Halfway Mark

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Finally ended my trainee life in 10 months. It was really really long, with so many things happening especially during the last few months. Being a trainee in my unit is not really easy - not to mention Exercise Titan which we have to do in order to pass out.

4.5 hours of intensive physical exertion. 2.5 hours in MOPP suit. 2 hours in the mask. 1+ hour of pure mental torture.

Was quite proud that my team did quite well in the exercise. Despite all those disputes (our team is quite infamous for having people unhappy with each other) we worked very well with each other and completed the exercise as one piece. Our team had the least number of deployable people, and not to mention we have people with several conditions.

Moving down the tentages, pallets and the stores were still fine. The equipment standby was fine. Our team was really fast in loading up loading down and deployment, but we just cannot take the Casualty Management.

Could not mask off to treat the casualty for the entire 2h. MOPP-4 with mask and under 30+ deg hot sun. After treating each casualty we had to kneel down to take our breath. I pleaded my teammates to carry on. All of us know that it was the most difficult training we ever had.

Casualties just stream in, and we had to carry casualties 10m into the treatment site, carry onto the stretcher stand, then to the disposition. Our casualties were quite big sized - imagine the workload.

It was all very tough. But what I couldn't stand is my teammate who didn't give in all his best just because "it was very hot" and didn't know that "we are just as hot and if not hotter after doing more work."

But I was really proud to say that the platoon completed the exercise and pass out together =)

We are already halfway there.

It marks how far we have come through, and how far are we to the finish.

It is the halfway mark.