A RECRUIT'S LIFE

From enlistment day to the passing out parade, the latest video project spearheaded by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) promises to document all the action that goes down in a Basic Military Training (BMT) section.

For nine weeks, 15 young men from different backgrounds came together for the rite of passage that every Singaporean son must experience - BMT. And now you can follow their journey of self-discovery on the Web!

Said Mr Donald Chew, Head Defence Information Television, on the series titled Every Singaporean Son: "We hope to get people to understand more about BMT. For the pre-enlistees, they are entering a new phase of their lives. Hopefully, through this series, they can get a better understanding of what's to come so they can prepare themselves mentally and physically.

"And for their parents, we hope to allay their concerns and assure them that their sons are well taken care of in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) during their National Service."

Fast facts

Title: Every Singaporean Son
Number of episodes: 18
Average length of each episode: 6 - 7 minutes
When the series starts: 8 Jul 10, Thu (Subsequent episodes released every Tue, 6pm)
Where to catch the show: cyberpioneerTV Channel on YouTube

PIONEER gets up close and personal with six of the featured recruits to give you a sneak peek at the guys you will be seeing in the web series.

Muhammad Danial Hakim Bin Rosli
AKA: "Ronalhakim" (Because Ronaldinho is his favourite soccer player)
Age: 19
Sibling: 1x younger brother
Hobbies: Soccer, Reading
Ambition: To be a doctor

On surviving BMT:"Essentially, my dad told me to keep an open mind, when getting scolded or when getting challenged mentally, just blank out everything, try to ignore it and just endure!"

Goh Qingwei
Age: 19
Sibling: 2x older
brothers
Hobbies: Swimming, Soccer, Movies
Ambition: To be an entrepreneur

On loving his section:
"During every route march, you can see all of us watching out for each other and taking care of one another. From encouraging each other to reminding each other to drink up, all these things show how much we care for each other. It feels good knowing your section mates are there for you to push you on!"

Chandra Thiaghu
Age: 19
Hobbies: Hockey
Ambition: To be a doctor or a chemist

On being away from home:
"I think the 'staying away from home' aspect is the most challenging part of BMT, but it helps if you treat your bunk mates as your friends and talk to them, because they are missing their families as well."

Ng Guo Xiong, Kenneth
AKA: 1406 (Platoon 1, Section 4, Bed 6 - which he considers to be his lucky 4D number!)
Age: 19
Sibling: 1x younger brother
Hobbies: Canoeing
Ambition: To be a teacher or a canoeing coach

On his best trait:
"As a section, we help each other out - and that makes BMT a memorable experience. I think my strength is in lifting people's spirits. I am the live wire of my section at times!"

Wong Chengzhan, Douglas
AKA: "Doug"
Age: 19
Sibling: 1x younger brother
Hobbies: Reading, Rugby
Ambition: To be a lawyer

On getting fitter in BMT:
"They say that BMT is where you get to the pinnacle of your physical fitness and I think that is quite true because ever since I came in, my 2.4km timing has improved by a minute and a half!"

Note: When we last checked, Douglas was clocking a speedy 9m:27s timing for his run!

Muhammad Syabil Tan Qing Han
AKA: Smiley (known for his signature big wide smile)
Age: 20
Sibling: 2x older sisters and 2x younger sisters
Hobbies: Swimming, Cycling
Ambition: To be a scientist

On his greatest support:
"I look at the family photos in my locker everyday and talk to my parents and sisters every night over the phone. It keeps me strong and keeps me going."