THE ARMY SERIES : STANDARD OBSTACLE COURSE

One day late but it’s ok. 

Why am I writing about this? Because I personally feel that things are getting easier in a lot of things. But it is ok. It is their luck. 

Previously my NS was 2 and a half years. Now it is 2 years.

Previously it was 5.5 days work week. Meaning I would only book out from camp on Saturday afternoons and book in on the next day, Sunday evening. Now it is 5 days work week, book out on Friday evenings and book in on Sunday. Sometimes I see people book out on Friday afternoons. That is 2 nights of sleeping in your own bed compared to one. You have no idea how short our weekend was. 
​
And what about Standard Obstacle Course (SOC)?

​It is because of this SOC, I had to stay back in camp a number of times when all others get to go home. 

Back then, it was a REQUIREMENT to pass SOC. In BMT, if you don’t pass SOC, you will redo your BMT all over again. Redo and redo until you pass your SOC. During the weekend, if you have yet to pass, you will stay back in camp to do remedial training or to do your SOC while your mates book out. If you still don’t pass, you will stay back again next weekend.

Same goes for SISPEC. You don’t pass, you stay back. Weekend after weekend. 

When we got posted to our unit, same thing again. You don’t pass, you stay back.

Remember how short our weekends were? Imagine how much heart ache it was when you see your mates leaving camp and you had to stay back. Book out either Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings and booking in again on Sunday evenings.

So why was it so hard to pass? 

Because not everyone is ready fit lah. Need to train until can pass. I honestly cannot remember the timing to pass. If I’m not wrong, it was 10minutes 30 seconds during BMT. 10 minutes 15 seconds during SISPEC. 9 minutes 45 seconds in Guards. 

So as I struggled to clock 10min30s in BMT and finally passed, I had to train harder to bring it down to 10min 15s and then 9min 45s in Guards. You have no idea how many of my weekends were burnt because of this stupid SOC. I would really have to train hard and pass like just by 2 to 3 seconds.

Back then we had to run 700 metres
Clear these obstacles in order
Low wall
Parallel beam
Step
Monkey bar
Low rope
Balancing beam
Zig Zag bridge
Suicide Window
Jacobs Ladder
Ramp
Run 600 metres to finishing line

This is the old one : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYxKqiSePyM

(Somehow, the obstacles in the old Pasir Laba Camp was lower compared to other camps. So when I was in SISPEC, those who really cannot pass would have their last chance to pass at Pasir Laba because it was “easier”. That was the time I managed to pass.)

So difficult meh?

I remember my first few times trying out the SOC, I had problems with the zig-zag bridge and the jacob’s ladder. A lot of people have problems on it. I remember this clearly, my girlfriend talked to me, “why got problem?” I said, “it’s hard to balance, and quite scary if you happen to fall”
She continued, “just run up and just walk. What’s the worse thing if you fall? You will break or fracture your leg. It’s not like you would die. If you break your leg, you will be downgraded and you might just not have to go through all these again.”

So cool. I tried and I didn’t have any problems after that. I kinda hoped I would fall and downgrade but somehow it didn’t happen. I saw a number of people falling and downgraded though.

Yes it was difficult to me. To many others. I stayed back in camp with many. I saw people redoing their BMT and SISPEC because of it. 

And then suddenly some 10 years ago……… they changed the SOC. There are more obstacles now. BUT…… you don’t have to run the 700 metres before and 600 metres after.

Best thing is….. you don’t have to pass it. You just need to ATTEMPT on doing it.

Best right?

So we stayed back and burnt our weekends for what?


Next Week : Back to Wallaby

Categories : The Army Series