1st Things 1st .. Lessons from my NCC days

Lying on my bed .. my mind just simply wandered to God-knows-where Land. Images just flasehed thru my mind .. Somehow something just flashes passed and I find that it is something I gotta pen it before it gets lost amongst the millions of neurons in the Grey Matter Network.

That will be the days of NCC ( National Cadet Corp ). The days where pride, camadarie, vanity are all rolled into one. Indeed, being the second oldest unit in S'pore is one thing to be proud of. Plus, the tradition of starhed uniforms that can stand on their own, boots shiny enough to comb your hair with. These are things we held dearly to. We sang the loudest, we had horse-shoes nailed to the soles of our boots. All these were really impressive and we guys are sure head-turners where ever we went.

BUT, flambuoyancy aside, there is one problem. We are not winning trophies!

We sure had a way of seeking perfection. Like ::

• No crisp on the vanguard-sheets we used for charts
• Impeccable entry of data into our record books
• Formation-Signs 4-fingers beneathe the seam
• Uniforms altered to accentuate our V-Shaped torsos

Huh .. wat else?? My memory is really starting to fail me, but you can't blame me exactly. 15 years of memories unvisited is sure to leave some stuff out.

Anyway, the point is this :: We are doing everything right, but not the right things. These are things that don't matter a nano-bit when it comes to the Best Unit Competition. These are not what the judges wanted. We have climbed hig up the ladder, but the ladder was leaning on the wrong wall.

So what could have been righted? Well, simple ::
Know what the judges wanted and to strive for perfection in those ares!

With all the hours sunk into the Kiwi and starch, how much more could have been achieved should they all be channeled to help pass those tests that will score points? I mean .. will someone remeber the guys with the shiniest boots? Or will history record the team that won the trophy?

This is pretty obvious, huh!

Traditions are meant to assist us in achieving greater heights. It is somethin to leverage on. Something to bind us together. Not something that holds advancement. Not something to be held on blindly. No more the 'good ol days' .. cause yeaterday ended last nite.

Had we but clinged on to the tradition of being winners, rather than 'look-gooders'. So much could have been gotten out of the entire experience.

Well then again, all these could not have made much sense to a teenager back then. Moreover, I really did enjoyed the times we've spent together, the bonds we've forged and the shit that we went thru together.

In fact, I would say that these are the bunch of coolest guys I've known. A bunch of buddies who, parted for 14 years, could still meet up last year without a sense of discomfort and reminisce on those good ol memories.

To sum ( before I end up writing a 1000 words article) just a reminder to myself that ::
1) Work Smart, and work very hard
2) Leverage on good traditions but don't be held back by it

Thanks for all the GOOD OLD TIMES fellow NCCers [SJI '90]