Dear Chief Of Armed Force

Dear Chief of Armed Force,

There has been an e-mail that was forwarded to MIW.com that causes a huge stir in the air force community and eventually it also reach the ears of our marching contingent. I would not like to emphasis on that particular e-mail cause I am sure you have read it numerous times and hopefully laugh about that idiot.

I too have my grudges against the NDP organizing community. I too did not volunteer for this once in a year event celebrity our national birthday/independence. However I am loyal to my country and of course love everything Singapore about it FOOD, PEOPLE, LIFESTYLE, RED LIGHT DISTRICT, PAP blar blar blar.

Now I just like to highlight an issue during the NDP parade practice at Nee Soon camp that have left me and others pretty furious about such lack of Professionalism and Care for soldier attitude display by the Parade community.

It was the last rehearsal for the day and my marching contingent was all ready to put in their best before going home for a well deserved rest. We were all form up at the FUP point ready to march into the parade square when it starts to drizzle. Ok, it was light rain and spirits among the man were still high I guess the parade will still go on. Next the drizzle transform into light rain, and everyone was expecting the parade rehearsal to be cancelled. Light rain becomes normal rain and it shows no sign of subsiding. Our guys are all getting wet in their uniform and the SAR21 rifle was getting a bit slippery, it’s a sure sign that the parade cannot carry on. I beckon to my officer, a captain, shouldn’t we all head for the shelter now? The captain just gave me a “Bo Pian” or “Nothing can be done” expression.

The march in carried on upon the first command shouts by the parade RSM, everything goes well despite the rain hitting upon us and drenching our uniform. Next came in the guard of honor in their number 1 uniform, the first time they march in with number 1 uniform after so many rehearsals. Eventually the whole parade was form up, with no incident fortunately. At this moment and rain seems to have subsided a bit. The next thing that happen really really turn me off! I caught a glimpse of one of the parade organizing member sitting up there at the table speaking into the walkie talkie and before speaking into the mike, “CAT 1, Parade is cancelled, all trainers please take over”.

WHAT???!!!! After surviving through the rain, getting our clothes wet, risking our SAR21 rifle of corrosion, enduring a few lightning strike and thunder claps earlier on in the open, now than they tell us all parade is cancelled? IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANCELLED EARLIER ON when its already raining! I can only come to the conclusion that the organizing members are just too eager to look at the whole parade form up in Full uniform for the first time, especially the Guard Of Honor. Are they planning to take a NICE picture of the parade form up? Do the officers up there need to go by SOP and wait for an Official CAT 1 announcement to be made before they cancel the parade? Where is the judgment? Even my Captain knows that the parade should not have carried on earlier on but he is real powerless at that moment. This incident seriously affects the moral of our guys that day and it again display to us, specialists WOSE, the lack of professionalism for some of the Officers (YES I AM PARTICULARLY REFERING TO THE ONES SITTING UP THERE AND WATCHING THE SHOW). Luckily the lightning did not strike the flag party who was dangerously holding on to a tall object that was pointed at one end… We all were probably spared by the god who find us pityful