Queries on OCS
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Please do guide me along. I have couples of questions relating on BMT and OCS. Like many others, I do hope that I can be selected for OCS training, but the path would surly not be easy as I was told.
1st of all, I will be enlisting on 30 September, BMTC school 1. My Pes status is A. I was awarded SILVER in my NAPFA test. Here's my queries....
1) I realise that the computerised test taken during the medical check-up contribute a fair share of whether i might be selected for OCS. And is there a way to check how I fared in the test? Frankly speaking, I would not say I did exceptionally well. All I did was to managed my best and I definately did not just fooled around with my answers. My worry is whether my results will be GOOD enough for OCS. Or is there a way to apply for a retest?
2) I graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a diploma in electrical engineering. Will my results affect decisions in whether I will be selected? My gardes are nothing to be proud of. Consisting of mostly Cs and Bs, no ADs and As at all.
3) Will better fitness give me an edge over others? I trained really hard, now I can managed 5 points on all stations, except on sit and reach due to my height. Im 184cm.
4) Someone mentioned about performing well in the SIT test. What is this SIT test all about? Anything to watch out for and how to excel in the SIT test?
5) Is it true that certain "ball-carrying" skills will get me furthur? I hate to do apple-polishing jobs, or wayanging? I wont be able to.....or perhaps I might be able to brush up some skills now.....
6)Again, someone stated that, to tell officers that you are interetsed in being selected for OCS. When is the best time to tell them? And how to convenice them?
Damm lots of questions, but please be patient with me. Any comments are valuable, be it "SMACK in the face and stop dreaming u chao recruit" types. I am prepared to fight for a place in OCS. -
Originally posted by Malcolm84:1) I realise that the computerised test taken during the medical check-up contribute a fair share of whether i might be selected for OCS. And is there a way to check how I fared in the test? Frankly speaking, I would not say I did exceptionally well. All I did was to managed my best and I definately did not just fooled around with my answers. My worry is whether my results will be GOOD enough for OCS. Or is there a way to apply for a retest?
nope, there is no way to know your results or retake the test, for obvious reasons. since u have tried ur best, dont dwell too much onto it. and no one will know if their results are good enuff for OCS or whatever.
2) I graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a diploma in electrical engineering. Will my results affect decisions in whether I will be selected? My gardes are nothing to be proud of. Consisting of mostly Cs and Bs, no ADs and As at all.
the fact that u r a dip holder will put u in a better position than say, O level holders. but of course, i presume u will be enlisting in a poly batch. in that case, ur results will influence but minimally.
3) Will better fitness give me an edge over others? I trained really hard, now I can managed 5 points on all stations, except on sit and reach due to my height. Im 184cm.
firstly, there is no sit and reach in IPPT. ur fitness does play a part, but not a strong one. perhaps in choosing u and another candidate who equals u in all aspects except fitness they will choose u. but tts all. fitness can be trained u c.
4) Someone mentioned about performing well in the SIT test. What is this SIT test all about? Anything to watch out for and how to excel in the SIT test?
SIT test basically puts u in a team with other recruits u do not know, and u r supposed to work together as a team to solve a series of problems. each member will have a turn in leading the team. nothing much in the way of tips. just be urself, be a team player, and not wayang.
5) Is it true that certain "ball-carrying" skills will get me furthur? I hate to do apple-polishing jobs, or wayanging? I wont be able to.....or perhaps I might be able to brush up some skills now.....
if i were the PC, the last person i would send to OCS is someone who would stoop low enuff to forego his morals and values and principles, and start sucking my balls just for the sake of going to OCS. cos it tells me how spineless the person is, and how he may one day be bribed into sucking the enemy's balls when the tide turns against us.
6)Again, someone stated that, to tell officers that you are interetsed in being selected for OCS. When is the best time to tell them? And how to convenice them?
yes u have to indicate ur preference when asked. and dont worry, they will ask u. but please dont go all the way to tell others and scream infront of people about ur desires when not sought. that is one sure way of stepping onto others' toes.
Damm lots of questions, but please be patient with me. Any comments are valuable, be it "SMACK in the face and stop dreaming u chao recruit" types. I am prepared to fight for a place in OCS.
its good to be enthusiastic and keen. u may even wish to consider signing on. but before that please find out more about life in the army and if u will truly like it. the prestige of being an officer pales in comparison with the shit u can get from all over, and the responsibilities, although its quite highly glamourised. if u r going in for the wrong reason u may end up being disillusioned faster than u think. -
I see you've pored thru the "OCS FAQ" thread ;-)
Don't over-interpret the info there. The key pre-call up criteria are educational qualifications & school ECA records, but they only serve as preliminary benchmarks. The more important scrutiny will occur during BMT, with regards to performance, aptitude, attitude &, needless to say, leadership.
The appraisals are done by your commanders as well as peers (no blanket party is a good start ~lol~) throughout the course, & there'll also be predetermined simulation tests where your problem-solving skills are assessed. [For example, the instructors could use white tape to designate 2 riverbanks & provide some other props, then stand back & let the 8 of you work it out on how to get everyone across the "water."]
Of course, you'll need to pass the various fitness & marksmanship tests too but they needn't be elite scores, but then they shouldn't be worse than the SISPEC batch's either.
Don't overamplify your OCS ambitions unless you wanna get "marked". Reveal that eagerness only during your PC interview (he will conduct one with every recruit), but perform well at all other times to show that you deserve the recommendation. I don't mean wayang either; you need to show initiative as well as achieve tangible results with the tasks.
If you want an inside edge, I'll suggest 2 reading materials. The 1st is the SAF Leadership Handbook. Not sure if the libraries have a copy but if you've got no lobang, I advise you get acquainted with the SAF Core Values &, in particular, the KAQ Leadership Framework ("Knowledge, Abilities, Qualities"). The latter is the SAFTI-developed philosophy for all local army officers to emulate & nurture.
The 2nd book is Making The Corps by Thomas E Ricks, which tracked a platoon of US Marine recruits thru their BMT in the mid-90s. Never mind the American setting; one central tenet it reveals, & IMHO shares a lot with the Singapore version, is how enlistees can be separated into 3 groups:
- there's a small group of Type-A, can-do people who forms the top tier, very self-motivated & correspondingly natural leaders.
- at the other end are the condemned failures, the unresponsive, incompetent deadbeats who'll be misfit soldiers.
- in between are the majority: the quiet-profile guys who sail thru training quite proficiently on the whole without standing out (the DI's often can't recall their names). They'll form the main body for operational units in various vocations/roles, some of them excelling enough to become NCOs or group i/cs.
Having mentored over a mono-intake BMT before, I can testify that it's very much a universal truth. You'll likely meet the same types in your own basic training. -
the SIT test really plays a huge factor in wether u make it into OCS or not.
but try not to "why yang" infornt of your team mates. cos it might piss them or the conductiong officer off. and when your team mates is piss off, at the end of the 3 day test, your team mates will grade who is the best leader among them. so just do what u do best and the test will be a piece of cake.
lastly, your platoon mates also plays a contributing factor too. your PC might go around asking what kind of person u really are. some more at the last week of BMT, the whole platoons will choose who they believe are the best recruits. so try to be nice and helpful to everyone in the platoon. nobody like a lazy soldier.
btw, if u really missed out on going OCS, never fear, there's always the 2nd best, be a specialist in SISPEC, which everyone stands a chance of entering. -
The place you end up being posted to, might not be what youhave expected, but who knows, you may find it quite satisfactory.It's good to aim for OCS but always be preapred mentally if you do not get in.Never be bigger than the boots your wearing, that makes for a bad landing.
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I dunno about now.. maybe those in OCS now can tell mi about this too.....
I was in the Sept batch too last time and for that batch there is only 1 ocs company having intake..... therefore very few were selected... e.g only 2 or 3 in each platoon compare to around 10 in platoon in other batch when there are 3 or 4 company ocs intake...and i heard....every year the Sept BMT all have to face this problem... so is it still the case now?? -
Great advice...I believe in the true capable gets the job. If my superior thinks that I will not be up to standard for OCS, i will just have to accept. If leadership is the core and most essential element when it comes to being an officer, Im afraid nothing much can be change to myself. You see, I sucks at solving puzzles and completeing mystery stuffs etc...
The reason I opt to be choosen for OCS is that I believe "WANT TO BE OFFICER" and "PATH TO BE OFFICER" is a huge difference. I want to go thru the training in OCS. And after 20 years, I want to see what I truly can be, and believe that other units may not allow me to have the experiences. Or perhaps Im wrong in this mindset...
Whatever the final outcome will be after my BMT, be it "MEN or SISPEC or OCS", I will gladly accept and continue serving in the respective unit thereafter, positively...Perhaps each unit will have their own ways of training and re-enforcing values into soliders, so ultimately everyone still plays a part, be it whether they are officer or arent...
I wont be too hard and persistant to myself...thks for all concern...
Meanwhile, I willl remember to ENDURE and BE MYSELF during BMT and see what luck have in place for me.... -
hm.. the sept batch is the alpha sierra tango batch, so, in a way, u r right, since only alpha is the inf-cdo-gds wing, while sierra and tango are dissolved by pro term.Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):I dunno about now.. maybe those in OCS now can tell mi about this too.....
I was in the Sept batch too last time and for that batch there is only 1 ocs company having intake..... therefore very few were selected... e.g only 2 or 3 in each platoon compare to around 10 in platoon in other batch when there are 3 or 4 company ocs intake...and i heard....every year the Sept BMT all have to face this problem... so is it still the case now?? -
that is the right attitude, and trust me, it will take u a long way.Originally posted by Malcolm84:Great advice...I believe in the true capable gets the job. If my superior thinks that I will not be up to standard for OCS, i will just have to accept. If leadership is the core and most essential element when it comes to being an officer, Im afraid nothing much can be change to myself. You see, I sucks at solving puzzles and completeing mystery stuffs etc...
The reason I opt to be choosen for OCS is that I believe "WANT TO BE OFFICER" and "PATH TO BE OFFICER" is a huge difference. I want to go thru the training in OCS. And after 20 years, I want to see what I truly can be, and believe that other units may not allow me to have the experiences. Or perhaps Im wrong in this mindset...
Whatever the final outcome will be after my BMT, be it "MEN or SISPEC or OCS", I will gladly accept and continue serving in the respective unit thereafter, positively...Perhaps each unit will have their own ways of training and re-enforcing values into soliders, so ultimately everyone still plays a part, be it whether they are officer or arent...
I wont be too hard and persistant to myself...thks for all concern...
Meanwhile, I willl remember to ENDURE and BE MYSELF during BMT and see what luck have in place for me....
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Even so, that doesn't mean the intake is smaller right? It's still a 3 wing intake..Just that the remaining OCTs become support arms officer?Originally posted by wuming78:hm.. the sept batch is the alpha sierra tango batch, so, in a way, u r right, since only alpha is the inf-cdo-gds wing, while sierra and tango are dissolved by pro term.
The smaller wing intake for poly batch would be the Charlie Hotel batch..the december intake.. -
Really!!??? No wonder all of them say that the Alpha wing is the most siong wan.....and my batch wan will be going there this sept if they manage to get to OCS.....Originally posted by wuming78:hm.. the sept batch is the alpha sierra tango batch, so, in a way, u r right, since only alpha is the inf-cdo-gds wing, while sierra and tango are dissolved by pro term. -
haha.. i am an alumni of the wing.Originally posted by BMEngineer:Really!!??? No wonder all of them say that the Alpha wing is the most siong wan.....and my batch wan will be going there this sept if they manage to get to OCS..... -
oops u r riteOriginally posted by CKtalon:Even so, that doesn't mean the intake is smaller right? It's still a 3 wing intake..Just that the remaining OCTs become support arms officer?
The smaller wing intake for poly batch would be the Charlie Hotel batch..the december intake..
D, F, S, T
B, E, G
A, S, T
C, H,
but A, S, T is the smallest inf, gds, cdo batch, cos alot of the S and Ts go to support arms. -
u mean this batch of recruits going to OCS might be going to S and T also besides A?Originally posted by wuming78:oops u r rite
D, F, S, T
B, E, G
A, S, T
C, H,
but A, S, T is the smallest inf, gds, cdo batch, cos alot of the S and Ts go to support arms. -
that's right.Originally posted by BMEngineer:u mean this batch of recruits going to OCS might be going to S and T also besides A? -
so total how many people will be going to these three wings together? Any estimated figures?Originally posted by wuming78:that's right. -
u calculate lor.. roughly one platoon about erm.. 30? 3 platoons per wing. 3 wings.Originally posted by BMEngineer:so total how many people will be going to these three wings together? Any estimated figures? -
270....wah so little space only.....what i know is that a lot ot this (mine) batch will be going to sispec instead due to the lack of sgts....Originally posted by wuming78:u calculate lor.. roughly one platoon about erm.. 30? 3 platoons per wing. 3 wings. -
as long as one has pride and does his best, he will be able to contribute and serve well whether he becomes a specialist or an officer.Originally posted by BMEngineer:270....wah so little space only.....what i know is that a lot ot this (mine) batch will be going to sispec instead due to the lack of sgts.... -
Hey guys, im lost.
Perhaps someone can help me. Since I will be enlisting in 30 SEPTEMBER, so that means I will be either coy A , S or T? And something about low intakes for OCS if enlistment date is SEP? Anyone can clarify?
For example, in each coy, how many platoons are there? Whats the human size for a single platoon?
Please use simple terms, if ya get what I mean..cause i am figuring hard to understand the contents....apologise... -
the company alphabet batches i gave above applies only to OCS.Originally posted by Malcolm84:Hey guys, im lost.
Perhaps someone can help me. Since I will be enlisting in 30 SEPTEMBER, so that means I will be either coy A , S or T? And something about low intakes for OCS if enlistment date is SEP? Anyone can clarify?
For example, in each coy, how many platoons are there? Whats the human size for a single platoon?
Please use simple terms, if ya get what I mean..cause i am figuring hard to understand the contents....apologise...
when u enlist in Sept, u will go to BMT.
the low intake thing was clarified above, and so was the platoon and coy size. and again, all these applies to OCS NOT BMT. -
Originally posted by Malcolm84:Hey guys, im lost.
Perhaps someone can help me. Since I will be enlisting in 30 SEPTEMBER, so that means I will be either coy A , S or T? And something about low intakes for OCS if enlistment date is SEP? Anyone can clarify?
If you are to be under Infantry, most likely you will come under Alpha wing, this is to prevent too much movement during Pro Term, whereas those who are to be posted to other vocations (e.g. Armour, Logistics, etC) will come under Sierra and Tango. However, there is still a chance that being in Alpha you are eligible to go other vocations.
For example, in each coy, how many platoons are there? Whats the human size for a single platoon?
In each wing, not coy, there are 3 platoons. Each platoon can hold about 40 cadets, assuming EVERY bunk is used for cadets that is.
Please use simple terms, if ya get what I mean..cause i am figuring hard to understand the contents....apologise... -
Peer Appraisal is a major contributing factor in the selection. The platoon mates knows the individual soldier best based on the 3 months spent together. They can figure who is the wayang, who is the silent-but-strong type. These are the things that the Commanders may not see.
Just be yourself. If you have the qualities, not even a storm can prevent you from going to OCS. -
normally if u fall into the sep batch where OCS intake is small, they might post to SISPEC BSLC 1st, then after u finished BSLC, they will post u to OCS, the december intake.
take me for example, i POP last sep, 1 of my friend posted to BSLC then to OCS... -
Wah only top 5% from BSLC MAY be posted to OCS....the rest no chanceOriginally posted by Gordonator:normally if u fall into the sep batch where OCS intake is small, they might post to SISPEC BSLC 1st, then after u finished BSLC, they will post u to OCS, the december intake.
take me for example, i POP last sep, 1 of my friend posted to BSLC then to OCS...