miss Singapore Universe. Ouch. And apparently, all of us had some "bad experience or other" with her. Hmmm.. my "encounters" with Miss Singapore-Universe wasn't so pleasant indeed. She's so proud, I liken it to breathing in hydrogen fluoride laden air. And I still think that her best friend is prettier, warmer and way nicer in terms of personality and character.
Then of course, when you have a bunch of ACS boys together. Inevitably the topic will always turn towards girls. Definitely one of the top topics for any ACS Boy. And so to reward my friend Alfian who somehow or other landed on my blog. I shall present. Lynn Chou!
I know its really childish to talk about girls like this. But then again, its just a normal regression of mind state to discuss issues of the past in humour and deep philosophical thought. Anyway, she was the 3rd Prettiest girl in ACJC. The first two were still debatable. But yeah, she was way up there. Best thing was that she was a class girl.
When I found out that Lynn was in my class. I guess more or less the guys and I had the same reaction, lah. But nevermind about that. She's a really beautiful girl, yet with no hint of arrogance, sacarsm, or pride. I'm very sure that all my class guys will agree with me saying that she's humble, friendly and has this really warm personality. She could have easily won Miss Singapore Universe ANYDAY.
This shot was taken on the last day of school I think it was 21st Oct 2002. I was fooling around with Thomas THE PRO's Sony Cybershot and I just happened to swing around, saw her in front of me and fired off the shot all in perfect unison. Such a simple candid shot indeed. I really wish that Thomas had not set the resolution to the LOWEST dimension and HIGHEST compression just to maximise the number of shots that could be taken. Such shots are priceless indeed.
In a few words:
"Lynn Chou is like, wow man..." (Quoted from Alfian!)
Well, its always a pleasure to meet up and talk to all kinds of ACS people. Everyone has like this common bond? Maybe its just the AC Spirit. Probably something that no one can really understand unless they've really gone through an AC education for the longest period of time.
The biggest irony is that when I met up with Ishvinder (The Great Indian Mathematician!), he told me that there were other Coast Guard people as well as Special Operations Command NSmen at his Sergeant Course that was held in March, one month before mine in April. There we go. The PNSF dept trying to smoke us once again! Like I said, they really really really really really really cannot make it. Or else in the words of another ACS boy. Its called a "C Cubed N M I"
"Confirm Cannot, Can Never Make It".
I was supposed to be promoted to the rank of sergeant way back in January. However, due to my accident exactly one day before the start of the course. I had to defer my attendance for almost 4 months. While the batch of corporals that I was supposed to be promoted with had a whale of a time on their first day of the course. I was getting my face sewn up. The irony.
If I had attended the course in january, I would have gone with people like Kaveh and the like. The strange thing was that another promotional course was held in March, but I was not allowed to go. The reason given by the Police National Service Department (damn cmi one) was that it was "exclusively meant for other NSmen in the divisions only". (With a big emphasis on "only"). What nonsensical logic is that? Since when did the police force have such a thing.
It is all a plot to delay our well-deserved promotions so that they can still give us corporal pay, which is far less than what an NS sergeant usually gets. Comparing with a regular police sergeant. An NS one can get a maximum of half of that of the regular, so it is to a certain extent, a good sum of money. I guess the system is unfair. NSPIs get paid 1200 bucks a month just to sit in an air conditioned office and do simple clerical work. Sounds exactly like how white horses are treated to me.
Because I was promoted four months late. I lost out on almost 1200 dollars of back pay. I was told that previously, most NSmen were given the back pay. But apparently, the police is trying to cut costs. So what do they do? They squeeze their NSmen like a towel bein wrung dry. And continue to lavish big bonuses on all the senior officers for "excellent services rendered" (more like being able to wayang). Without NSmen, the police force cannot survive. Because they are doing all the menial jobs that no regular wants to touch.
Thus, the PNSF said that there would be a sergeant course "exclusively for special units in April". Police Force only has two special units generally. Police Coast Guard and The Special Operations Command. So very technically, we could expect a "small sized class".
To my surprise on my first day at Police Academy (Tracom), where the course was held. We had tonnes of division policemen there as well! Like I said, the PNSF Dept is really really really cannot make it one. An utter catastrophe in administration matters indeed. Plus their stocked with all kinds of arrogant clerks, a bunch of sad NSmen who only know how to "update leave on the leave forms".
It was good that there was more division people there. I met up with "prominent" ACS people like Wei Chin as well as a good lecture mate Beckie. In addition, I met up with one of my badminton seniors back from Barker. And of course. A joker called Alfian. Hahahaha. Also from ACJC. But ARTS. I remember that as my squad was 3 days to the passing out parade, his squad enlisted into Tracom. It was good because we were both in the same company back then.
The Sergeant course was really fun. We had a bunch of slack Station Inspectors who would come and ask us to give impromptu speeches about vagaries of perception like "Passion to be a Policeman" and all kinds of theories pertaining to "management". I really suggest that they offer lessons in "Political Backstabbing" as well. Since like a large number of people I've met outside the team are supreme experts in such a dark art indeed. It was fun. We had break time than class lesson time. And most of the time we were just playing around and joking to each other.
Lunch was good too. Very often, we'd take a taxi and try up the "Prawn Mee Soup at Balestier" as well as heading down to try all kinds of nice food at coffeeshops the guys at the division shared with us. That's the good thing about land divisions. You're like a part time food critic during lunch time because of the breadth of food one can taste in the course of normal duties. I agree. Balestier Prawn Mee is good stuff. As is the western food in the same coffeeshop there as well. Although honestly, nothing still beats the Bak Kut Teh at Balestier road that The Coast Guard people love to frequent.
I found it odd that most of the people in my group, that was pre-assigned to discuss issues, was made up by tonnes of clerks and all manner of policemen who did everything except ground work. Apparently, they are more adept at photocopying vast quantities of paper than swinging their T-Baton. And none of them believe it that I get to go for patrol and see the sea on a regular basis, thinking that "Coast Guard should use more A-Level people to do office hours work".
What's the point of being in the police force for two and a half years and when people ask you what you did in your NS life. You say things like, "oh I was a clerk..." or "oh I was an assistant to some big shot". Too bad, too sad. They probably forgot how to handcuff accused people as well.
The good thing about having so many clerks was that they were all supremely gifted in the use of powerpoint. So we just taichi everything to the clerks to do. From the presentation all the way to the excel worksheets. And since I had ground experience. All I needed to do was to talk and eat lunch for the whole duration of the one week course. Our group leader was so supremely gifted that he actually managed to land himself a copy of the Commissioner of Police's presentation about "Passion". Which was the exact same topic that we were supposed to cover. So basically our group was the most slack, least worried, and had the most fun.
Most of the time during "lessons" it was just plainly talking to Wei Chin and Alfian "about our days back then in ACJC". It was so funny when we recall all the experiences that we've been through and run through all the nonsensical things we had heard. Its good because after some time, we can gain closure to certain events that were "left hanging" when we left school. And we laughed and reminisiced about our old times and "all the things we should have done".
Well it was good. And we so bet that Sandy Chua wouldn't win Miss Singapore Universe. Ouch. And apparently, all of us had some "bad experience or other" with her. Hmmm.. my "encounters" with Miss Singapore-Universe wasn't so pleasant indeed. She's so proud, I liken it to breathing in hydrogen fluoride laden air. And I still think that her best friend is prettier, warmer and way nicer in terms of personality and character.
Then of course, when you have a bunch of ACS boys together. Inevitably the topic will always turn towards girls. Definitely one of the top topics for any ACS Boy. And so to reward my friend Alfian who somehow or other landed on my blog. I shall present. Lynn Chou!
I know its really childish to talk about girls like this. But then again, its just a normal regression of mind state to discuss issues of the past in humour and deep philosophical thought. Anyway, she was the 3rd Prettiest girl in ACJC. The first two were still debatable. But yeah, she was way up there. Best thing was that she was a class girl.
When I found out that Lynn was in my class. I guess more or less the guys and I had the same reaction, lah. But nevermind about that. She's a really beautiful girl, yet with no hint of arrogance, sacarsm, or pride. I'm very sure that all my class guys will agree with me saying that she's humble, friendly and has this really warm personality. She could have easily won Miss Singapore Universe ANYDAY.
This shot was taken on the last day of school I think it was 21st Oct 2002. I was fooling around with Thomas THE PRO's Sony Cybershot and I just happened to swing around, saw her in front of me and fired off the shot all in perfect unison. Such a simple candid shot indeed. I really wish that Thomas had not set the resolution to the LOWEST dimension and HIGHEST compression just to maximise the number of shots that could be taken. Such shots are priceless indeed.
In a few words:
"Lynn Chou is like, wow man..." (Quoted from Alfian!)
Well, its always a pleasure to meet up and talk to all kinds of ACS people. Everyone has like this common bond? Maybe its just the AC Spirit. Probably something that no one can really understand unless they've really gone through an AC education for the longest period of time.
The biggest irony is that when I met up with Ishvinder (The Great Indian Mathematician!), he told me that there were other Coast Guard people as well as Special Operations Command NSmen at his Sergeant Course that was held in March, one month before mine in April. There we go. The PNSF dept trying to smoke us once again! Like I said, they really really really really really really cannot make it. Or else in the words of another ACS boy. Its called a "C Cubed N M I"
"Confirm Cannot, Can Never Make It".
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