InJustice

~140 days to ORD. I've kept a total clean record in this 20+ months of service, not having confined, extras or charged in a battalion where few reasons still stand. It looked as if I set forth on a smooth journey till this 2yrs 2 months liability ends. Yet on this faithful 15/01/2005(Friday), bad luck finally struck, sending the warth of SAF injustice and unreasonablity to war with me.

I came past my coy lobby in the afternoon when I came across 5 men from my platoon washing the corridor. They were under instructions from my CSM. 2 fire hydrants were put into use with permission from the CSM, for there was no taps or hoses nearby. I was free then. Instead of going up to bunk to relax, I actually stayed to help these guys with the washing.

The Batallion 2IC happened to strool by ~5 minutes later. His curiosity over the use of the fire hydrant sent him to step forward and questioned me. I replied it was the CSM's instruction. He seemed satisfied and left.

Another 5 mintes passed when a clerk came forward and asked me to see the S4. I did not expect anything good, for this S4 had a lousy reputation as a boot licker, backstabber & poor relations with my coy, the support coy. I followed the clerk to the S4 office. As expected, he started barking rapidly at me on the use of the fire hydrant, saying thats its a waste of SAF resources and whatever SAF crap which I took no heart in listening. He finished his words with: "the 5 of you go n sign 5 confinement". I was not surprised that he started shooting confinements & extras(most high ranking personels in my BN love to do that), but was amazed that he actually studied what we were doing and counted the people there. I calmly told him that our CSM allowed us to use the fire hydrants. Unexpectedly, he questioned:"SO? you want your CSM to sign extra issit?" That was rude and unreasonable. Its true that my CSM made a mistake, not those washing the floor.

He sent the clerk to follow me back to the coy lobby to take down the names of all those washing the floor. I'm not the kind of guy who bow down to unjust acts. Instead of taking down names, I went to my CSM's office and explained the situation. My CSM was busy with work, and certainly not pleased with S4, and said he would settle the problem himself. I had a hard time persuading the clerk to leave without any names. In no time, this clerk came back to me again. He seemed rather impatient, as he told me the S4 was mad and threaterned to charge us if we do not send him the names. To me, this was incredibly stupid. The S4 reacted so absurdly to such minor everyday matters.(many people in the BN had been using the fire hydrant as a water supply all this while) Again, I went up to the CSM's office, to see if he had phoned S4 on that matter. Unfortunately he was not around. I called him to report the situations. He was still attending to some other matters, but confirmed me that he would see S4 soon. He instructed me to stop work but do not give the names. I was stucked in the middle. CSM may not attend my pressing problems fast and the clerk was pressing me hard with those high handed orders from S4. I gave him the names in the end.

At around 5pm, the BRO was out and confirmed a confinement to be served on the next day by me and the other 5 guys washing the lobby. My CSM saw it too. This time round, he really could not stand the handling of S4. He finally put his works down and went to have a talk with the S4. The outcome was as ecpected, we serve the confinement.(later did I learnt that my CSM & S4 had a heated quarrel over that matter) However, my CSM was kind enough to accept that he was largely to be blamed and promised the group of us equal number of days off for the confinement.(actually its still bo hua as we lose the weekend, but better than nothing) He even called the Duty Officer that day to help cover up our book out.( the DO was supposed to confiscate out 11B)

All seemed fine as I returned home for the night, till I was awakened by a phone call form the COS on the next day, 16/01/2005(Saturday) at 8:30am. It was something like a recall for guys on stand-by. The COS told me to come back to camp immediately as the blood sucking S4 actually came back to work on a Saturday just to see the few of us serve confinement. I had no choice, and rushed back to camp in a cab. What a hustle. Furthermore, it was a day packed with events for me. I've got appointments to roller blade, play soccer, meet some Primary Sch classmates, visit RV anniversary and also to celebrate Jun Wei & Zhong Hong's birthday. I had to forgo all these for a baseless confinement. My CSM also rushed down to camp, sort of try to help us, but S4 somehow pressed him down with appointment and rank. The DO spoke to us as well, telling us to bare with the nonsensical power abuse of S4. He also told me that if possible, he will release us once S4 leaves. Me and my guys "suck thumb" and waited, till we left on Sunday morning.

This confinement was totally unreasonable, for those who had done NOTHING wrong kanna punished. An absolutely injustice, a disgrase to SAF and proves that it doesn't pay to help in SAF. Moreover, I noticed the S4 actually stayed till Sunday morning, just to ensure that the DO did not release us early. What the F***! Does the few of us matters so much in the running of a BN? Get a life man!