February 28, 01:01 AM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 If you thought you've seen it all in your eventful 18-year life, wait till you join the army.
The three months in BMT will expose you to all sorts of people you never thought existed.
1. Chao Keng Kia / Kengster
Their favourite line from their sergeant is "Anybody not feeling well?". It's like a film director shouting 'Action!' and you'll see the best Oscar-winning acting.
2. Muscle man / Fitness freak / JC-canoeist
Remember the time you struggled as a zero-fighter? Well, screw you. These guys easily do 20 chin-ups. And they usually skip leg days so their legs are curiously thin.
3. The Siao On / Chiongster
Not to be confused with the muscle men. Siao on chiongsters come in all shapes and sizes. Whatever you are asked to do, he will do 200%. In war, you can always count on him to storm the front to be a hero.
4. The Wayang
When talking to the sergeant he sounds like the siao on / chiongster, but when it comes to crunch time he'll give his 200% to siam the work. You'll meet a lot of this type of people in the working world.
5. The blur sotong / cockster
You know how during range some people will get kicked on the helmet by the PC? Yup, it's the cockster that will swing a loaded rifle around and point at everybody.
6. The Kiasu / Kiasee
Dressing up in a ghillie suit is perfectly fine if you're a US Marines sniper. Not if you're a chao recruit. You'll meet some people who will bring the entire Beach road army market in their barang barang on the first day of enlistment. Good thing is if you're hungry during confinement, they probably bought combat rations for you to try. They are forever over-prepared and will set their alarm 1 hour before reveille.
7. The smokers
Their favourite spot on Tekong is probably enclosed in a yellow box. They can be the most focused, on-the-ball and cooperative recruits you will ever meet - as long as a smoke break is promised.
8. The white horse
Why did I show a unicorn? Because like the unicorn, some people say white horse companies don't exist mah.
9. Sabo King / Smart Alec
Wants to show off to sergeant he found an empty bullet casing in the bunk, everyone gets confined. Must always ask stupid questions that get everyone into knock it down position.
10. The female recruit
Source: Journal14
Usually signed-on regulars, the female recruits are more siao-on than the regular blur NSFs. Also a motivation for the guys to not be outdone by their female counterparts.
11. Nua Sai
Before you joined the army, you didn't think anyone could take 20 seconds to complete the shuttle run, or do only 12 sit-ups in one minute, or get stuck on top of the jacob's ladder for 20 minutes. But yes, there are really very nua people in the world. You can only threaten them with confinement then they will start to move.
12. Foreign talent
Source: Limpehft
Actually there was a Russian during my BMT. I couldn't remember his name, everyone just called him Russian.
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Top photo from Cyber Pioneer Facebook.
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