You are what you wear

The SAF is so cunning. Most guys are anxious to know whether they’ll get into Army, Police or Civil Defence(CD) when they serve their NS. And this is supposedly being kept hush-hush till a letter comes into your mailbox and indicate where you need to report for your BMT. Only then will you know your fate.

But a little chat with someone highly-experienced in the army division opened my eyes, and I really do mean they opened big. He only asked me 3 questions and he roughly knows my fate. But that’s still not enough for me to call him God.

Anyway the first question he asked me, “Did you father serve NS?”

No, during my dad’s time the only type of defence he learnt is probably pencak silat, a Malay version of kungfu, capoeira, etc.

Second question, “Are you the only son in the family?”

Yes, I’m the eldest. This is a well-known fact. No, not me being the eldest. But the theory that if you are the eldest, chances are you’ll go into Army. If you have an elder brother who has gotten into Army, you’ll get Police or CD. And so on and so forth.

Third question, “When you went for your medical check-up, they ask you to take photo right? What shirt did you wear?”

It’s this greenishorangey-beige shirt, which makes me look like an officer, but a far cry from the leafy camouflage that I know I’ll be donning.

Then he immediately cut me off, “Harr… confirm you Army one.”

I asked why.

“’cause if you get that uniform, you confirm get Army. Police is some blue colour shirt. CD I forgot ah.”

Wah! The answer to every guy’s question is right there in front of our eyes! So near, yet so far.

So my guy friends, the colour of the shirt you wear during your photo-taking is probably the path that you’ll take in the next 2 years.

Now I’m starting to wonder why the SAF asked me to deposit my handphone, take 2 cartridges of my blood, check my teeth and pull down my pants only to pull them up a second later.

Next time let our family jewels decide where we should be posted lah! *poses like Hulk*