SPECIALIST TRAINED FOR CBR INCIDENTS
// Story by Chia Chong Jin
// Photos by Kenneth Lin & Edwin Tan
If a Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) attack happens, 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Rammdarshan S/O Ramesh will be ready to swing into action.
Throughout the 22-week Specialist Cadet Course, the 19-year-old went through physically and mentally challenging training to better himself, and to overcome any obstacles that he may face during a CBR incident.
"The way Specialist Cadet School (SCS) trains us cadets to become Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defence (CBRD) engineers is through tons of trials, practices and drills," said 3SG Rammdarshan.
"We started off with the basics and main principles behind the steps to take during a CBR attack, and from there, the intensity and complexity of the training was increased gradually to allow for progressive training."
As a CBRD engineer, 3SG Rammdarshan is trained to defuse CBR incidents. He and his fellow cadets are well aware of the implications of such incidents, so they make full use of every training session they have to ensure minimal errors in defusing a real attack.
Although training to become a CBRD engineer was no easy feat for 3SG Rammdarshan, what he learnt during the tough training impacted his way of approaching difficult situations.
"I learnt that whenever we are faced with a challenge, we will always have two choices - we could either stress about it and get stuck trying to come up with a solution, or we could stay calm and composed, and think through the issue as a group which would definitely make the problem easier to deal with," explained 3SG Rammdarshan.
This mindset allowed him to tackle every obstacle he faced during his time in SCS and in recognition of his leadership skills, he attained the Silver Bayonet during the 41st Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade held at Pasir Laba Camp on 21 Nov.
"My family has always been supportive other than the occasional comment about how they would like if I was home more often," said 3SG Rammdarshan with a smile.
"They would regularly call me and check up on me, and I am thankful for each and every one of them for being my pillar of support for my time in National Service so far."
Asked what was the most memorable experience during his time in SCS, 3SG Rammdarshan said that it was during the end of his foundation term, where all the specialist cadets were preparing to transition to their vocational training.
"All of us were standing in parade...with the encik in front of us shouting our names and telling us where we were fated to go. The anticipation of where I would end up during that moment will always be a lasting memory.
"Looking back, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to train and become a CBRD engineer, and I am looking forward to making the difference in the Singapore Combat Engineers."
