BMT field camp... I still cannot imagine I clocked 7 days of
enduring continuous inhumane treatment out in the field.
I still remembered how on the day we set out, we did around 3 sets
of 20 push ups, because we were slow to pick up our field packs. We
also did 2 sets at the harbouring site on day one, because some of
us blur recruits couldn't get the basha up within 10 minutes, and
had to take them down. 2 more for not falling in FBO within 10
minutes of dismantling basha. 3 more sets for not building it back
up within 10 minutes, 1 more for not falling back in FBO within 10
minutes, 1 more set for not managing to display everything inside
the field pack properly, 1 more for not shoving everything back in
within 1 minute.
And that was day one. But it was fun, especially when the
instructors did a demonstration on field discipline. One of the
officers was like puffing very hard on his cigarette, trying to
show us how easily smoke is detected outfield. He emerged from the
foilage rather red faced...
Reclaimed land was one of the worse places, and the second last day
of the camp. Dug a shellscrape and firetrench in one day, all with
a naggy sergeant on my back, then endured countless rifle jumping
jacks because we couldn't finish the shellscrape and firetrench. I
took 10 hours to dig my shellscrape, and got "personal attention".
Then I got too shacked and fell asleep after RO without hugging my
rifle. Woke up at 3 am to find it missing, went to the training
shack to find it, but did not have the guts to stun it right from
under the duty sergeant's nose. Woke him up, got a huge dressing
down for "sneaking up" on him (is that why they picked me to be a
scout?), got rifle back, went to sleep. 2 hours later, got turned
out with thunderflashes, had to put everything inside field pack,
cover up shellscrape, then fall in within 15 minutes.
Fell in, and whole company got pumped for being late. Then got
pumped because shellscrape was not filled in properly. Given
another 15 minutes to cover shellscrape properly. Got pumped again,
because somebody buried his ET stick. 15 minutes for whole company
to find ET stick. Got pumped again, instructor found combat rations
half buried inside shellscrape. Then we settled down for breakfast
at 7 am.
The funny thing was, amidst all that tekanning, we had some
welfare. Cold syrup drinks, cooked out rations, and all that.
Totally awesome.
Field camp is the time where you really learn how much mental
stress your mind can take, and the true faces of your section
commanders. You will also discover who your true friends are.
Be prepared for tons of unreasonable requests and be punished for
not meeting them. If you are good enough, sneak in some stuff in
your underwear (at your own risk, but chances are they won't check
your underwear), or ask for permission to go back to bunk to bring
some stuff you "conveniently forgot" after field pack inspection.
If your sergeant is a kind soul, he might carry some civilian
comforts for you...
