7 August 2015:
I kid; I never went to pray for the 3SG rank.
Although I was grateful for the opportunity of entering SCS, I wasn’t rank-hungry (like some cadets that I see currently 😒). From the start, it really was about doing my best regardless of my position (unless I am severely unrecognised despite my contributions – but that’s another story).I went out-of-course around 130715 and it’s been about a month as a soldier-in-transit, the new fancy title that SAF came up to soothe those wailing about how humiliating ‘OOC personnel’ sounds (which I find perfectly alright, by the way). Within that one month, I was placed under my company sergeant major to help out wherever the company needed my assistance. This included admin work, manual labour in stores or even being paperboy or coffee boy.
Throughout this period, it was as if working in an office environment and with it came along office politics. It took me a day or two to realise back then but in retrospect I shouldn’t have been that surprised by how prevalent office politics actually is. Fortunately, as SIT I was largely shielded from all them arrows, since officially I am unable to actually do much. Nevertheless, this introduction to office politics has no doubt pre-empted me to what may come my way post-ORD.
At the same time, I have a newfound respect for the perm staff of the company (or any company, in general), which includes the ASA and storeman, amongst other positions there may be. I feel that these people have been under-recognised for their efforts, despite them having relatively low ranks.
I have seen how these perm staff work tirelessly and sleeplessly to ensure the continuity of a company – it is literally true that without them the company will cease. Unless, of course, PCs or PWOs are willing to be storeman and ASA, on top of their usual roles. As such, I have since defended these perm staff when being unfairly pressured by cadets, whom perhaps assume they are less busy and therefore should provide when requested.
And whilst on the topic of being unfairly pressured due to mistaken impressions, SITs have also suffered from something similar. There have been numerous times when I or other SITs were accused by cadets of ‘having the good life’, just because we were seen enjoying a rare break in between periods of work. Since then I have resorted to the standard reply of ‘You want ah, OOC lorh!’
But really: SIT life isn’t easy as well. Of course, disclaimer, it can never compare to a cadet’s training. However, our days are equally occupied with things to do for various people and not the carefree life that some may imagine it to be. In simple terms, we are the saikang warriors, doing all sorts of odd jobs that come our way. Most are indeed easy to complete, but what tires us out is the number of such tasks and those which are not easy to handle.
In fact, on certain occasions, SITs have slept later than cadets, simply because we have unfinished work (a bit like OT except there’s no OT pay). So indeed, the impression of SITs slacking while cadets train till they die needs to go. Once again I would like to state that I am in no way diminishing a cadet’s training, it’s just that SIT life is tiring in other aspects.
Lastly, something that has been bugging me recently is how some cadets absolutely do not deserve the 3SG rank. This may sound cliché but with great power comes great responsibilities. The 3SG rank is the first rank that differentiates commanders from Man, it is what tells others you are supposedly a cut above the rest and are able to lead them.
Sadly, some cadets are simply rank hungry. They desire to become 3SG not because they can lead, but only because the rank confers additional privileges that Man do not enjoy. Therefore, they only achieve the bare minimum required to pass out, so long as they can get the rank. At times like this I feel sad for those who have OOCed due to injury but are very much willing to continue if conditions permit. Those chaogeng warriors should’ve been the ones who OOC instead (but then again since they chaogeng they definitely would sustain less injury than those who genuinely chiong sua).
I feel worried for the men whom these chaogeng commanders are going to lead, assuming their plan to ‘fly low’ works and they pass out. What does it say about specialists if a 3SG is the first to rest amongst the section of seven? Where will the PTEs, LCPs and CPLs find the fighting spirit if their leader is the first to siam any work there is to be done? Further, on the field, will they trust such a leader?
Although I am no longer on the path to becoming a specialist, I still hope to see the legacy of specialists being maintained. Foundation term has imbued in me certain characteristics of an army specialist and I have every wish to become one.
TTFN.
P.S. Having been drilled in BMT about having high marching standards, I can’t help but tingle whenever I see soldiers that march worse than they walk. If I were a 3SG I would have easily barked at them but given my rank and status as an SIT that’s a no-go.