BACK AT BMTC

It's been a year since the Every Singaporean Son (ESS) web series was first shown and in anticipation of the Epilogue series, PIONEER catches up with 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Muhammad Nabil who has returned to the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) as an instructor.

"Hey, sergeant super-star!" shouted someone jokingly during the photo shoot with 3SG Nabil. You would have expected a retort, but the Leopard Company section commander simply rolled his eyes and took the jibe in his stride. After all, greater public recognition is something he has had to get used to since the airing of ESS.

Following a successful online debut on the Ministry of Defence's (MINDEF's) cyberpioneerTV YouTube channel last year, the series was repackaged for cable television in March and screened across the region on the National Geographic Channel.

The show documents the journey of a section of recruits through Basic Military Training (BMT) from enlistment day to the graduation parade.

3SG Nabil went from BMT to the Specialist Cadet Course at Pasir Laba Camp, after which he was posted to BMTC as an instructor and is currently experiencing what it is like on the other side of the fence.

"I guess it's a bit of a role reversal because now I'm the one who's training the recruits and imparting military knowledge to them," he said with a wry smile.

"At first it felt quite ironic, but it's actually been an eye-opener, because as a recruit, you don't see how much effort and planning goes into the preparation for a batch."

Keeping it real

Noting that some of his recruits have recognised him from the show, 3SG Nabil said: "I think people are generally very curious... Before I enlisted, I was anxious because I didn't really know what to expect. Now with the series, people can prepare themselves mentally and have more realistic expectations of BMT."

Adding that he had no idea the show was "going to be so big in terms of public outreach", 3SG Nabil said he was glad to have played a part in creating greater awareness of what BMT is like.

"I guess what's good is that I'm just an average Singaporean who's going through NS (National Service), not someone who is exceptionally 'on', so people can relate to me more."

As a follow-up to the ESS series, MINDEF has produced a new six-part epilogue featuring six of the original servicemen. They are 3SG Nabil; Corporal Muhammad Syabil who is currently a security trooper in the 8th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (8 SIR); 2nd Sergeant Lemuel Teo, a platoon sergeant in 6 SIR; 2nd Lieutenant Douglas Wong, a military transport officer in Transport Hub West; Lance Corporal (LCP) Daryl Lim, an Aviation Vehicle Specialist with the Airfield Maintenance Squadron at Tengah Air Base; and LCP Ang Shaoquan, a sea soldier in Tuas Defence Squadron.

"In the original series, we wanted people to have a better understanding of what happens during BMT," explained Ms Clara Tan, Head of MINDEF Public Affairs' Defence Media Centre. "With the epilogue, we are providing insights into the next stage of the NS journey."

She added: "Some of them have taken up junior leadership positions, some are security troopers... but they all play an important role in the Singapore Armed Forces."

Learning to lead

For 3SG Nabil, it has been a time of growth and learning. "As a recruit, I just had to participate actively in whatever we had to do. Now I play more of the role of a mentor. Recruits are usually closest to their section commanders because we're the ones who interact with them the most."

And he has found that taking on such a leadership role comes with its own set of challenges.

"The onus is on me to instil a sense of purpose in my recruits. It doesn't have to be a nationalistic purpose as long as they know that in these two years, they have a stake in their growth, whether it's to develop their physical fitness or any other skills that they want to pick up," he said. "It's important to nurture that in BMT at the very start of their military life."

3SG Nabil revealed that one of his recruits, for instance, led an inactive lifestyle and was doing poorly at the beginning of BMT: "He was doing well in school when he met with a failure and became very discouraged. I told him that the army was a chance for him to jump-start his life and that evading work actually takes a lot more energy and effort than just doing it."

The recruit was swayed by 3SG Nabil's advice and not only passed his Individual Physical Proficiency Test, but also attained the Silver standard.

Such instances of helping others have been 3SG Nabil's most rewarding takeaways from NS so far. "Communication and people management skills are things that can be taught in school, but it s not as in-depth or effective as experiencing it and putting it into practice in the Army," said 3SG Nabil.

"I definitely feel that I'm in a better position now to take on whatever targets I've set for myself."

"ESS definitely holds some sentimental value for me because it's like a documentation of what I shared with my buddies during BMT... Since the filming of the first series, I've grown and learnt from my experiences in NS, especially as a commander."
- 3SG Nabil

Fast Facts

TITLE: Every Singaporean Son Epilogue

NUMBER OF EPISODES: 6

WHEN THE SERIES DEBUTS: 18 August

WHERE TO CATCH IT: cyberpioneerTV channel on YouTube