I usually have good memories of CSM/BSM's. Sure, they wear the
disciplinarian hat at times but, for the most part, there's more
important matters at hand guiding an active or reservist unit. I
also think the "men" generally bonded with him better (compared to
the other KAHs) as they regularly trained together out in the
field.
IMO RSMs tend to have an ego to match their rank, esp. those in
training schools. My training-cadre RSM even tried to sell me
insurance, post-SAF mandatory retirement, claiming he "must protect
my boys". I told him to go fly kite (okay, something ruder) if he's
gonna take that paternalistic attitude.
My active RSM was quite erratic & a bit of a buffon, calling
everyone "Ah Tong San"; he fell from grace later, as the story
went, from trying to rape a guardroom sentry (or commander) while
drunk. My reservist stint lacked a permanent RSM for ages, with my
RQ & sometimes a BSM filling in temporarily. The one who
finally settled in was quite a pushover - you don't really meet a
RSM in camp a lot during ICT except for muster parades, etc., plus
he has his own field-training duties. With the latter, he was
professionally led "astray" by my recce group a lot, as we taught
him all the "welfare" tricks of the trade.
