On to bigger things in life.

I'm sandwiched between two big options in my army life now and I need to make a decision soon.

Either I continue being a driver in the NDU or down PES to become a clerk (hopefully) due to my crooked spine. You see, it's really tough for me when I sit for long periods of time or when I jump down from a distance (i.e. from tonner down to ground level) as my back would hurt a lot. The next big factor for consideration is that all drivers would have to stay in until the weekend (speaking of which, those on duty would stay over the weekends also) owing to the merger with the other side. There, my 8-5 dream gone down the gutter. It looks like I have made my choice from the way I put things but what seem to pull me back into deeper thought would be how I would ORD with a drivers' license and some other extras. It's far beyond the normal civilian license outside. And as a driver, I wouldn't remain a Private for the entire service time.

As a clerk, you get your 8-5 perk and get all the slack from doing only paper work. Army becomes just like a normal secular office job.

Rank and glory or obscurity and slack? I'm torn in between.

Actually to think of it, there's nothing really big if you are lower than a sgt rank. Might as well, serve and disappear.

The guard gave me some vague directions before I took off. Walked for about 10 minutes looking like a blur person of sorts. Thus, I called the HQ to ask for directions and also at that moment, I spotted the small yellow sign with the heading 'NDU' and an arrow pointing to the right. And so, my meticulous hunt.

Alas, what a sight. I saw the gate which the HQ personnel told me about and I entered. Inside were many people jogging half nude. I looked down just in case I passed any officer and I didn't make a greeting. Well, I wasn't in the mood for formality.

I pulled along to the Administration Office. There, I met the chief clerk I was supposed to find since the BMTC posting order came out. Ah, he's nice guy... other than the donation he compelled me to make to SHARE (an organization). $2.00 per month. Talk about money-mindedness. Actually he said his superior was adamant that everyone should make a donation.

After filling up some forms, I was headed to the drivers' hideout. Instructions were given to me to sit down and wait for some lady sergeant to bring me some forms to fill up. 

Later, 1 Zulu and 2 Dragon Privates who was sharing the same fate as me driving the future watermen of Singapore joined me.

Shortly, we were introduced to another fellow who was actually there for a couple of months prior to our posting. He's quite a nice guy who oriented us the whole NDU culture.

And the main one being: it's super slack. There's nothing much for you to do until you have to drive (besides during the driving course). It's a stay-out vocation. Then he added in the same breath," The driver's unit for navy will be merging with the army's and from 1st April onwards, every single driver will have to stay in."

Wow. Yeah wow. Just when I thought my fate was good. Like noobs, we asked him a barrage of questions of inquiry. He also said that today was NDU's appreciation night and it was half day for the whole unit and the mood did lighten up a little.

Later, everyone was called in for an interview. It was like a welfare interview of sorts and under the PAST/CURRENT INJURIES column, I noted down that I had a crooked spinal cord (which was apparently true and I have X-rays to prove it). This got the people in the room a little frantic and I was asked to see the MO the next day to get clearance of whether I can continue being a driver. Ah, a glimmer of hope. Clerk > 8-5pm. Don't you see it coming?