Friday, October 7, 2011
In Praise of your Commissioned Officer 12:44 PM
This is actually written by my BMT mate Bryan Chow currently a first year student in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. I met Bryan on the first day of Basic Military training and was impressed by his level of literacy and speech. In your free time, we usually engaged ourselves on debating on current issues and setiments being rights. That was the time it actually inspired me to read up and get into the real reality world. The below is an essay written by him on the last day of my service before disruption in CTAB.
30 July 2011
To your Second Lieutenant Kennedy Boh
IN PRAISE OF YOUR COMMISSIONED OFFICER
I write this often enough.
Perhaps not as often as I would like to, but still, considering that my essay writing skills have been perhaps honed consistently by my writing, I belong to an age where I believe that writing is of the singular and highest of methods in the conveyance of messages and information.
Thus, please pardon me as I begin writing this letter, which is very much in praise of your commissioned officer. It is my sincere hope that you will read this and perhaps it will allow you to humanise Kennedy and to allow you to understand your officer at CTAB Security which has just recently completed a term of service with the Singapore Armed Forces at the conclusion of this month.
Blaise Pascal is famous for many things. Of which the French polymath has been credited with included the scientific method and the tabular presentation for binomial coefficients. But far from his contribution to science and technology, Pascal once remarked, “Can anything be stupider than that a man has the right to kill me because he lives on the other side of a river and his ruler has a quarrel with mine, though I have not quarrelled with him?”
You see, patriotism is a very scary word. Of which philosophers over the centuries and intelligentsia across the world have easily manipulated it to sometimes be something which it is not. Sacrifice though, is often considered the pinnacle of patriotism. In a postmodern world today, it seems almost hilarious that many would forget about this. It seems ludicrous to many that conscription and service in the military is still being impressed upon.
I first met your Second Lieutenant Kennedy on my first day in Basic Military Training at Kestrel Company. This fateful day was memorable on so many different fronts. Yet one of which on that hot and dry morning in December 2009 was perhaps the fact that I met Kennedy in my section bunk. This was the start of seventeen weeks of training with him. Sounding confident and assuring on the very first day, he quickly allayed my fears and immediately told my section what we were to expect in the coming days and months ahead.
You see, the fact that Kennedy was arguably more knowledgeable than any of his fellow section mates was because he was serving his National Service prior to this already. He was doing administrative work at the Central Manpower Base before changing his Physical Employment Status (PES) so that he could attend the Enhanced Basic Military Training in hopes of admission to the Officer Cadet School. His ultimate aim therefore, was to earn his commission and attain his rank. The tenacity and gumption which Kennedy has shown even prior to the start of training was particularly striking for me. And this is something which I believe you observe clearly enough in your day to day dealings with him.
Throughout the entire phase of training, Kennedy displayed wherewithal, perseverance and tireless dedication to his work and attitude. I shall not mention the complete details of him being my section mate, but I wish to highlight three characteristics which I see in Kennedy. I choose to highlight them because they are unique and you probably will not be able to find them elsewhere in many other people.
1. Willingness to learn
I must say that the start of my National Service was also the end of my time in junior college where I have completed my GCE A Levels no less than ten days prior to my enlistment date. The student mentality is perhaps something which was still very much present within me as I fell in and had a water parade for the first time. Amongst other things, I was still of the opinion that academic success and academic pedigree was of paramount importance above all else.
During sessions after sessions, debates and discussions on current affairs, news, economic development, political changes as well as social issues both within and outside of Singapore have been the hallmark of our free time. Whatever spare time we have in the bunk, it is often used to discuss the latest United States central bank policy or the state of Singapore social developments. Despite his initial lack of hard knowledge and understanding in many things, Kennedy never tried to distance himself from the conversations.
He took time to listen, take down notes and judiciously added points of his own during the discussions to better his understanding of Singapore and global affairs. He never failed to impress me with his ever willingness to learn and to be updated on the schools of philosophical thought and latest theories. This is important within that of a leader, and the SAF needs people like him because the commitment which he has shown to lifelong learning is more essential to the workings than just simple facts and figures.
What was supposed to be an attempt to safeguard our brains from mental stagnation has turned, for Kennedy, into a learning opportunity.
2. Listening ear
To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation. Not many orators or speakers around the world are good listeners. In my opinion, the skill of being able to listen is far more important than the ability to complete a task or to convey a message. Kennedy has shown me his ability to listen to opinions, listen to facts and listen to the points of view of others.
This is a result of his respect for every single individual. For without respect, one would not be bothered to actually listen to what he or she wishes to say. From hearing the section’s and my grouses about the tiring training regime to the complaints over the many minor things in life which irk us to no end, Kennedy has shown that he is able to listen. As to whether or not he is able to solve a problem we have is immaterial to the argument. But I believe that we are all for the better having known that there is someone, somewhere who will listen to us as long as we seek him out.
I have no doubt that this side of Kennedy has been pronounced enough for it to be evident for you too. For having worked under him for such a long time, I am sure as his colleagues, all of you will have seen the fact that Kennedy spares no effort in trying to lighten your burden and to make the entire environment a more pleasant place to work in. I have no qualms about him being able to seek for views and canvass for opinions from his subordinates.
3. Change and Irony
I remember vividly that I once mentioned to Kennedy that the single biggest compliment I can receive at the conclusion of my National Service term would be for someone to tell me that I have not changed one bit since the very first day of my enlistment. He replied, rather coolly during our second book-out that it would be impossible not to have been changed by the whole process.
In my self-righteous attitude, I stood by what I said until the dying weeks of my Basic Military Training. Events unfolded during the last few weeks of my training which has caused me to rethink my proposition. At the conclusion of it during my Graduation Parade, I have to concur that Kennedy is right and that I have indeed been changed by the very system which I sought to be resistant to.
Irony, perhaps? Not as much as Kennedy’s ability to be able to see things which have still not come to pass. He has reminded me that sometimes change has to happen and that instead of fighting it, we need to embrace it for what it is and what it holds. We need to look upon it for what it can do and not what it destroys. And that is as important a lesson for me, as it must definitely be for you. It is often easy to forget while we are in the middle of the jungle to ask why we are doing this. It is simple enough to cast aside our desire for success when we are faced with momentary pain and momentary discomfort.
I do not see such flaws in Kennedy’s character. I do not find such poor attitudes residing within Kennedy. He is an epitome of what it means to be worthy of carrying the commission and the appointment for him to command and control.
Thus, I write this letter so that you can understand the circumstances which have made Kennedy who he is today. I am very proud that he managed to achieve all that he has set out to attain in National Service since I met him on the first day. As he begins his studies at the Nanyang Technological University, I wish him every success and my very best wishes.
As his first group of section mates, I daresay that Kennedy enjoyed himself very much throughout his period of working alongside us. In fact, he probably is very proud of the fact that he has had the worthwhile opportunity to meet us all.
And therefore, perhaps the salutation at the start of this letter is inaccurate. He is your Second Lieutenant as much as I am proud to call him mine.
Bryan Chow
