THE ARMY SERIES : ALERT RED

This is going to be a short post. I don't even have any photos of it. But I am going to just write this down just so I can document whatever memories I have of these times.

We are back from Australia. Remember my gripe is always about not able to book out? Yes, we only book out every Saturday afternoons and back in camp on Sundays. That too if we don't have any weekend duties in camp. And then we had to go overseas to Australia for 3 weeks. We come back to Singapore and I think we had a few days of leave or off. Just a few days. Not even a week. And then we're back in camp again.

A few weeks after returning from Australia, we were told that we were going to be on Alert Red.

​What is Alert Red? 


Every unit would have to go through this at least once. Basically, there will always be one unit in Singapore that is on standby. If in any case that we are activated for whatever reasons, the unit will have to be ready to go within 2 hours. Alert red is also called 2NTM (2 hours notice to move). A unit will be on standby for 14 days. A Tuesday to another Tuesday 2 weeks later. 

Nice, another 2 full weeks in camp. I think it was during a Chinese New Year period in 2002. 

We all knew we have to go through this. It is just a matter of when. Unfortunately it was during Chinese New Year for us. It was really a morale blow. 

What made it feel better was, since it is 2NTM, we were not allowed to have any field exercises or time consuming activities as we are supposed to be ready within 2 hours. So this 2 weeks, we would just stay in bunk, go for meals, maybe play a few games amongst ourselves or do our own exercises. It was going to be a relaxed 2 weeks.

This is where the interesting things happened. 

We all prepared ourselves to be in camp for 2 weeks. 

First and foremost..... somehow... somehow....... somebody managed to bring in a TV. It was funny but was really welcomed. It was placed in our bunk at the foot of our bed. And then, slowly more things were brought in.

From TV to VCD player to a playstation. The other side of the bunk also has their own TV and another playstation. 

There was also a lot of snacks. A lot! We had a whole empty cupboard filled with foods. Snacks to instant noodles to bread to biscuits to eggs to i don't remember what else. 

These boys really knew how to fill time for these 2 weeks. 

We would then bring playstation games and VCDs. 

So yeah. That was how we spent 14 days in camp. The food in the cookhouse were extra nice too during this period. There were a lot of days with western food and Chinese food. I especially enjoyed the Hor Fun.

Back in the bunk, it was playstation, movie and drama marathons. 

My takeaway from this period? That was the first time I was exposed to Korean drama. We binged on the whole season of Winter Sonata (Chong bought stacks of Korean VCDs) and one of my favourite movie till today, “My Sassy Girl”.


NEXT WEEK : EXERCISE CRESCENDO (PART 1)

Categories : The Army Series