Farewell Encik Guna

8th October 2017..

I was very busy at SA and managed to take a breather to check my phone later in the evening... Was informed that the plug was pulled off the life support system for Robert M Guna earlier that evening and he was gone.

Encik Guna was a well respected veteran in the small Commando community in Singapore. He was always very supportive and helpful in terms of the projects carried out from the time I was in FT all the way to the present day 'The Commando Alumni'.

I just visited Encik Guna earlier in the afternoon with a few bros from The Commando Alumni and #Red72 at TTSH ICU ward and we each managed to say our respective sentences to him without letting our emotions surface too much..really did not expect him to be gone so soon.

All over Facebook, many brothers of the Commando fraternity were sharing their saddness on the passing of Encik Robert M Guna. This is one example from Daymon Lim that I can totally relate to...

I have just gotten to try out making a video on the mobile phone and I have managed to put together this video clip using some of our old photos in memory of Encik Guna.

At the end of the evening, I had a few whisky in a beer glass in memory of Encik Guna. Goodbye Sir!

Our Drip History

One of the most effective way to replace lost fluid, especially in times of fever, is to administer intravenous infusion, commonly known as 'drip'. I only experienced my first drip when I was 19 years old serving my country as a young soldier in a military facility. It was a very common treatment given to soldiers during that time. I was barely conscious at that time when it was done on my arm.

Now, my youngest kid, barely 8 months old, hospitalized due to fever, got the same treatment. It was done to his foot instead of arms and he was crying and kicking and trying to pull it out. 

The question here is who do you think is in more pain? The kid or the father..?

My answer is: the father. The kid is already soundly asleep on the hospital bed. The father is still brooding  over it..The father decided to blog about it..心痛(heart pain).

The SG50 Limited Edition Wenger Commando Watch Project.

This watch materialized after many rounds of meetings, consultations, voting and discussions with many parties. It was mean for an Anniversary Run that happened in the SG50 year of 2015.

I was very glad to be given the opportunity to spearhead this project, with the help of many parties of course! We declared upfront that all the profits made from this watch will be forwarded to help a group of brothers from the same faternity.

Just wish to let you guys know that the 'Father of SAF Commando Unit' also bought the time piece to show his support! For Honour & Glory!

Some brother also excerised his fashion sense to modify the straps, making the beautiful watch an envy among all his peers. This is a true fact; Money alone will not be able to earn you the rights to wear such a watch.

The last watch for delivery was finally delivered today to this Spartan SGX Certified Coach, Mr Stef Fung.

This bro bought a number of watches under the first phase of the project (Thank You!). However, he selfless gave his watch up to another brother without finding out if another watch is available for himself. I am very glad to report that he managed to get his watch in the end. There are less than 300 such watches in the world. Although it did not turn out to be as easy as I thought initially, I am happy to report that we have managed to pull it through. It is now completed. 

Cheers!

Looking forward- National Day Parade 2013

I haven't updated my blog for many months. 

In a few day's time, it will be Singapore's 48th Birthday and I can barely contain my excitement this year! 

For more than the past decade, my attempts at balloting for NDP tickets was quite hopeless and I even gave up attempting to ballot in recent years. Attending NDP 2013 would be the last thing on my mind because the first two weeks of August was earmarked as my exam period for the degree course I am currently reading. My last exam date for this semester actually falls on 8th August, the Hari Raya holiday.

Maybe I would have joined the other half of the population to go on a trip over the long holiday if not for my exams..

Last night, when I was offered the NDP tickets for 9th August from an MP, I jumped for it(and for joy)!

Although I will be bringing my 2 kids together with my wife, probably on public transport and walk long distances under the sun and squeeze with many other fellow citizens(I assume)..I am so looking forward to it!

I tried looking for more information such as what time to turn up and where exactly are the entrances on the official NDP Website, but cannot seem to find the information I am looking for..Looks like I'll have to ask my friends or family who have attended recent previews..

BTW..I will not sell these tickets..my friends..don't even try.. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE! CHEERS!

Mortar Bombs

I was exploring the Army Museum of Singapore for the 1st time yesterday before an event and I came across some items that reminds me of the tiny bits of creativity that helped me & my comrades find some amusement in our military service..

Before our live firing of the mortar, we used marker pens and wrote messages such as "Hello God!" and "Please bless us!" and any other messages that we wish to send away..I'll not go into the rest of the messages..I guess that is a form of prayer too!
I smiled when I think of those tough but happy times:) 

SAF Commando Club movie outing: Act of Valor

Just came back from an outing with members of the SAF Commando Club. 
We coordinated to watch a movie(see trailer below) together on our Facebook Group and have decided on tonight Saturday 10th March 2012 at Ang Mo Kio Hub with one of our member arranging for us to watch the movie at $7 with a free drink and pop-corn thrown in! I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who made this possible and hope that we'll have more to come..be it events or members.

We took a group photo after the movie..! 

The deal we had was to flash our red beret to get free pop-corn and drinks..mine is on the shirt..

The fire-power in the movie is very impressive to me, especially when the 2 boats came in to the rescue at the extraction point(see approx 2.30 in the trailer below)..that is what I call 'suppressive fire'. 


It reminds me of the fact that although I had a few years of active service and reservist under my belt, I had never gotten to fire my rounds like this before..counting 'twenty-one..one-two' when firing isn't that fun nor thrilling at all. I don't think we were even issued that many rounds for live-firing.


 I have only thrown one live hand grenade in my whole life so far..under very controlled conditions..I cannot imagine how 'garang' I am going to be in war as I didn't strap a few hand grenades on myself before like what they shown in movies. I only took out my grenade very carefully from a canister when I reached my throwing bay..


Every time I read about government increasing our defense budget spending, I cannot help but ask myself: Are our army boys going to get more realistic training with this increase or the last few? Will they get to throw more than one hand grenade in their lifetime? Will they get to fire more live ammunition rather then 'universal rounds'(it means just use your mouth and echo 'bam..bam..bam..' while u pretend to shoot).


Or are all these increased spending money going into the likes of some kind of related contractors for engineering or logistics or food? When I sat in the cookhouse as a reservist having my meal, I used to wonder why the budget for breakfast, lunch and dinner and night snack are not cheaper since this is a bulk contract. Why are 'Bangalas'(foriegners) allowed into our secretive camp to wash our plates and trays under the Singapore Food Industries contract? Will our national security be compromised? 


In times of war, will the uncles and aunties currently employed by these food contractors come back to camp or go out field with us to cook for us? Will the staff of e-mart continue to stand by our troops to issue uniforms,boots, socks etc in times of war..? What happened to the chefs that used to pile rice on my tray and gave me wire-like bee hoon? There are some things that simply cannot be outsourced..there are some problems that money cannot solve..Are my concerns valid? Or this should be the problem for top-level Generals in the SAF? Or should we just be at peace assuming that our country will never go to war..as long as certain organizations keep raking in the money and the top-level keep drawing the top pay..Peace!


Maybe I should not watch too many war movies...behind all these stylo-milo action mamas..there is a lot of logistics behind it..if the logistics fail to work..then there'll be no stylo-milo..


Last but not least..special thanks to the big commando in the sky and our fallen comrades for watching over us! You are not forgotten!