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well, that marks the end of another phase in life. although frankly i am not really sure what the next phase would offer me. but personally, i fear going out into the real world and finally stepping my own stones – the ones the i choose to step on. and although the stones i am stepping on is rather rocky and unstable, i can always count on my family and friends to have my back when i fall. well that aside, i am in the mood for some ‘thank you’ post.
i enlisted about two years ago on the 14th of June 2011. at that moment, nothing was certain. i was just surrendering my life to the nation. i remembered my whole family was there to send me off to Civil Defence Academy and for the recruits, the National Service Training Institute. driving through the large prison-like gantry in my dads taxi feels like there is two whole year of torture awaits me. what was worse was that i barely know anything about the force. and that i have zero knowledge about the people there. even-though my brother was a medic there. our journey were different..
nonetheless, i endured. though everything seems grey and dull. nothing and i really mean nothing around the camp seems alive, knowing that 90 percent of what’s around us are graveyards. i was pulled back to my senses to survive the eight grueling weeks if in camp training with my buddy, who is always filled with a million reasons to bail out from all the activities. him, although always reporting sick, with his gay personality, he never fail to take care of me like as of he had known me for all my life. and whats funny was that, for all the harsh things that happened to us in camp, i was quite blessed with the things i get and the people around me. i got a queen sized bed (2 singles joined to 1) and sleeping with some chinese dude who always want to know what time it was and needed someone to go to the loo. blessed with one of the cleanest lockers, shiniest boots and crisp uniforms. not forgetting all of them from my dorm, all the jokes, all the anger, all the torture we went through together. you guys came in clean slate and never gave any problems. and for that, i thank you guys. thank you Charlie..
not long after. after all the interviews and medical checkups, i was posted to one of the front line vocations. and as to what i remembered. only six of us from charlie made it across to the seventh section commander course. and for whatever its worth, it was one of the hardest training i have ever been through in my life. what made it worse was it all happened during the fasting month. the practice was simple. run. fast. run. shut up. just do. as easy as it sounds. i remembered the first thing that happened to me was to white out. well technically, it wasn’t fainting. it was just that my vision was totally wiped out. i can hear, respond and feel as per usual. and for that. i was pushed to feel for myself the roadside curb and to sit and get my full consciousness back. my first weakness was seen. the day went on to collating all the necessary personal protective equipment. the drama didn’t end there. i was feeling light headed but i thank God i just moved on and nothing severe happened to me. after all that, training goes on and we went to Sabah for our Outward Bound training and that is where i made new lifetime friends. the one that you know will always have your back. i know a thank you is never enough, but that is all i can offer for now. thank you to my beloved section mates. and thank you my hyper-energetic section leader. without you guys, i probably be nuts in this course. and then the circle spreads out to the media team. oh how thankful i am to be apart of this team, being excused all the time is one of the perks, and the people i was working with, just superb. and then the circle spreads out to my prata boys. them who always make me feel secure, always my buddy for every tight we get to leave camp for dinner. they were the best bunch i;ve had ,through out the course. and ofcourse thank you all, everyone in the seventh section commander course for making it the least drop out rate as possible.
well it have been exactly eight months since i enlisted, and i got another sixteen months ahead of me to look forward to. i got posted out for the course as a section commander ofcourse, i became an instructor here at Civil Defence Academy. and yes, now you know i spent my entire two years here in this academy. but i never regretted my choice. i was offered this position as an instructor as my official posting, but my unofficial duty was to assist the course administrator (there are two of which i am working with the more understating one, per say – and no one denies this fact). so i spent 80% of the time in the office, have my own desk and desktop to work on the course that was at running at the moment. it all sound too good eyy. wait until you get your hands on the snail speed windows XP system. it will eventually get on your nerves. but thank God, i got hold of myself before i broke into a million pieces thanks to the people around me in the Command and Staff Training Center. then have been my source of strength that kept me moving and dedicated with my duties. although staying overnight to complete alot of tasks. still got my hands full as i have a secondary appointment as an instructor, an instructor at the Advanced Command Training System. yes it sounds fancy, and yes it is quite fancy. i am blessed that i hardly have to spend any time in the sun. this system is all set up in a fully air-conditioned room. and that it makes a big part of my testimonial, getting to meet the president, the minister of home affairs and many other visitors from all around the world. being apart of this and being in one of the hottest seat in one of the most important office in the academy, quickly made me known (so much for keeping a low profile). but i think with the name i’ve made out of myself, it made me get thing done easily and quickly. and for that i thank everyone who have cooperated with me to make things work. be it i know you or not (just too many people walks around and wave at me, but frankly i have no idea who you are, i apologize) and importantly i thank everyone in the center, the clerks, the junior officers, the senior officers, my direct supervisor and ofcourse even the director, that you for making me feel apart of something that i will never forget in my life, ever.
i will miss serving my nation