Aviva's SAF group term life insurance

During BMT, a speaker from AVIVA would give a talk about SAF group term life insurance. Signing up for this insurance scheme is totally up to you. For $12.80 per month, you will be covered for $100,000. Also, do note the extra allowance of $20 given to all of us is meant for and to encourage us to but this insurance scheme.

However, this insurance scheme is for life, until 65 years old. It continues its protection after one ORD. Below are some of the benefits SAF group term life insurance:

• The premium rates are reasonable and cheap, compared with other insurance schemes offered by other insurers
• Only insurance scheme that provides protection should anything happen to you while you are serving NS (in camp, to and from camp, anything that happens to you because of SAF)
• Option to add a "major illness insurance" rider which covers you from 30 common major illnesses
• Option to cover a dependant if you wish to
• Covers one from death, total and permanent disablement due to illness and accident and dismemberment

For more information, please visit their website at http://www.aviva.com.sg/life-and-health/for-individuals/saf-insurance-for-nsmen.html.

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Tips to make time pass faster in camp

Time passing slowly, a painful sight for NSFs

Lets face the truth, 99% of us do not want to serve National Service (NS) if given a choice. Therefore, doing something with no interest at all for the next 2 years (reason of why people complaining NS is wasting their time and too long) would seem so painfully long. This post offers tips to help speed up your NS life.

They are:

• Since you are already in NS, and you have no choice but to go through with it, just "suck thumb" and go through the training. I know it is tiring and you could just "geng", but pre-occupying your mind with training will make time blink. Before you know it, its the end of another day
• Whenever in camp, always look forward to the 3 meals of the day. One will find time pass faster this way
• Bring board games and gaming devices into camp (if they allow) and play it during free times and after Routine Orders
• Have weekends, offs and leave as motivation
• Read a book, magazines and newspapers in camp during free time. It boost one's knowledge and spends time
• Sharing personal experiences and stories with your friends, have a good laugh sure speed up time

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Should you shave your hair before or during enlistment?

I would recommend that one shaves their hair in BMTC. Firstly, haircut in the camp cost only $2. Secondly, I am sure that non of you would want to be "botak" before enlistment because it subjects to stares on the streets. As you will be having a super short hair style for the following 2 years of your life, a day longer with your awesome/amazing hair would make you feel better.

Also, there are some reasons as to why people would want to shave their hair before enlistment. Letting their parents/friends shave their hair is one of those reasons. Or maybe they have accepted the fate that they will be enlisting soon.

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What should you name yourself?

During registration for NS, one needs to input his personal particulars, bank account information and measurements of his body (for uniforms that will be issued) on www.ns.sg. There, the website would prompt what should be written on your name tag. Examples on how you should format your name would be given also. However, do take note that:

• Maximum of 10 letters allowed to be on the name tag
• Format need not be followed (you can just have your Christian name on the tag)
• Of course, you cannot just write any random name. Name must be in NRIC

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The day before enlistment

What you look like the day before enlistment

The day before you enlist is quite a horrible one. We could not believe time flew at this point of time. Suddenly realising that there are still so many things to be done before you enlist is quite common too. Things still not prepared for tomorrow's enlistment. Have not had a proper "goodbye" date with one's girlfriend. Did not spend enough time with family and friends. On top of that, you will find that the entire day will blink in a flash and before you know it, you are on your bed, looking some what like the person in the picture above. Sleepless. The sleep that particular night is also one of the longest you ever experience in your life.

Life being a civilian is awesome. No one controlling you. No one restricting you. Therefore try to finish everything you want to do before you enlist. It feels a lot better this way. Make sure to do all this before you enlist:

• Spend quality time with family
• Hangout with friends like there is no tomorrow
• Cuddle with your girlfriend and tell how much you love her
• Preparing stuff to be brought into camp way before enlistment is better because one will not have the mood to do it nearing that dreadful day
• If one has some kind of business, make sure that you found someone to take care of it in your place 

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Do I need to train myself piror to enlistment?

Some of us may advice others who are about to enlist in a few months time to train themselves up so that they will not have a hard time coping with training in BMT. Back then, I trained every night hoping that I was ready what tough training BMT would throw at me. I was very wrong. What I could say is that the training we go through in BMT is on a whole new level, and no amount of "training by ourselves" could ever prepare us for it (unless you are super fit that is).

Therefore, answering to that question, I would say both "YES" and "NO". It all depends on your personal opinions and stand. Also, do keep in mind that your civilian clock is ticking away.

Reasons to train before enlistment:

• So that one would not have a hard time coping with training in BMT
• Commanders will notice him and there is a higher chance for him to enter command school if one is fit upon enlistment
• Absolutely nothing to do (highly unlikely)

Reasons not to train before enlistment:

• Precious civilian time being wasted
• So much more important things to do before shaving off hair
• One will have lots of training once enlisted
• Enjoy being a civilian while you still can

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Recieved a letter from NDU?

Men of Naval Diver Unit

Based on my personal experience.

As an average joe, I expected a letter from BMTC, telling me to go to Pulau Tekong for the start of my NS life. To my surprise, NDU sent me a letter, asking me to head down to their camp for a medical check-up. Without much of a choice, I went.

I arrived at Sembawang MRT station that morning, waiting for someone and some direction from him (as told in the letter). A master sergeant appeared and soon all of us boarded an excursion bus. We were headed to Sembawang camp.

There, we were asked to swim 50m to see how proficient we were in swimming. After that activity, we were led into a room one at a time for an interview with a warrant officer. He asked me loads of questions, of which including the most important question of the day, "do you want to join NDU". It is worth noting that answering "No" to this question is one of the key towards escaping service in the NDU.

When I told him I do not want to be part of the family in NDU (I dislike the water), he spend the remaining 15 minutes trying to convince me to join them, listing down the benefits and things I could learnt during the 2 years of NS. But I still insisted.

After all had been interviewed, we had lunch at the camp's cookhouse where I saw my Primary school friend. He asked me what was I doing here and I told him my purpose. The only thing he said was that he regretted coming in here and hope that I would not follow his foot steps. His words further encouraged me not to join the NDU.

Lunch was over and we were led to the medical centre where we had our medical check-up. There, they checked to see if our bodies are naval divers material. I remember a particular station where they checked how much my lung capacity was. I figured that this test was vital in the outcome of today's trip. Therefore I tried to score badly. Of course, this was another key towards escape of service in NDU.

Lastly, they conducted a test to see if all of us could withstand huge pressure under water. This test was the final and biggest key of all. As the pressure increased, my eye drums were popping like crazy until a point where it was so painful. I asked them to stop and they sent me to see a medical officer. The medical officer said that the area near my ear drum was red and soon after asked for my name.

As expected, I was rejected from NDU and soon started my service as a soldier in BMTC.

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