Interesting People You Met During National Service

[Charlie99]

Yes, i know Chay W C in A Coy. In fac,t he was in my platoon. Yes, I know Neo Keng Kok, later became CPT and also became OC of Parachute School.

Do you know Alan Lee Sian Ghee, frm A Coy? No, I was not from 8 SIR and did not go there after SMC, I was from 4 SIR.

Ananda Raja was in B Coy, he later became an Assof Prof of Sociology at NUS. I met him in NUS and was surprised that he was from 4 SMC too, but I never met him personally at OCS. Only years later, I studied under him. He passed away when he was 54 years old in his office at NUS. He was such a humble an intelligent person.

Ko Chee Wah was in the same platoon as me. The day I saw him I knew that he would be the sword of honour. Showed strong leadership, and he dared to be outstanding.

I met Chay when we were at HQ 2SIB (perhaps, your men, if they have performed guard duties at HQ 2SIB, may have told you about a "garang" officer from HQ 2SIB). He was DY S1. Although I have been away for about 30 yrs, he and I have kept in touch, and we meet everytime I am in Singapore.

If you were from 4 SMC, and thereafter went to 4 SIR, your CO could be Major Neo Poh Chuan or Major Chow Giak Piak (not sure who is 3 SIR or 4SIR, but both from first batch OCS).

Several years ago, when I was in SG, I contacted Neo Keng Kok, through his daughter (after my earlier attempts to contact him and leaving messages, through his father). He went into the landscaping business.

 

[steffychun]

Did he graduated from SCSC? Did he voluteer to extend his reservist obligations beyond the 13 yr cycle?

Second question: unknown

First yes I think so. He was a BDE S2.

 

[steffychun]

Re: No Strategy For Fascist Party

this one happened after YAM i think. But yes the reason as to why they bought this piece of crap is ???

The kill rate is real bad and they had to mod the discarded M113 to make it look presentable with the IGLA.

No. Search for Yam Ah Mee on Mindef Web page. He Air Defence commander then.

IGLA was because of Marxist Conspiracy. We insulted US diplomat thus we couldnt buy Stingers I think

 

[kukubird58]

I know of a Brigade Commander who also was Deputy Head of a section in MINDEF HQ. Soon he was knocked out of the Brigade and also demoted from MINDEF HQ to plans officer in the Medical HQ. Change of religion me thinks.

hahaha....obviously u don't know what u are talking about..
do u know what is a brigade commander, battalion commander?
do u know what is section head, branch head, department head in Mindef???

 

[steffychun]

hahaha....obviously u don't know what u are talking about..
do u know what is a brigade commander, battalion commander?
do u know what is section head, branch head, department head in Mindef???

I do know what I am talking about. It was a reservist BDE. He dual-hatting loser.

 

[Borat]

Correct, You spelt his surname correctly too (Ko), I am sorry I am not able to recall the name of the infamous CSM of Charlie Coy. I was in A Coy, did both the junior and senior terms, meaning went through the whole 9 months of the SMC. There was a Commando Officer who was an instructor at C Coy, but can't remember his name.

My OC's name was Neo Lam Tong. My batch of Platoon mates, many were returned scholars, for eg Chan Seng Onn who is now a High Court Judge, (But he did not complete his SMC, later he was medically exempted from NS).

Neo Lam Tong was one of the best officers in 5 SIR. He passed out from 3rd batch OCT and was a good friend of my uncle. Being a country boy he was one of the best in topography and actually lead the battalion out of some sticky situation in Bersatu Padu in Malaysia.

One memorable day in Section Leaders, being the tallest in the platoon, he was their marker. Unfortunately he could not march to save his life. He was screwed by the Platoon Sgt and was punished and send to the rear while someone else became the marker. He was very upset and cried as he really tried his best.

Last I heard he owned an orchid farm and the papers reported a Hunter jet crashed in his farm(his name was mentioned) in Lim Chu Kang and that was like 20-30 years ago.

 

[Charlie99]

Neo Lam Tong was one of the best officers in 5 SIR. He passed out from 3rd batch OCT and was a good friend of my uncle. Being a country boy he was one of the best in topography and actually lead the battalion out of some sticky situation in Bersatu Padu in Malaysia.

One memorable day in Section Leaders, being the tallest in the platoon, he was their marker. Unfortunately he could not march to save his life. He was screwed by the Platoon Sgt and was punished and send to the rear while someone else became the marker. He was very upset and cried as he really tried his best.

Last I heard he owned an orchid farm and the papers reported a Hunter jet crashed in his farm(his name was mentioned) in Lim Chu Kang and that was like 20-30 years ago.

Did Neo Lam Tong retire as a LTC or COL? I know of a few from 3rd batch OCS, one was a former Brigade S2 (retired as LTC) and the other a Brigade S3 (retired as COL) during my time serving NS.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Any one met Lam Charn Wye, Peter?

Insurance man? Good badminton player.

 

[kukubird58]

I do know what I am talking about. It was a reservist BDE. He dual-hatting loser.

hahaha.....confirmed u don't know what u are talking about...
section head in MINDF= cpt/maj......
branch head= maj/ltc
assistant dept head = maj/ltc/col
department head=ltc/col/bg

Bdg commander=assistant section head??????

 

[kukubird58]

hahaha....year 1984 (stand corrected as too long ago).....
a motley of cadets consisiting of 1LTA from navy, 1 LTA from air force?, 1 2Lt from Navy, 20+ to 30+ yo technicians/engineers from navy, army and air force, young cadets after BMT, all in E company staying in E block OCS SAFTI.
it was the first time they implemented a new program for such cadets......quite similar to the junior term.
it was hell for the older cadets and the "officers", doing obstacle courses, charging up and down peng kang hill and doing the field exercises and jungle training in Brunei.
there were no special priviledges during training for the 3 officers even though they were wearing the ranks at all time.....
also the older cadets and officers had never handled weapons like saw and m203 grenade launchers.....extra lessons were conducted during lunch times and night times.....
in that batch was MG Ng Chee Khern.....he was disrupted for overseas study before the 3 months course ended.

(prior to this course, those already commisioned as technical/engineer officers underwent a much relaxed 3 months cadet course)
(after this course, all navy logistics (technical/engineering) officers were sent to midshipment school indtead of ocs.

 

[Satyr]

Don't glamorize NS. While you are away, planeloads of so called FTs are displacing you in universities and offices. Defence is essential but the concept of NS has not caught up with the realities of life in today's Singapore.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Don't glamorize NS. While you are away, planeloads of so called FTs are displacing you in universities and offices. Defence is essential but the concept of NS has not caught up with the realities of life in today's Singapore.

yes agree. sharing moments here take it as meeting up with old prison cellmates

 

[eatshitndie]

rubber tycoon's family had a son serving ns many decades back. what's special about him is his tail bone. it sticks down about 2 to 3 inches, arching over his arse. the only time to see it was during mass showers when everyone could see all naked. after bootcamp, he showed the platoon his home in bukit timah. impressive estate. and he has an equally impressive personality - quiet, unassuming, hardworking and conscientious. keeps wondering if protuded tail bones run in his family.

 

[steffychun]

hahaha.....confirmed u don't know what u are talking about...
section head in MINDF= cpt/maj......
branch head= maj/ltc
assistant dept head = maj/ltc/col
department head=ltc/col/bg

Bdg commander=assistant section head??????

Loser I know what I'm talking about

 

[Lee5604]

Neo Lam Tong was one of the best officers in 5 SIR. He passed out from 3rd batch OCT and was a good friend of my uncle. Being a country boy he was one of the best in topography and actually lead the battalion out of some sticky situation in Bersatu Padu in Malaysia.

One memorable day in Section Leaders, being the tallest in the platoon, he was their marker. Unfortunately he could not march to save his life. He was screwed by the Platoon Sgt and was punished and send to the rear while someone else became the marker. He was very upset and cried as he really tried his best.

Last I heard he owned an orchid farm and the papers reported a Hunter jet crashed in his farm(his name was mentioned) in Lim Chu Kang and that was like 20-30 years ago.

Not a hunter jet that I recall but an A4 Skyhawk that crashed near Lim Chu Kang, a few km from Tengah Air Base.

He was my OC in A Coy, OCS 4SMC. Yes, he's a country boy.

 

[Lee5604]

I met Chay when we were at HQ 2SIB (perhaps, your men, if they have performed guard duties at HQ 2SIB, may have told you about a "garang" officer from HQ 2SIB). He was DY S1. Although I have been away for about 30 yrs, he and I have kept in touch, and we meet everytime I am in Singapore.

If you were from 4 SMC, and thereafter went to 4 SIR, your CO could be Major Neo Poh Chuan or Major Chow Giak Piak (not sure who is 3 SIR or 4SIR, but both from first batch OCS).

Several years ago, when I was in SG, I contacted Neo Keng Kok, through his daughter (after my earlier attempts to contact him and leaving messages, through his father). He went into the landscaping business.

Before I left for OCS (4 SMC), the CO of 4 SIR was Maj Neo Poh Chuan and the RSM was WO1 Tan (an RSM with many tatoos on his arm)

There were many regulars in the 4 SMC who did very well in their careers:

Tay Swee Yee (not sure from Bravo or Charlie Coy) who became a BG and Commander 4 SAB

Tan Kah Thiam (from A Coy, my platoon mate) who became COL and CO 41 SAR

Ulas Nair (maybe from Bravo Coy) who became a Maj in one of the OCS Coys

Sng Kok Beng (not sure from Bravo or Charlie Coy) who became a LTC

 

[Lee5604]

Charlie99

Am I correct to say that there were 21 batches of OCS, then came the SMCs?

Our dear pinky (Lee Hsien Loong) was in 1SMC.

 

[Charlie99]

Charlie99

Am I correct to say that there were 21 batches of OCS, then came the SMCs?

Our dear pinky (Lee Hsien Loong) was in 1SMC.

Only 20 batches of OCS. 20th batch OCS was in progress when cadets were started 1 SMC (those who finished Pre-U 2 in 1974).
I am unable to recall when he went to OCS, but believe that he was the first batch of SAF Overseas Scholars (with Boey Tak Hap, Sin Boon Hwa, a 2 others).

 

[Lee5604]

Only 20 batches of OCS. 20th batch OCS was in progress when cadets were started 1 SMC (those who finished Pre-U 2 in 1974).
I am unable to recall when he went to OCS, but believe that he was the first batch of SAF Overseas Scholars (with Boey Tak Hap, Sin Boon Hwa, a 2 others).

Yes, I think around Dec 1974. Now I remember Sin Boon Wah, I think he got promoted to MG and he later moved to Govt related company buying arms for the SAF, and he later made headlines someone tried to bribe him in favour of arm sales.

 

[chonburifc]

Hehehe. Really impress. You all can remember so many names after ROD for decades? Umm, one name I never forget is the MO who recommend me Pes C2N9 weeks before I ROD. I gave him a good suppa dupa salute when I went to do exit clearance on my ROD.