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| Lakiun Camp (View From Rear Entrance) |
Left house about 2200hrs after spending a little more time with the girlfriend then ride MRT to Changi Airport. Reached about 0000hrs and waited for platoon sergeant to collect our boarding pass then went to eat my last meal before my 2 weeks of hell at McDonalds. Chilled at the airport for a while, then that was it, board the plane and fly off from Singapore. The flight was about 2 hours long, watch some shows on air and ate again. Before we know it, we reached. And here we goooo! At first glance the airport looked like shit, looked like a airport back in the 70's or something, to me it looked more like a bus terminal. Then we load up on a bus to the ferry terminal then rode a three hour ferry ride to another part of Brunei, the whole ferry ride all I saw was sea and jungle, muddy rivers and more trees. Upon reaching we rode another shuttle bus to Lakiun Camp. Worst part, I couldn't get any sleep, in the plane, bus, ferry or shuttle bus. When we reached Lakiun Camp, I got interviewed. They asked me what's my goals of this exercise and how I got here. Then we proceed to our bunk, its like a long house with all the beds together which can fit about a company size in one house. To me, it was still acceptable living condition. We settled down a bit, then we went outside as our Sergeant Major talked to us, give us a slight brief, then we head to lunch. After lunch, it was just briefings after briefings. First it was about how to secure our items, a signal set refresher, medic review, commanding officer opening address, then followed by our CO and RSM brief. Then we went for dinner that night which the food here is actually quite nice, way better then Bedok Camp if you ask me. After dinner we rest in bunk and prepare for the next day of Guided Navigation Exercise . Honestly, I miss home, I miss her, just want this 2 weeks to be over and go back to her. Time to sleep! Good night!
August 24th 2012- Day 02
Woke up at 0430 today when we slept at 0130. We head out to our first outfield in Brunei, it was meant to be a walk in a park as the instructor just show us around the jungle terrain, but it was no walk in the park I can assure that. The whole battalion was wearing assault pack with SBO when us the scout platoon was in FBO since our cadre only trains Scout and Commando and we want us to get used to the weight . We left camp about 0730 after we draw arms, inspection and briefing. Ride a shuttle bus to this forest area. Our jungle cadre briefed us again, then we proceed to our first and highest knoll. Now I finally understand what they meant by intense terrain in Brunei. The worst part they said this is just a normal knoll wait till we climb Mount. Biang we will climb up the revine. The knoll was very steep and slippery and you are just trying to hold on to anything you can while climbing, but not all plant you can hold on to because there are thorns in almost all the plants. Some ground are very slippery, I tried crawling on my hands and legs at one time but failed. Ended up sliding down with my hands and knees. After we climb and climb we walked around on the ridgeline to our next checkpoints and finally end the day around noon. Got back to camp, had a briefing for our CWO and ate combat ration for lunch. Tired and exhausted, went to grab a shower on a melting hot weather. End up still sweating like hell after shower. Then as we try to get some rest, we had to go to another briefing about crossing water obstacles that we are doing tomorrow. After the briefing, we came back to our bunk, get ready for our pack items for our upcoming outfield, Ex Normax, a 3 days 3 nights navigation exercise. Then got some rest before we head to dinner. After dinner, we had another briefing for Ex Normax, after the briefing we started to rain heavily, we ran for our lives back to bunk, wet and cold, dried ourselves up, wash my face and went to sleep as a long day for us tomorrow for our crossing water obstacles early in the morning.
August 25th 2012 - Day 03
Woke up middle of the night to prepare for our crossing water obstacle. Then we head our to the river, after crocodile drills and preparing, my team went in, I was in the last team, team of 4 with Sgt. Raymond, SSG Nelson, Hong Kai and me. Before the swim we undergo a mini swarm walk since it was damn muddy and our feet keep getting stuck in the mud, supposedly. We were supposed to do the Swarm Walk but due to the recent incident of an NSF passing away in Brunei they took the Swarm Walk out of the training program. With Hong Kai & Staff in front and me and Sgt. Raymond in the back we swim against the current of the river and get across the river, while swimming I keep getting kicked on my ribs by Sgt Raymond and getting hit on my arms by Hong Kai, after shifting to a good position I somehow ended up in front and we swam towards the finish line. After the swim we rode the shuttle bus back and rush back clean arms, wash our boots, LBV and alice bag. Then get ready for inspection for Ex Normax. After the inspection, I showered and slept at 2030 and rest for tomorrow's exercise. It's a 3 days 3 nights exercise but goal for scout platoon is to finish everything in one day, find all 4 checkpoints, 1 mid point and 1 end point. The load is heavy and we will confirm be damn shag. In my mind I just wanna get this over and done with in 1 day then relax for following 2 days. I'm going to treat this like a race and try to find all checkpoints and be the first team to finish first. Good night people!
August 26th 2012 - Day 04
Day 1 of Ex. Normax, On the 1st day we move out early in morning, we thought we were going to find 1st check point by 0730 and come back the same day. We had very high hopes but failed tremendously. We literally went up slope and down the slope, back tracked every where, then finally harbor by 1700. The first day was more like CST (Combat Survival Training) we learn how to start and maintain a fire, built shelter then talk cock with our PS and Dan, HongKai, GuanSan and me. There was definitely some funny moments that night where I was shitting with GuanSan before we set up our shelter, how my shit was so smelly that GuanSan couldn't take it and how GuanSan is the only man that ever witnessed me shitting and seeing a piece of shit dangling on my asshole. Hahahaha that's went the inside joke "Customs" came from when my shit never crossed the customs haha and then as we are preparing to sleep at night a wild Grasshopper appears, first time, it flew away, then it came back! Attacked us, it was damn epic how four grown man was scared of a grass hopper, we just shine our torchlight at it then tried to hit it with our rifles, gortex jacket, match box, but then it was a strong soldier, it didn't move then we used the SAF powder and poured over it then it flew away then we slept in peace that night. There was also stories of how our commanders saw a villager wearing a turban walked into our area at night.
August 27th 2012 - Day 05
Day 2 of Ex. Normax (August 27th) we move out on first light, then we head back to a checkpoint we saw earlier. We harbor there at 1000hrs until last light as the commanders, Vinu and Dan went to look for the checkpoints. Me, GuanSan, HongKai, Platoon Sgt Nelson and Sgt. Sean waited for the whole day for the team come back, worried they won't return, they didn't had food, water and coms but luckily they came back before last light, they were lost and over confident. Then we rushed to find a harboring area for the night,called it a day and hope for a better day tomorrow. It rained a bit that night but luckily it didn't continue raining.
August 28th 2012 - Day 06
Day 3 of Ex. Normax (August 28th) We move out at first light again, tried to find CP1 and 2 but failed, so we just end up going to our Mid Point to get our last 2 checkpoints. Luckily we still manage to find our midpoint. Time was running out since the exercise cut at 1020. We reached the Mid Point at about 0900, so we just proceeded straight to the end point CP "Cold Feet" with team yankee. After reaching went to walk to the pick up point to ride bus back to Lakiun Camp. The funniest part is that never fell in jungle yet, but fell on the way out from bus as I was half asleep didn't see the steps as I was going down and land face forward in front of the cadre and platoon sergeant as I get off the bus. Then we did our declaration of ammunitions, clean arms, and ate our out ration. After eating lunch I went to clean up and went to canteen. Finally managed to talk to babe since there were Wi-Fi in the canteen and got a chance to call her :) Then ate butter prawn rice at the canteen and bought some snacks for the bunk then went cook house for dinner again. After dinner, we start to prepare for our next exercise Ex Confirmation. The time now is 2338.. Going to sleep soon for tomorrow our last and final exercise in Brunei. Since we found 0 checkpoints and only found the mid point and end point for Ex Normax, we must perform for this final exercise! Going to sleep now as all the commander are still prepping for tomorrow's exercise. Good night!
August 29th 2012 - Day 07
Day 1 of ex confirmation. PC briefed us on our mission orders, we did our final force preparations and head out to the jungle. We started our journey around 1430hrs with a march to the helipad area on a ridgeline to board the helicopter since we were being heli-inserted to Mt. Biang. All the big shots, CO, FSM, CGO and was there and my team was the first team to be inserted. After waiting for about 5-10 minutes the super puma finally came. I grab my alice bag and ran into the helicopter, buckle up and sat right behind the pilot. I looked at the terrain when we flew over biang, and thinking to myself, this is it, here we go! When we reach our landing point we ran out vegetation and gather, then we prepare to move out to face the infamous Mount. Biang. Firstly we crossed a mini river about knee level water height, then we start to climb up the mountain. It was like every five minutes I would look up and ask myself how far more? The terrain wasn't easy, it was slippery, steep and tough but I was mentally prepared, the weight was quite heavy, maybe because we haven't really been carrying full load for a while and partly maybe I was the team signaler, I had to carry the signal set, 72 hours of ration plus accessories packs, 7 liters of water and our pack items. After 2 hours of climbing and climbing we finally reach the top of biang, well the highest ridgeline in Biang. The cadre signaler took a picture of us as we were reaching, I smiled and put my thumbs up for the picture then I dropped and took a five minutes break to catch my breath. After the short break, we carry on for another kilometer or to about 200 meters away from our turning point down and harbor there for the night before night time. Then it started to rain heavily before last light as we were building the shelter. That night was one cold night, it was like my Rite of Passage week outfield, it was freezing cold due to the rain, and the worst part we had to air our feet due to our wet boots and socks. We couldn't do anything about it but just to man up and try to sleep. For the first time I didn't want to take my LBV off, and even after wearing my goretex jacket over my LBV, Normax gloves, camo scarf,jungle hat and groundsheet as blanket over me I was still freezing cold, but due to how tired I was I still dozed off but keep waking up in the middle of the night due to the cold weather. That was a night to remember.
August 30th 2012 - Day 08
Day 2 of exercise confirmation. We woke up at first light around 0600, then we started to make our way down Mt. Biang. After about an hour or so we realized that our commanders was leading us to the wrong track and cause we were literally bashing down the hill. After numerous try to find the right track, we backtracked and climb up biang again, then we got lost and didn't really know where we were until our platoon sergeant finally took over control after he realized no one is taking charge of where to go and lead us back to the right track and luckily we started to see the CRT (company recce team) markings and followed it back to the right track. We ended up wasting about 3-4hrs walking extra, up the hill and down the slope. When we reach the bottom of the mountain, we topped up our water at a stream and washed up a bit then we continued to walk for another couple of kilometers to our crossing water obstacle area, that's when one of our commanders Sgt. Jeff fractured his neck and it started to rain heavily. We had to evacuate him out to the hospital then we proceed with our river swim with full batter order. The current was very strong due to the heavy rain, but me Sgt. Tommy and Yuan Hao still manage to swim over to the other side. We were exhausted due to our fatigue level, it was no joke. After the swim we proceed to climb up the infamous 7 knolls. This was the most painful part, when our feet was in pain, our morale was low but we still pushed ourselves and carry on. We were supposed to reach our ORV before last light but due to the rain and casualty we ran out of time so we end up harboring below a hut at the open field about 2km away from our ORV for the night. Luckily we were below shelter and outfield just got better. We changed into a new set of clothes, cook ourselves dinner and started a fire to dry our gloves, jungle hat, and boots. I heat up my ration pack, a mixture of japan curry noodles and black pepper pasta in my mess tin, it was delicious I tell you! Then made myself hot coffee mix with horlick. Nothing feels better in outfield when you have a clean set of uniform and a full stomach.
August 31th 2012 - Day 09
Day 3 of Ex. Confirmation. We woke up slightly early today to pack our stuff and get prepared to move out and then when first light was out we moved out. We walked about 2km to our ORV area, it was the longest 2km of my life I tell you. My feet was in pain due to the blisters and it felt like my toenails was coming out. When we finally reached our ORV around 0945, we settled down change my antenna to a long antenna for my signal set and get some rest while Sgt Brandon and Yuan Hao went for 1st bound of recon since we had to get our first intel before 1100hrs. They finally came back with intel of the corn wires around the knoll, and spotted trenches, and possible machine guns. Then the second bound of reconnaissance went, which was the commanders. Then suddenly we heard over the coms that Sgt Yuan Hao has been captured and place on POW. We were shocked since Sgt. Yuan Hao was excellent at closing in, and we were worried that the enemies got a hold of our coms but luckily they didn't. Then next thing we know Sgt. Sean and Tommy was captured also. But we still had to link up with Charlie Company CRT so me, Hong Kai and Sgt. Brandon went to link up with the CRT and lead them to their harboring area. Then we waited for night fall for the real fun to begin. Due to lack of intel and too many of us getting caught, me, Vinu, Sgt Yuan Hao, Sgt. Brandon and Staff Nelson went for our night close in. We walked tactically about 400-500m pitch dark in the forest near our enemy location, it was scary because we couldn't see a thing but we just walked. That was a once in a life time experience walking pitch dark in a jungle and closing in. As we got closer to the enemy location we all harbor on a ridgeline below the enemy harboring area, all five of us rest near a small tree and try to get some rest until 2300hrs when me and Sgt. YuanHao went for first bound of night surveillance. I wore my night vision goggles and roll out. We took about 3 hours just to get near the enemy location about 100-150m away. We finally reached right below their knoll and we saw the enemies patrolling and corn wires, then we head back to our mini ORV around 0200.
September 1st 2012 - Day 10
Day 4 of Ex. Confirmation, next up it was Sgt. Brandon and Vinu which went for second bound of recce as the rest of us catch up on some sleep. Then followed by the last bound of recce before day light. We got all the intel we needed during the night close in. Found a good break in point, know their patrols, where they have the corn wires, saw the trenches and enemies machine guns. We make our way back to the ORV before 0630hrs. We saw Sgt. Sean waiting for us at the Naga Bridge and it pissed off our platoon sergeant because mainly he never camoflage his face, he didn't have coms, compass or map and he came to look for us when the orders was that we will be back before 0630hrs but he still came looking for us, worst part he was asking people around if they saw us which is not a good image for us. He told us that S2 keep trying to coms us the whole night asking where we were. We briefed the OC of Charlie Coy. of all the intel we gotten for them then went back to our ORV to report back to the headquartes of all the intel we found out. After Charlie Coy move out for their attack we then made our way back to camp finally. It never felt better going back to camp, walking through that gate knowing that we're done, the worst is finished! When we reached the camp, I took off my boots the first thing and let it air as my feet was in pain due to the blisters all around. Chilled for a while, drink a cold can of coke and red bull they prepared for us then clean my rifle, send all the equipment back, wash everything up and let everything dry then relax the rest of the day at canteen.
September 2nd 2012 - Day 11
Woke up for breakfast after hearing the flag raising, ate Chee Chiong Fun that supposedly gave about 30 people food poisoning but to me it was delicious,haha. Then went back to sleep till about lunch time, went to lunch then chill at the canteen until we got bored then we went back to bunk to sleep until it was time for dinner then do the same routine chill at the canteen after dinner, then we went to cook maggie outdoors with our team five four zulu and try to have a mini cohesion then call it a night after a very relaxing day.
September 3rd 2012 - Day 12
Today was mostly all doing out process, clean up bunk, arms, stores, helping out others that just came back to clean their equipments including GPMG's from Mortar Platoon that we never used, help out the pioneers to keep the corn wires and barbed wires then send back the stores, pack up our things then we had a parade, Turn Ops Parade for the Scout and Pioneer Platoon. After the parade we went back to rest until it was time for dinner. Tonight the dinner was different, we had a celebration dinner to mark our 1 year since enlistment and for our 1st year commanders that's going to ORD when we return back to Singapore, we watched a video of our journey since the date of enlistment to the end of Ex Lancer and the farewell video to our first year commanders, then we had our kit bag inspection and send off our duffle bags and sleep early for the night for our R&R the following day.
September 4th- 5th 2012 - Day 13 & 14th
Today's the day we were all waiting for, the day we are going back home. Today is our R&R and educational tour around Brunei. We left Lakiun camp about 0730, ride a bus to the water taxi terminal. We ride the water taxi for about an hour to our tour bus, then we were off to our first stop "The Royal Mosque" owned by the 29th king of Brunei. Basically everything was made out of gold and marbles in the mosque and did you know that the education here in Brunei is fully subsidized by the government and so as medical where everything only cost one dollar either it's for a normal medicine, consultation or even surgery, it's just one dollar! Cool right? Then next up we went to the king's museum, learning the history of the king and knowing more stuff about him then we went to Rizgum Coffee House Hotel for lunch, it was sort of an international buffet but the food was just normal and the hotel is connected to the mall.. Then we were off to the Brunei museum to see the history of Brunei, about their oil mainly. Then we went to the water village to take a look at different cultures seeing how they live on the water. Then we went back to mall to watch movie, The Possessed with the whole Scout Platoon and also some Pioneers and Mortars joined also then we went to eat dinner at a different hotel which the service sucks and it was way to crowded and the staff wasn't ready.. After the dinner we went back to shopping at the mall, bought myself a pair of jeans "Cheap Mondays" :) Then we headed to a different SAF camp in Brunei near the airport for a while to inspect our carry on bags then we headed back to the airport. Flew back to Singapore, bought myself 3 bottles of Hoe-garden Beer from the duty free shop, ate my malaria pills and cab home with Sgt. Tommy and Alex before you know it, it was home sweet home!
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