Hi squadmates! xD
I think there is gonna be a spammage of posts here and there so i'll snatch my seat now first:)
Yup, i agree with what Amanda said. We really should learn to get over this thing..
We've worked, planned, perspired, sacrificed sleepless nights, been unhygienic by not bathin, lost our voices, teared, scolded, and cried. It is really all these moments which made us stronger as one, which eventually picked us all up together, which bonded us EVEN MORE together as a squad, AN EVER SO STRONG NCO SQUAD.
I still remember the times when we were about to take over the unit...
Sirs and Ma'ams, Ex-NCOs, NCOs, even Juniors - they thought we weren't up to the mark, they thought we weren't up to standard, they thought we weren't ready to take the unit, they thought we would screw the whole unit up once we take over, to the extent which gave us the impression that they looked down on us. I know, many of us wanted to do something for the unit, many of us felt indignant about this, many of us were really angry about this fact, that perhaps even the juniors looked down on us. The comments we had, the feedback we got, the scoldings we got, all these - i know, they all humiliated us, they impacted us really hard, like a knife stabbed into all of our hearts...
Bringing this sense of distrust in us from everyone, bringing with us the risky impression which others gave us, we became NCOs, we took over the unit, we became the leaders of RVNP. Honestly speaking, at first, everythings went on really shakily, things were messy, we got scolded more than once, we complained, we scolded, some of us cried, and we were demoralized. True, it was the darkest moment for many of us, as we felt the unit slowly going down, as we got the news that we got silver for UOPA... again... Not gold.. the hope we once had as cadets, as when we were just about to take over, as NCOs, all broken, all shattered.. into tears of regret, into tears of guilt..
But as time passes, as ITC nears, We saw everyone starting to rise up to the occasion, we saw everyone trying hard to get things clear, trying their best to perfect everything in the proposal. Even when it means changing things in the proposals last minute, even when it means getting ready at the last moment, we still managed to do it. We still let ITC became a sensational camp to all cadets, to all NCOs. Squadmates, if you can feel it, don't you think NCO squad has become much more mature, much more united, much more prepared to take up challenges after ITC? Cadets have been through physical training, but we as NCOs, we have successfully survived through this 3-day mental training.
Believe it or not, I think ITC made NCOs love NP more. I see it. If u realise, Si Heng actually came down to help out in the camp and he stayed for all 3 days, Ernest came down on the second day to help out in Rope Obs, Madeline stayed back to ensure that Night Trail was successful and smooth-sailing before she "retired" back to her house to rest cuz of her severe flu.. Aren't you touched by our committed squadmates who took the effort to come and help out to make OUR camp a success? Besides that, there are NCOs rushing down to support juniors when they are running on the third day, NCOs helping to clean the bunks before ITC started, NCOs training together for drill before opening ceremony, NCOs trying hard to stick to the schedule, or even simple things like NCOs coming down to the canteen to eat together as one whole squad, no longer as NCOs, but simply a squad which is united and bonded, hoping to cling to every minute and second we have together as a squad, even though it may mean less time spent together during the camp due to different responsibilities we have.
Dear squadmates, what i want to say is, People might say we were ill-prepared, people might say we injured juniors because of minor things like flags, people might think that we don't treat cadets well enough, that we are not being "welfare" enough, people might say we lack in knowledge like tying rope obs, people might doubt us, people might not think that we are good, people might think that we suck, people might think that we are going the wrong directions, BUT pardon me, let me tell these people - We might not have all these that you say we do not have, but we BELIEVE in what we do, we love our squad, we love the unit, we want to make NP rise up too. If you think we are not up to the mark, run the unit yourself and make sure you do it better than us.
And to squadmates! Do not get demoralised or dejected because of all these.. I've read all your blogs.. 我知道大家都觉得自己受了委屈..But nonetheless, as much as we are disappointed, as much as we feel that we have done our best yet get "condemned", let us brace this together and get through this. Ultimately, i'm sure all of you think that we have done really well for ITC! Things like Night Trail, Unit Recre, Rope Obs, Sentry Duty, Solo Night, Snatch Flags, Taking Squads, Taking care of casualties... Each and everyone of us did it very well! One good example will be Kenneth - remember seow hwee, foong hui, amanda and i all said that you did really well for sentry duty even though it might be the first time and ur route might not be as original.. honestly if u ask me to take sentry duty, i will juz be speechless and talk rubbish in front of the cadets. LOL. But we were all impressed by your words! IT WAS GREAT YAY! xD and other squadmates too! Night trail comm, Rope Obs Comm, Jie Min n shou fong (Unit Recre), Kenneth and Ying Ying (PT n night duties), CD head n CC head, Squad ICs, Keng Seng ( for doing a great job in flag raising and lowering), food ICs (Ruth and Yun Hui) and not forgetting our camp coordinators ( KEN AND CHLOE!) YAY! xD
I know you know that we al rock to the max. Like what Foong Hui and I always tell each other, and what we told xing yao during combined UG activity, we might not be a good cadet squad, But at the very least, we try hard to become a good NCO Squad, and i can proudly say that we have done it, we can do it and we will continue to be a good NCO squad.
Therefore squadmates, do not be sad, do not feel indignant, for all of us will be there for each other, for i'm beginning to see people finding the passion back for NP, finding the motivation to stay on in NP. Others might say it is too late, we only have a few months left, but what i want to say is, we might not have done that well for the past half a year, but we can always make full use of our time left. It does not matter how slow you go, so long as you do not stop. Let us work hard together from now on, even if it means starting all over again, we can still do it. Do not cry, do not give up... We have 3 squads under us.. and they all need our utmost guidance and support..
We managed to do it for ITC, i believe we can also continue this greatest spirit we have for the rest of the few months.
I'll always love HOTSHOTS! xD Cuz we're really hot:)
Your squadmate,
-Junianti xD
