Unjust: Abuse of Military Rank & Authority

last SG · 2009-10-28T22:27:51+00:00

And your equally fanciful leap of logic has jumped canals without much thought either. TS's complaints are not rare. If you think it's rare, then you have no...

schi_zo SG

Sorry this is gonna be long and i need some advice.

I am a medic and is posted to a combat unit[mono-intake]. I have an injury and it limits my ability to train and perform as a fit combatant.So I decided to take status from my MO and see a specialist. The specialist recommends physiotherapy and so i decided to try it out.

FUN FACT #1: what is a mono-intake? Recruits are directly inducted to this unit, from BMT to ORD, they are stuck in this unit for their 2 years. So what makes them so special? They primarily (90%) consists of secondary school dropouts, ITE students, NITEC students, jailbirds, boys home members etc... naturall their highest education do not exceed ITE.

FUN FACT #2: I studied in jc so my journey was Tekong > SMTI > mono-intake unit

FUN FACT #3: My company has only 1 JC student as a man.(not commander)

Now, while having status and undergoing physiotherapy, this particular commander which happens to my platoon sergeant (REGULAR 2SG ITE STUDENT) happens to faithfully carry out my unit's 'belief' in -> every NSF who has any status, regardless of severity, unless it is prominently visible e.g. a broken leg/arm, is branded a CHAO KENG KIA.

So, now, even with ex light duties, heavy load, and RMJ, i was forced to participate in training, of course, while undergoing physiotherapy, doing strenous exercises and outfield defeated the purpose. Then till there was this period where i could not take the load so i really said NO to carrying at all. So what did i get in return? A threat from my beloved PS warned me that for my so called 'stunt', for the rest of my NS life, i will not be able to use my off and leave. Justifiable?

Things got bad and worse, soon i found out i had to learn a GPMG(machine gun), which the funny thing is, as a medic, you cannot even shoot your SAR... and guess who arranged it? Go figure.

It didn't stop there, i was then told to do shed duty(similar to guard duty) for my company on standby while i was still tied to medical duties, if it was weekdays i would have just did it anyway, but it was 2 freaking saturdays. Notice given to me was 2 weeks before the duty, and naturally i was pissed. I checked the standing orders and it said medics and CQMS were exempted. I went to find the guy who planned my duty(PS), and told him about it. He then said, 'don't look at the SOP, its according to battalion standard, battalion standard says you can do, and now how to change, 2 weeks already, i cannot just change like that right? what would other people think if they do your duty?' WOW he could be concerned for others and not for me? The most epic thing is, i found out from my other medic friends(other platoons and companies) in the battalion that, i was the ONLY dumb f medic doing the duty.. how FUCKED is that.

There are much more other things that he(PS) did, which are really F-ed up and im lazy to list them all down. So i couldn't take his personal abuse and vent on me, and the people in my company had personalities clashes with me as they always warned to beat me up, so i decided i really had to do something.

Things i did

1. Talked to my PC about this and all the unfair incidents to me. Luckily i was smart enough to record every detail on a notebook. In the end, he told me i was being paranoid and should just speak with my PS.

2. The old unit MO just ORDed and came this new unit MO, which apparently, has personalities contrasting to 'kind and caring.' Left with no choice i decided to consult him on the issue. I told him i wanted to see a psychiatrist or a counsellor, as i really cannot withstand the pressue --> i was rejected from being referred to PSY or counselling. I told him i cannot work with my platoon people and my PS, he just told me he could not do anything to help me. It seems he forgot a 3 bar is equivalent to CPT rank.

3. I told my parents about it and hoped they help me complain or something. My father told me to just lan lan suck thumb die die tong all the way till ORD and begins his 'last time when i was in army....' Let your son suffer like a dog. dope.

Well, in the end my OC caught wind of me trying to be referred to see a psychiatrist . How? It appears my MO thinks its a good idea to tell my OC about this. And the fucking thing is that the new MO is a NSF, why the fuck would he do something like that.

Now my life is really miserable and sometimes i think of stupid things like taking my rifle and shooting those fuckers. I really cannot take it to face those fuckers at camp, WHAT THE FUCK SHOULD I DO?? advice pls- i do not want to call the SAF hotline as it will make shit worse.

side note :

i want to thank SAF for reshaping my life, i want to thank SAF for creating a milestone in my life, i want to thank SAF for their intelligence and efficiency in posting order.

Thankful that NS made me a better person.

To those whom always preach to people, make NS a meaningful 2 years, well fuck you.

And as a medic, i have seen deaths in my camp, appearing in newspapers? no. all covered up nicely. remember a case of the NSF in LCK camp II that died in the morning after he collasped from doing chin-ups? i happen to know the MO who treated him, and oh boy....... a totally different version of the story appeared on the newspapers.

IT REALLY IS THE LOWEST SHITTY PERIOD OF MY LIFE AND I NEED ADVICE ON HOW TO GET THROUGH IT BEFORE I JUMP AND DIE.

I felt much better after typing all this... sorry and thanks if you read through my shitty english till the end.

countingdowntoORD SG

first of all, take it easy and chill... for you're not the first one who felt this way and went through this kinda shit..

i was from poly, and after tekong I was posted to a mono-intake combat unit too. most of the people there had ITE quali and below, and at first it was indeed intimidating. But honestly, after going through trainings and outfields together, you'll realise that the people in your platoon/company/battalion are actually not that bad.

like you, i had injury problems to my back and i had to shuttle between camp, MO and hospital for checkups and follow up.. naturally i had to miss a lot of training and outfields, and people within my platoon and company were starting to look at me at a "weird" way. my commanders (sgts, plt sgts and officers) also knew i was a problematic person, always having to leave camp for medical appointments..

but then, mine was a genuine problem and there was no way i was going to give in to the "pressure" everyone was giving me, the labels of "chao keng" that were put on me. NS is just 2 years of your life, while your body sticks with you till the day you die.. it's true that we cannot avoid NS duties (unless u leave the country and never come back) and therefore we die die have to serve; but to compromise my health for just 2 years of NS, it isn't worth it.

as for your standby duty, actually medics are required to do these duties just like everyone else. why? simply because you're a combat medic, and you're just like every other combatant, just that you have medic skills.. the medics in my battalion also had to do such duties during standby.

your PS, like LOADS of other PS in many combat units, is the heck care ah beng kind.. they don't give a damn even if you're dead, they just look forward to the 10th of each month so that they can get their pay, and their bonuses throughout the year. don't worry about his threats about revoking your off and leave; this kinda PS, you've just gotta stand up to him and let him know you are not someone to be trampled on. (of course, not to the extend where you defy orders/punch him and land yourself in DB)

you have every right to go to see the MO if you're not feeling right. However, the MO has the discretion whether to refer you to the MMI psych. He'll first judge your behaviour, your description of things and stuff, den he'll decide if he will send you there. If he thinks you're fine and you're just frustrated, he won't. like you said, he's a freshly minted NSF MO... some (not all, for some MOs are very nice) are just plain arrogant, thinking just because they're from med sch and with 3 bars, they're big shot.

my advice to you are as follows:

1) Continue going to your physiotherapy, and keep reflecting your ailments to the specialist, your camp MO and your commanders (provided your ailments are genuine). don't forget to keep documentation so in the case that something happens to you during training, you can say that you have sounded out to them before.

2) Try to go along with all the training that have been planned as much as you can.. not that i'm asking you to suck thumb, but by going through training (provided you're not limited to your injuries), time passes faster.. and your time in NS will pass faster.

3) Try to improve your relationship with people in your platoon.. after a day of training, you wouldn't want to go back to your bunk and act like a loner while everyone else is gathering and talking cock..

you'll be fine dude.. 2 years will pass before you even know it. for me, i thought it was going to be an eternity.. but zoom, i've ord-ed for 4 months already. if a "PROBLEM" person like me found it fast, you should too. cheers.

dkcx SG

Sorry this is gonna be long and i need some advice.

FUN FACT #2: I studied in jc so my journey was Tekong > SMTI > mono-intake unit

FUN FACT #3: My company has only 1 JC student as a man.(not commander)

Things got bad and worse, soon i found out i had to learn a GPMG(machine gun), which the funny thing is, as a medic, you cannot even shoot your SAR... and guess who arranged it? Go figure.

Things i did

side note :

i want to thank SAF for reshaping my life, i want to thank SAF for creating a milestone in my life, i want to thank SAF for their intelligence and efficiency in posting order.

Thankful that NS made me a better person.

To those whom always preach to people, make NS a meaningful 2 years, well fuck you.

IT REALLY IS THE LOWEST SHITTY PERIOD OF MY LIFE AND I NEED ADVICE ON HOW TO GET THROUGH IT BEFORE I JUMP AND DIE.

I felt much better after typing all this... sorry and thanks if you read through my shitty english till the end.

I don't see whats the point of comparing and highlighting the educational level of u and ur PS etc. If u think that makes u any cleverer, thats plain stupid and idiotic behavior.

U are a combat medic not a service medic and thus u are treated as a combat soldier not just a medic only. If ur PS etc can sent u for any combat course, it DOES mean that you are eligible for it. Whether or not anyone else have ever went for it is a totally different issue but NOONE in ur battalion can sent u for a course that you are not allowed to go for. Eg u cannot be sending a technician on medic course, a guards on storeman course etc. A combat medic for a combat related course is not impossible.

Why do people around u and ur PS etc all treat u badly? Have u reflected on ur own actions and figure out what u been doing to get such a treatment? If its ur own attitude that sucks, don't blame others for singling u out and give u all the extra shit to do. Biasness is common everywhere regarding army or workplace etc, if u cannot get into ur superior good books, u will just have to suffer more. Workplace in future will be little different so you better learn how to manage ur social relationships with people.

SAF hotline is not the worse thing to call. It does inform ur unit ppl that u have done such a thing but there are people who have posted and mentioned before that repeated calling to SAF hotline made them achieve their goal since the unit ppl cannot have ppl from SAF hotline questioning the coy/batt about the particular soldier all the time.

If ur MO etc is not willing to sent u for counselling or see a psychiatrist, either look for para-counsellors in ur camp to talk to or go find ur own psychiastrist. I don't see why ur MO cannot inform ur OC about it. In a way its to inform ur OC to monitor ur condition to see whether you are really in distress and need help etc.

Change ur attitude and mindset if not things will not improve much for u.

1) If u feel that just because u are a JC student, u are superior and should not be treated like fuck or treated the way the mono intake ppl are, u are seriously wrong. Once u are in unit, regardless of ur education level etc, everyone just follows rank. A ITE student who is a 3SG is still superior to even an undergrad who is a PTE/LCP/CPL. Get that fact drilled into ur head.

2) Whatever is thrown at u, just accept it. The more u resist, the more u try to go against ur PS authority, the more trouble he will get for u. As long as what is given to u is within ur means, just accept it. Wkend duties etc are 1 of the best punishments units like to give and ur attitude will make u get alot more of them if u don't change.

3) Regarding being 'smart' to record down everything, personally how i feel is if u are mentally alert and sound enough to know how to record evidence etc etc, it shows u are still thinking well, mentally sound and not in anyway in big distress and unable to continue ur life. People in depression etc are often too depressed to ever be 'smart' and do something like that.

4) The MO is not wrong to say that he cannot help u with ur problems with ur peers and PS. Relationship with ppl around u is up to how u handle it urself. Even a 3 star general cannot come into ur camp and force ur peers to be friendly to u etc etc. Its how u behave that will change how ppl treat u.

Fatum SG

I didn't bother reading after the first few bits .......

fun fact #4 .... you are not any special ..... if you think you're better and more educated than all the other chaps in your unit, no wonder you're having a shitty time ......

wake up your idea dude ..... the world doesn't revolve around you .... if you go around being a snotty prick and nit-picking on every little thing, then don't blame people for not being nice to you ....

but I really like this bit though ...

yeah .... go running to dad .... and ask dad to go complain MP or something ? ... very grown-up ...

kopiosatu SG

his father gave the best advice

maxsee SG

Ur.... fun fact #1....there is no such things as monointake personnel comprising of school dropouts, ITE students, NITEC students, jailbirds, boys home members etc....i was a diploma holder and got posted to monointake previously...get ur facts right before publishing it DUDE....

Dun think urself as a class above the rest just beocz u are a JC student...medic is already a very much relax vocation...if u were in guards unit like me last time....i think u would have jump down and commit suicide.....

Every male citizens has to go thru 2 years of national service....just live with it....if not u can alway have the choice of taking the easy way out......eg....take one hammer and ask ur friend to give a GOOD one on ur hand............before u know it.....u be out of medic profession....WIMP.....

the Bear SG

you could go see your OC or CO to transfer to the MDC seeing you're already such a drama queen

p.s. fuck you too

hisoka SG

actually if you feel strongly, keep going up the chain of command. So you told you PC but no use, so need to go up to OC. after OC is prob your S1 or CO.

I haven't figured out whether the SAF hotline is genuine, but you can go try if you want.

SevenEleven SG

Take it like a man. It's only 2 years and it will make you a better person in the future.

However death should be the last thing on your mind as a form of running away from problems. If things are really that bad, perhap you can bring it to your CO (proper chain-of-command), telling them your dilemma and request for a transfer and that you have gone thru the proper channel and that you will bring it up to higher channel (up to MINDEF) if things cannot get solved.

schi_zo SG

First, i did not say because i came from JC i am much superior than them. I am highlighting that because the way the people talk and interact there is different from mine.

And the funny part, is because i was the only JC there, they are the ones making fun of me, on my educational level. They are not happy that i was a jc, and always make names for me, like example for saying, ' JC big fuck, also come here like dog, u fucking stupid, u sure u jc.'

Of course, i question my attitude. You think i dont? you think i dont want to have a low profile life? Its because of my injury i had to stop training and that labelled me as a chao keng warrior. Things got shitty and i tried to keep a low profile by just doing the trainings but in the end my back couldn't take it. In the end, the PS already is not happy with me from last time, even when i play a low profile, he still wants to fuck me. I heard my my section commander, my PS want to fuck me till i ORD, this justified?

My mono intake really consists of what i said, its only the commanders(NSF/3SG) are the poly/jc, i am a man, not a commander, the troopers are the mono-s. How to interact with the troopers, what they do everyday is smoke, play psp and sleep. I never argue with them, to risk a beating? Their topics on conversation, are on how good their weekend is at double-o etc etc, about which games to play on psp and just that, nothing else.

Their attitude to me, really is out of this world. Because i would not retaliate them, they always slam their vulgarities at me, they sometimes punch me in the back when i dont know, and always cajole me to smoke. They even ask me to secretly buy canteen food for them, even though its not allowed, if i dont buy they will fuck me even more---- if i get caught then they say its my own business, justified?

So i assume its not wrong for me to head to the medical centre to interact with people i can talk to right? since i cannot communicate with the people in my bunk. But apparently it was not for them, they think i go there to relax and twang, their idea is that whoever goes to medical centre is chao keng. They are not happy with me going to medical centre, but i am only happy when i go medical centre, so should i stay in bunk listening to their advice? justified?

Not only that, because im a medic, they wanted to use me to write them a false temperature for fever. If i dont? then i can prepare to be a 24/7 fuckboard to throw their fuck-darts at me, given any chance. If i tell my PS or any commander or MO, yes they get fucked, but what happens to me in the end? you think they will just let this go, or will make my life a hell? justified?

Why i mentioned my PS is an ITE student, because he really lacks the leadership, and cannot think logically. I DONT THINK IT IS RIGHT, EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, I DONT SEE WHY ITS JUSTIFIABLE TO BE ORDERED TO DO THINGS LIKE LEARN A MACHINE GUN. AND ITS ALWAYS ME ALONE, OUT OF THE 23 MEDICS IN THE WHOLE BATTALION, IM ALWAYS THE MEDIC TO DO SOMETHING NOT SUPPOSED TO.

In my unit, never a medic has done the shed duty, only me. Everytime after outfield, my PS order me to clean vehicle with driver, and the other troopers can go back and rest.

You think combat medic is a slack vocation? you are wrong, service medic is slack, but not combat medic. My outfield attire, consists of the troopers basic, SAR, LBV, rifle, but mine plus MOP and stretcher. I not tired after outfield? Others can rest but not me? I have to clean vehicle? at least the driver do not need to dismount and bash through forest, but i do and the only one to clean the vehicle?

Why its fucking bad for my oc to know is because he thinks i chao keng by wanting to see a psychiatrist, and he wants to make my life hard, along with my PS. How to survive, haven ORD dead inside camp already.

dkcx SG

First, i did not say because i came from JC i am much superior than them. I am highlighting that because the way the people talk and interact there is different from mine.

In my unit, never a medic has done the shed duty, only me. Everytime after outfield, my PS order me to clean vehicle with driver, and the other troopers can go back and rest.

How long more till u ORD?

SAF promotion is often by seniority esp the junior commanders. U don't have to have any leadership etc to get 2SG. As long as u sign on, u will surely get it.

As mentioned, if talking to ur PS and OC etc won't work, talk to them le then move on to ur S1/CO etc. If u have already mentioned ur problem to ur OC and he can't help, u can logically go to ur CO without skipping chain of command.

If u have problems seeing ur OC etc, SAF hotline might be the only way out for u. Yes it will bring u more trouble but its the only way to highlight ur problem to ppl who can intervene in ur unit affairs. After a few calls, they normally are forced to do something. If u are already targetted by them all, i don't see how things can get worse if u choose to call.

If they are forcing u to do things, i don't see why u should not report. Since they are already treating u like hell, what more can and will they do? Just report everything and at most everyone die together better than u suffer alone.

When ur commanders wanna make hell for u, they can do it in everyway that is allowable. Whether or not there is someone else in the unit who suffers the same faith is not important. As long as they can do it, they will. Comparing urself with the other 22 medics will not help u in anyway.

Combat medic isn't slack but neither is it the most xiong vocation out there.

If u can't take it, just go see a psychiatrist on ur own if u really think it would help if u MO is not willing to help. Generally i would still say the MO didn't do anything wrong but how ur OC wants to use the information that is up to him to decide since the MO is not ur direct superior and has little say in how u should be handled.

MaNyZeR SG

Wow... you are in some serious shit here... I wonder how long you have to ORD. Seriously, you are in deep deep shit, since ya bunk mates, your PS, OC and MO all wanna fuck you all the way to ORD. Only your section commander seems okay.

But what injury is it that you have? You have any status letter from the MO, like light duties, no outfield, ATT B etc??? If you have and your PC and PS ignore it, then you can always bring it to the higher authorities.

If you are seriously not chao kenging, then you should just bring this up to the higher authorities. Like maybe, talking to your CSM, 2I/C or your CO. Though this is not following the chain of command, but then for your case you couldnt follow as your OC does not believe your shit.

Otherwise, you should go talk to your MP, or call the SAF hotline.

If what you are saying is indeed true, like the whole company is fucking your ass day after day, then you really should go and do something about it. No point being the punching bag and be somebody's play toy.

If you plan not to do anything, then like what ya father say, lan lan suck thumb and tong all the way to ord.

But if you really feel very stress, and troubled, and feel like taking your own life, then go ahead and do something. Make it a big fuss, and bring this issue to light. Shame on the PS and OC, abusing their powers.

Seriously, I hate it when people abuse their powers. Instead of helping each other, they mistreat others. This is not leadership. This is ill treatment!!

Go do something before its too late.. you are not supposed to do duties that you are not required to. Go highlight this to the higher authorities. If they (CSM, 2I/C and OC) dont listen, then you call SAF hotline.

countingdowntoORD SG

First, i did not say because i came from JC i am much superior than them. I am highlighting that because the way the people talk and interact there is different from mine.

In my unit, never a medic has done the shed duty, only me. Everytime after outfield, my PS order me to clean vehicle with driver, and the other troopers can go back and rest.

sounds like you're from one of the armoured units... lol.

fudgester SG

Kid, I was a combat medic too, and I got posted to a mono-intake infantry unit....

And yes, being the only A Level fella got me bullied by the stoopid Mats who cannot take it that a Mat can actually be an JC student. And touch my heart, I did my best to hang out with them and get along with them, but they were unable to see past my cert.

But I sucked it up for there were others who were able to see past that and got along with me very well. Samsengs, ex-drug addicts, playboys, you name it. Now they are my friends, because they know that I didn't try to hao lian in front of them. As for those who bullied me, well, balls to them...... just being them is a life sentence.

While you will never be able to win everyone's hearts, so long as you remain humble and just do your job as best as you can, there will always be people who can accept you for who you are. If there are none to be found, then really, the problem may lie with you. You might just want to sit down and ask yourself if the way you talk to others and deal with them makes them treat you the way they do.

It is a sh*tty experience, but there's really not much you can do about it. You have a back problem; so go and get proper physiotherapy for it, and to hell with all those who think you keng.

Your PS wants to train you to use a GPMG; so be it. There's nothing wrong in a little cross-training. I myself trained to use a LAW, SAW, and a SigSauer P226, and I ain't complaining.

At the end of the day, if you really can't take the stress, go and talk about it to a commander whom you trust. If you don't trust your PS, there's always your PC, OC, Senior Medic, and MO to turn to. Heck, surely, there should be at least be some nice sect comd you can turn to. But turning to your dad and expecting him to do something? Not very mature behaviour, really....

the Bear SG

come to think about it, i learnt to use the GPMG and how to deploy the goddamned Rapier system too!

paradox86 SG

SAF hotline is genuine fyi, as long as u go through coc, u will be fine ,take my words (:

fireng SG

Act crazy and hopefully they will send you to IMH than you can downgrade liao

fireng SG

anyway what is the SAF hotline number?

schi_zo SG

Kid, I was a combat medic too, and I got posted to a mono-intake infantry unit....

It is a sh*tty experience, but there's really not much you can do about it. You have a back problem; so go and get proper physiotherapy for it, and to hell with all those who think you keng.

Your PS wants to train you to use a GPMG; so be it. There's nothing wrong in a little cross-training. I myself trained to use a LAW, SAW, and a SigSauer P226, and I ain't complaining.

ok thanks guys. i just went to arrange an appointment with a psychiatrist at a private hospital. Is that alright?

and the reason why i told my dad is because he saw me acting weird recently and asked me why, so i told him about it.

but now the main thing is, i really need a change of environment, because it is really very hard for me to face them everyday and act nonchalant.

im quite angry with myself too at times because i cannot handle these kind of pressue. Maybe i am a pussy but thats what i am.

Bigfunk SG

What is your medical condition?