The original rationale for confinement was to get new enlistees
used to a regimented way of life without the distractions of a
civilian life.
However, for my BMTC batch, only the guys from my company and
another got to taste the confinement almost towards its fullest (I
could only book out on Christmas Eve, after 14 straight days on
Tekong). Those who enlisted in January were lucky -- they had
Chinese New Year break a few days after their enlistment, so
essentially they were not confined.
During the entire confinement period, I was actually quite
comfortable, thanks to the support my section mates gave me.
Without them, I might now have survived that 14 days. I cried on
Parents Visiting day. It was simply too overwhelming, not seeing
both my parents and the simple sights of my familiar
surroundings.
When I booked out on the 24 December 2003, I was reeling from
shock. I was not used to seeing so many vehicles on the road. In
fact, I nearly forgot about them, and crossed the road as if I were
on Pulau Tekong...
