When people talk about NS, they like to talk about how garang they were. Which is fine, but can be annoying. But if the media had its way, the SAF would only be made up of officers, pilots, divers and commandos. That would be kinda ridiculous, if you ask me.

But what about the ubiquitous storeman? We try to shed some light on what is among the most misunderstood of vocations.

1. People keep saying ‘slack right?’ to you

Some people have this impression that storemen sit around from 0800 to 1730, before booking out and going home. But storemen have their troubles too. For example…

2. The eternal pain of stocktaking

If you think cleaning your rifle is tedious, try the mind-numbing task that is accounting for stores. Every time audit rolls around, all the battalion’s storemen get together to crack their heads – to avoid the feared 1206.

But hey, you learn heaps about logistics and supply chain management. With online shopping and deliver-everything on the increase, your skills are going to come in pretty useful in a challenging job landscape.

3. Booking in earlier than everyone else to prepare stores

...and staying back longer than everyone else to clean stores.

Field camp ended, and everyone has booked out. But you’re still stuck in camp cleaning mud off jerrycans.... Who said being a storeman was senang again?

4. You know what’s needed for equipment more than the average NSF officer

You always laugh at the newly commissioned 2LTs who just got posted to your unit when they stress about conducting IPPT. You’ve done it a hundred times. After all, you’re already best friends with the medic. Amirite?

5. People sometimes overlook you … until they need things

Typical conversations with the storeman when you don’t want to sign the dreaded 1206:

“Eh, bro, I lost the parang...can help?”

“Hey buddy, you got spare magazine?”

“I left my gas regulator in the jungle. How ah? Got spare?”

When someone loses equipment and the prospect of 1206 looms, not even their CO can save them.

Fact: Only the humble storeman can save them. True story.

6. People hate you when you do make them sign 1206

People can be really unreasonable when they don’t get things their way. Even if what they want involves you creating something out of nothing. Hey man, getting help from a storeman is a privilege – not a right, bro.

If there’s one thing great about this, you actually learn about tons dealing with people, resolving conflict and managing their expectations. Sounds like management skills you can use at work, no?

Not to mention mastering the art of identifying potential fair-weather friends.

7. Having the upper hand when you’re looking for a logistics job

With logistics making up almost 7% of Singapore’s GDP and hiring more than 200,000 people, guess who’s going to get a headstart?

8. Getting first dibs for dessert, and knowing which combat rations taste the best

9. Being a master with the trolley

Very few people in this world can stack multiple odd-shaped objects on a trolley and successfully wheel them through rough terrain without any casualties.

10. People think you are a storeman because you ‘chao-kenged’ and /or are terribly unfit

Yeah, sure, a lot of chao keng kia dream of becoming storemen. But most don’t become storemen for that same reason.

Some are actually sportspeople – who can easily kick your butt – but have gotten PES C status as a result of sports injuries.

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11. You serve the nation every bit as much as your friends who went to OCS/SCS

People always belittle your contributions and have you think that storemen have nothing to be proud of and contribute very little to National Service.

But they clearly have little understanding of how the military works – fierce fighting soldiers are important up front, but they cannot survive without a strong logistics backbone – in which the humble storeman plays a huge role.

At the end of the day, everyone has their own job to do. What matters is that you do it well.

Everyone’s just here to serve, no?

This sponsored post was brought to you by MINDEF, (probably) Singapore's largest employer of storemen of all shapes and sizes.