Early new year greeting from me to everyone.
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"What a way to end and start a year!" a quote from an encik from another department as he walked past us while we were preparing for the trip overseas.
This year, there won't be any Ministry of Sound countdown, no countdown at any club or pub, no fireworks and no faces of people enjoying themselves. Instead I'll be on a ship along the coast of Medan, surrounded by navy guys and supporting the mission.
Our helicopters have been deployed to Medan and Phuket to aid the disaster. I am in the Medan team. Had my jabs today, filled up the insurance form... and we're now ready to go. I didn't volunteer for it, in fact I didn't even know I said yes to this operation. All i knew was that i received a phonecall...
me : hello?
familiar voice : c****, can you be in the salvage team?
me : what salvage team?
familiar voice : oh you just (at this point reception gets bad, all i hear are...)
follow t****... follow the aircraft...tomorrow come to work 8-5 to prepare.
me : tomorrow 8-5? ehhh ok.
familiar voice : (reception is clear now...) so you can be in the salvage team?
me : sir, tomorrow 8-5 only lah?
familiar voice : ya, come 8-5. maybe only, see if they activate.
me : so its not confirmed?
familiar voice : not confirmed, but you don't mind right?
me : 8-5, ok la sir...
familiar voice : ok ok, bye.
I called back for my timing, I was told to come at 8am for LST preparation. I still didn't know what was coming. I went to work, found out the truth... first thing that came to my head was... My touring trip how?!?!? No allowance??!?!?! No badge for recognition??!?!?!
But as I prepared for the trip, I started thinking that I should be proud to be part of a rescue effort. People always say that civil servants sit back do nothing and get money... here I can say I didn't do nothing. We are going to help another country, if people still say that we sit back and get cash, then its their perogative or perception.
Today was a brief, the medical officer went up and said a few things which i can still remember. "This will be the first time most of you will see corpses, its been a few days so decomposition will be very bad. Should you start to feel affected by the scenes, let your CO know and take a few days off. For the aircrew, please try to put the bodies into body bags, if not the badly decomposed bodies will leave bits and pieces in the cabin. Gloves will be provided... and please be sensitive to the people who lost their loved ones."
Another officer went up, I couldn't see his face, I was too far back. "I don't think money will be an issue, you'll all be eating combat rations and drinking water everyday! And today as you all prepare to move out, I want you all to let your family members know where you're going... and tell them you'll be gone for a while. The longest we expect to be there will be up till Chinese New Year."
After the brief I got my jabs. I wasn't thinking about allowances anymore, I was thinking of how i'd feel to be actually there. I don't think my job will be recognised by anyone. I'm just a technician, servicing and cleaning up the aircraft. But just the thought of helping out in a worldwide rescue effort makes it all worth it. My touring trip will just have to wait till after Chinese New Year, right now I'm just focused on going there and doing my job.
Will be packing my bags soon. Tomorrow we'll be sailing off.
Destination : Medan
Date : 301204
Time : Unknown
Estimated date of return : Unknown
Happy new year everyone!
What a way to start and end a year... -
You might not be able to see this, given time you will be gone on a trip to be part of a rescue effort.
Kopi, forget your touring trip for the moment now. Even if there's no recognition or medal, you should be proud on your contribution to this event, being out there to help the needy.
As the saying goes, "been there seen it done that"; be proud of your action and stop complaining.
Anyway, probably Tsunami has reminded us what we dont have on our hands. May Almighty give strong heart and courage to those who are sufferring the hit of devastation. If nature turns cruel none of us can do anything..... it is the testing time of our calmness and stength. Let us not fell onto our knees....
A sad event in the history of human kind. If only the money that has been spent by all nations on arms and ammunations spent in the warning systems in ocean would have prevented such a huge loss of lifes. My sincere condolences to all that have lost loved ones, My prayers to all for strength to face the tragedy.
Have a fruitfull new year and a safe trip. -
Happy New Year Kopi.
Make the best of your trip.
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happy new year darling kopisatu
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I hope everything go fine for ya! God Bless to the S'pore crew!
hahaha! Get ready to get ur new rank and medal when ya back! -
Happy New Year to you too....
Enjoy your trip by the way. -
All the best.
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all the best!
so proud of u Kopi! -
all da best
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hero~~~~~~~~
happy new year! -
do us proud kopi
have a great year ahead! -
practical contributions. -
he has already left this afternoon!
hope everything goes fine for him and the team! -
Cheerios Kopi!
See you back real soon! -
....PROUD of U.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!! -
Bon Voyage... All the best!
Happy New Year~~ -
salute you man...
if i had the chance to go help out in disaster relief, i wouldn't have said my NS life was wasted seah... i guess you should be a regular bah.. hope you come back w/o probs and in 1 piece man..
early happy new year to u too -
Greeting from the LST off the coast of Meulaboh~
I can't see much here, but from what i hear from the ground troops, the damage reached as far as 4-5km inland.
As for the rest of us, we're not really fully optimised yet
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I've volunted to go! Guess my deployment date will be the date u n the 1st batch of troops come back to SG for rest.
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You've done our country proud, our hero.
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Pray you'll be back soon
Happy New Year~! -
oh man, i'm back finally... so damn tired but there's stuff to settle here.
quite a meaningful trip, got to fly to the villages and resupply them with rice and stuff.
damage is very bad, got lotsa pics! -
Welcome back!
*salutes