'NDP memories' indeed
So NDP is over, and what did my unit—barricade-lifting, crowd-controlling, grandstand-constructing sai kang warriors to a man—get for its pains? 3 days of off from the division commander, which our CO, it is (possibly unreliably) said, then cut to one. For the sake of comparison, my friend in Provost got 13 days off.
I'm a little lost for words. It's not surprising that performers should get more off, but 13 times more? Crowd/traffic control may sound easy, but only if you've never done it before. It isn't always the crowds that pose the biggest problems, either.
Example:
Happy birthday Singapore and all that. May I never have to witness another from this side of the fence.
I'm a little lost for words. It's not surprising that performers should get more off, but 13 times more? Crowd/traffic control may sound easy, but only if you've never done it before. It isn't always the crowds that pose the biggest problems, either.
Example:
(A group of about ten policemen are standing around my gate half an hour after the preview show. Two of them are officers. I am the only SAF man there.
Five police vehicles pull up. They wish to enter. Their officer gets down to speak to me.)
Me: Sorry sir, but my instructions are to prevent all vehicles from entering until further instructions.
Police officer: My men need to go through and load up their stores! Call your superior and ask.
Me: (on walkie talkie) Hullo sir, this is Nicholas. Some police vehicles want to enter through my gate to load up stores. Can I allow them through?
PC: No no no! Why are you asking me this? My instructions were very clear!
Me: (to police officer) Sir, I'm afraid my PC says no vehicles may enter until the roads open.
Police officer: What? Don't waste my time! I want to talk to your PC now.
Me: (on walkie talkie) Hullo sir, this is Nicholas. One of the police officers wants to talk to you.
(no reponse)
(on mobile phone) Sir, Nicholas here. This police officer wants to talk to you—
PC: No no NO! I have no time! You better not call me again unless you want me to give you EXTRA!
Me: (sweatdrop)
(to police officer) Uh, sir, very sorry, but my PC is unavailable at the moment. He says—
Police officer: Ridiculous! What is his rank?
Me: Second lieutenant, sir.
Police officer: (forehead bulge) MEN! Remove these barricades! We are going through!
Policemen: (to me) Sorry ah, brother.
(my barricades are swept away in a tide of blue)
Me: (on mobile phone) Uh, sir, Nicholas again, sosorrytodisturbyou but they uh, removed the barricades and are now entering through my—
PC: WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THEM!
Happy birthday Singapore and all that. May I never have to witness another from this side of the fence.
posted by Nicholas at 8:03 PM
25 Comments:
hey, hi, just browsing e blog world n happened to drop by ur blog. hope, n wish u enjoy ur national day despite tt little incident tt u wrote. taka
i think i just reallised why some have a horrid time in the army while others have generally a better time...
apart from your PC being a prick... i'm sure there's a better way of handling that particular incident....
I agree. Your PC is a real dumbass. Then what happened after that?
omg rofl!!!
great story, hope you enjoy your day off and get back to normal slacking duties soon.
I'm glad to see you're back and posting.
ivan: Really, I don't see how Nicholas could have done anything more. You know the SAF.
Nova, thanks! It was okay, I guess. Sucked having to book in National Day night, though.
Ivan, the truth is I'm not having a horrid time in the army at all. It's actually rather pleasant most of the time.
Zenith, I probably shouldn't comment on my PC's dumbassery or lack thereof. As to what happened after that, there was a fair bit of commotion and confusion, and when the dust had settled the police apologised.
Brandon, ha, I wish. Thailand, baby!
Roger, thanks. I'm glad to be back.
u reminded me of the beef patty between the hamburger.
it shows a lot when people resort to rank-pulling and threats of punishments in situations like these...
Man, that sucked. I suppose it's fine since you still have your day off an' all.
Yes. We're given instructions to follow. If we dont' follow them we get into trouble. If we do, the inflexibility of some of the instructions piss others off and then in turn get us into trouble again. Either way, it's a lose lose situation. Never easy being a man.
By the way, I was doing some sorta crowd control for the NDP carnival too, for the signals section. I've had my fair share of unpleasant experiences too.
nic:
i'm glad you're having a great time... sorry that i thought otherwise... from that exchange it seemed to me that you've yet to adapt to life in SAF or rather learnt to work your way through it.
agagooga:
for one, if the PC was too damn busy, you'd know he's not going to consider whatever you have to say to him about the situation, furthermore SAF leh you know what he's going to say.
nic could have informed the PC, then should the result turn out negative (as it did), just as the more senior police officer if he really needed to cross (which he does), and proceed to allow the police to cross.
1. you did ask and inform your PC.
2. you assessed the situation and did what needed to be done to avoid further delay and frustration in an event as such.
3. Should the matter blow up, you are merely a bit part player that was ordered by rank. the police officer was higher in rank and as such you could say it's an LL situation.
4. i hate to say this but to be placed in such a situation and be fearful of a (mere) PC would imply that you aren't playing your cards right from the start.
paiseh if i sound high and mighty and all... but from my experience in the army i'd say a poly student (over-generalising though) might have handled the situation better...
Ivan, you're entirely off the mark. My PC is indeed the one I needed to placate, as the police officer, higher in rank though he was, had no power to punish me, nor was vehicle access to the Padang within his jurisdiction. It's appointment that counts, not rank.
you got tomorrow-ed
You have been Tomorrowed
http://tomorrow.sg/archives/2005/08/15/ndp_memories_indeed.html
hmm...since when did the police officers have the power to pull rank on our army guys? We are not even required to pay complement to the police officers.
-gio
nic: perhaps so... you did try placate your PC (or maybe not from the extract shown above), and it didn't turn out too well (ie. you may be satisfied with the outcome but you still felt irksome about it).
Ultimately it boils down to individual assessment, no amount of what i or you say can convince either one of us that another route of action should been taken.
gio:
hmmm... i suspect you seldom mix with the more senior regulars (i'm not talking about Lt and CPTs) while in NS, there's a form of mutual respect (and 'disrespect' when they pull rank) between the forces.
"We are not even required to pay complement to the police officers."
Try greeting a DSP or Sup with anything less than a "Sir" while in uniform.
Unless of course you're talking about the foot stomping, hand saluting, throat taxing "GOOD MORNING SIR!" that i suspect has little place within the culture of the Police force.
Ivan, what it really boils down to is that you do not know me, do not know my PC, and do not know the situation on the ground. Enough said, I think.
As for paying compliments, I think gio was referring specifically to saluting, which we certainly do not do whatever their rank.
i've been saluted by army officers before although im an nspi, but heck i saluted back and told them.. "no need to salute la" but yeh its just a sign of respect.
i got like 40 days off from the entire ndp fiasco in my time ;) woohoo!!! oh and me and my guys were exempted from half-marathon training LOL!!!
I have this feeling you come from the same screwed up battalion, but you should have less to complain than me since I reckon my platoon is doing more sai kang, but still less than many others. Whilst you are all back to normal duties, we are like sun tanning at the Padang daily, why? Cos' our CO is worried we can't dismantle the stands in time to save his ass.
The road marshalling/ushering was never easy and my side @ Raffles Ave was even worst with more crowds
Linus' Daily Antics
Yeah, there's no denying you guys got the shittiest end of the stick.
"Ivan, what it really boils down to is that you do not know me, do not know my PC, and do not know the situation on the ground. Enough said, I think."
As i said, we each have our opinions and i left it at that... happily so i might add
the same way i don't know the variables you mentioned, you don't know what a multitude of variables about me as well.
*waves an olive branch* :D
the same way i don't know the variables you mentioned, you don't know what a multitude of variables about me as well.
Irrelevant.
But olive branch accepted anyway (that just now was the last shot).
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