For the past couple of years since I RODed back in 1994, I had been
called up for In-Camp Training, aka reservist training, periodically
like a lot of good male citizens (meaning Lan-Lan people who have no
choice). This time round, I have initially been called back from 23 Nov
to 10 Dec, and it caused quite a shock to me when I received the SAF
100. First thoughts in my mind were a quick calculation of the amount
of revenue loss I have to endure due to the ICT,followed by the boring
bloody huge waste of time that I will have to put myself through, then
by the discomfort of wearing the damn green uniform again.
You see, I charge my clients based on the actual man-days that I spend
on the project, and this forms the revenue of my IT company. For
myself, I pay myself a fixed amount just so I fulfil my income tax and
CPF responsibilities, which is completely above the board. When I go
for the damn reservist training, I will not be charging my clients
(based on normal charge-up rates) and will only be paying myself the
small amount that forms my salary, and claim from the army based on
this lower monthly salary. Thus I did the natural thing that any
self-respecting Singaporean male would have done – I sent in an appeal
for deferment. I sent in based on grounds that I will be getting
married early next year, plus the fact that there is no one to run the
business while I am away (how to hand over managing director position
to an assistant?).
As expected, the fucking army rejected the first appeal based on
grounds that the reasons did not conform to any of the SAF guidelines -
sweetly signed by some bloody Major, who has probably never stepped
into the real business world and thus cannot even understand what is
revenue and cash flow. I was of course quite livid (damn Du Lan
actually) and sent in a second appeal letter, which went to great
lengths to detail the complete picture of my reasons for deferment. In
a writing tone that I believe was exceptionally patient and polite,
even though I had an unlimited vocabulary of swear words circling in my
head, I carefully explained that I am doing up my renovations,
preparing for the wedding dinners (I am going to be having 2 separate
dinners), plus I had planned for a wedding shoot that was supposed to
be a just week after the end of the ICT. I requested for the “kind”
understanding of the army based on humanity reasons, as well as my
special case in the area of work, where there will be a huge loss in
revenue for the company due to ICT.
I actually had to chase MINDEF for the status of the appeal, on both
occasions, so that I could get a confirmation for planning purposes. I
was not given an answer until about a week before the supposed start of
the ICT, and some bloody clerk on the other end of the phone basically
told me to Lan Lan report for duties – but I was granted a reduced
number of days as they have changed my ICT to start from 28 Nov
instead. This change in date was of course not because I was given some
special treatment, since I know a number of my army brudders also had
their reporting date changed.
So it is then, that I will have to report back to Mandai Hill Camp
tomorrow. I will want to see the stupid new CO, and see what kind of
exercise it is that absolutely needed the attention of one bloody chao
Corporal, who will no doubt contribute absolutely nothing to the good
of the exercise, except to eat, sleep and shit in the training areas
around Singapore.
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