It is my 3rd ICT (in-camp-training), which I spent 10 days back in army. Some reflections:
Achievement: Finished 5 books
The only achievement that I can list is that I finished 5 books, in a span of 10 days. The best book I finished is:
If you do not know, I have a goal of reading 8 books a year, so 5 is a lot!
Signal training
My vocation is signaler. Going back to ICT includes revising how to use the radio, and setting up physical line exchange.
I can never come to grip with one thing – that very old technology. This is year 2011, and we are still using radio technology that are in the 80s. I can’t reveal much, but I can tell you the equipment are huge, heavy monster.
Yes I know it is ruggedized, but hey, can’t it be also light, and work in a modern way?
How army waste our time waiting
When I was an active NSF, I probably wasted thousands of hours, waiting for something to happen; waiting for end of the day routine orders, waiting for commanders to give briefing, waiting for someone/something..
These kind of waiting is painful, because you cannot do other things while waiting. You are either standing up waiting, or sitting down waiting in a restrained area.
Now that I am an inactive soldier, army is still wasting my time waiting. In this 10 days, these are some instances where I wasted my time:
- Waiting for end of the day routine order to be printed, then read to everyone. Waste 45 min each day.
- Waiting for all soldiers to finish doing a survey. Waste 90 min.
- Waiting for bunk inspection. Wasted 180 min.
Call me arrogant. But I wondered: In another 5 years, when I am in my prime, and being impatient to earn all the money in this world, all these waiting will be a big insult.
iPad in Army
This is a popular topic raised when I was in ICT - introducing iPad to SAF soldiers.
You can also listen to mrbrownshow humorous podcast on how the iPad could be used.
I welcome the adoption of good technology. But more importantly, upgrade our signalers equipment first!