Constructive Deconstruction

A Thousand Words

I got this off DK’s blog…Nice video…How come I don’t get luck like that? Haha

Reservist HQ CQ Checklist

If you’re a Company Quartermaster of a Rifle Battalion HQ and going in for reservist anytime soon, i’ve decided to compile a list of things to do to make the logistics administration a lot smoother. Hope it’s useful for all those holding the same appointment as myself.

A few things to note:-

1. No specific references to command structure will be written in this entry due to potental security breaches.
2. If anyone from the security branch is monitoring this and feels that this entry should be taken down, please notify me via email. Please don’t charge me…I only want to improve this 3G Army of ours.
3. This list may be useful to CQs of the other rifle companies as well although it will need some slight modifications.
4. This list is compiled with reference to myself so it might not be an accurate reflection of your command structure. Again, modify and adapt.

Things to do immediately after In-Processing:-

1. Establish Chain of Command. 
   You will only be answerable to your CSM although you will work closely with the RQMS as well. Everyone else should only be offering advice or making requests.
2. Obtain the nominal roll of the batallion
   Find out how many people are active. From the list, extract the following:-
   - How many people on muslims, non-muslims and vegetarian diets?
   - How people in each platoon?
   - Who is trained in what weapons?
   - Who is not allowed to handle weapons?
   - Any special cases?
3. Taking Over of Logistics from Active Unit
   - Find out who’s in charge and get him to pass all documents so that you can plan how you’re going to inspect and take over all buildings and equipment.
4. Obtain the Training Programme
   You’re going to need this to estimate what kind of equipment, food and transport for the entire training period. More importantly, it also tells you when your deadline to prepare those 3 things. Yes DEADline. If you screw up(food especially), people are going to go without enough food and water. You DO NOT want to responsible for such a screw up.
5. Plan how you’re going to take over
   It’s essential to plan how you’re going to take over and who you’re going to assign this to. A messy take over means you’re going to screw up and pay(literally) big time at the end of ICT. You DO NOT want to leave ICT a poorer citizen than you already are.

Things to do after In-Processing(and whatever stuff you’re told to do)

1. Brief your men.
   It’s important to lay out your expectations of them during the ICT. Truth is, it’s more important to show them that no one wants to be there so it’ll be imperative for everyone to cooperate and help each other. Don’t try to be a smartass and go, "This is our duty as a citizen."

   My motto is simple, "No one wants to be here. So let’s get our job done right and fuck off."

2. Assign various individuals duties for the handing/taking over process.
   Self explanatory
3. Establish a routine for the entire ICT
   Depending on your staffing, you may have an excess of men under your charge. Obviously it’s not efficient to have 10 men be doing admin duties all the time, so rotate. Tell them exactly which day(s) and time(s) they’re down for duty. BE SPECIFIC. All conscripts are creative people and will find potential loopholes in your instructions to exploit. Yes, even I do that.

Once you’re done with all the above, everything else should be based on the needs of that training programme so think on your feet. A few pointers:-

1. Respect your men. Don’t look down on them.
   The downfall of most commanders is that they assume they’re smarter and more responsible than the men. Truth is the commanders are usually the textbook scholarly smart asses and the men have real world experiences. They’ve probably gone through a plethora of real world problems that you and I can only imagine. So listen to them. Tap on their experience.
2. As a commander, you are responsbile for your men.
   This means, if your men screw up, and your superior fucks you, you jolly well get fucked. Don’t be a finger-pointer and go, "Sir, I told them to do it already but they didn’t do it properly." You’re a commander. You get fucked. You fuck your men later. If you finger point, you’re a wuss. You only achieve 2 things:-
   - You’re a failure at controlling your men.
   - You don’t have the balls to take responsibility.

   …Finger point and try to shift blame to your men and you’ll quickly lose their respect. If you need to finger point, do it only to protect them.

3. Always remember, "No one wants to be there."
   So don’t try to be some "garang" soldier. Just because you have some fantasy, don’t expect everyone to share your fantasy. You’ll only end up doing tons of unnecessary things that make you feel ‘hero-ic’(like some Brad Pitt) but makes everyone else hate you.

   If need be, be garang only in your own outfit.

My motto for this in-camp training is the same as all the times I don green - Be a SAFOS* - "Serve And Fuck Off Soldier"

There should be a list of tips for the Out-Processing procedures but this is only my 2nd ICT so i’m still quite a noob. Maybe i’ll write that next year!

So yeah, if anyone has anything to add, please leave a comment.

* SAFOS is officially short for Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholar.

14 Cab Drivers Caught for Overcharging and Refusing to Pick Up Passengers

So they’re doing spotchecks…I can’t help but feel sorry for them because most of them do what they do for their families. It’s a case of doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

That said, i doubt this sort of enforcement would make much of a difference unless their team of inspectors increase in size manyfold. They should be focusing on tweaking the mechanics of the cab system instead…

Since October 24, 130 errant taxi drivers have been caught. LTA also issued over 50 Notice of Traffic Offences to these errant taxi drivers.
So far, nine will have their vocational licences revoked. Another 10 will have their vocational licences suspended for up to eight weeks.

( Source : The Straits Times )

IBM creates a supercomputer the size of chip

IBM’s created a new CPU that uses pulses of light instead of electricity to transfer data between cores on a chip. Known as silicon nanophotronics, the new technology is 100x faster than current speeds and could shrink the supercomputers into the size of a laptop. No more physical problems like overheating and breakdown of data on short trips.

The bad news is this, the project is on track to be carried out in 10 to 12 years. So…as the Singaporean uncles say it, "wait long long".

(Source : Yahoo )