Driving phase. Time seems to be passing VERY slowly each day when I am going through the lessons but if I look back at the entire week, it had already passed just like this. It teaches me to treasure every single moment spent as time really just pass by so quickly and you will miss out a lot if you do not make full use of it.

Safety is the one very important factor that I picked up during the trade course. As an officer to be, I think that I can compromise anything but safety. Many accidents have occurred in Armour and that I do not want anything of this sort to be happening to people around me. 11th February, Armour black day, is a tradition that seems to be slowly fading. It may just be a coincidence, but my buddy got food poisoning from camp on the same day also. Perhaps it is a good idea to continue with the tradition.

Another thing that I have really learnt is that to look at things optimistically. I think that optimism makes me appreciate of the small things around me and that I can be happier that way, which is my near term goal for myself. By being optimistic, I also can help encourage people around me who are feeling unhappy and allows me to motivates others which is a very important job as a leader.

For it is the Chinese New Year, I reflected about how much army had actually made me treasure my family, more than I ever had before. However, it is a irony that it is also army that is standing in between the time I have with my family now. With regards to a phase CPT Yong Xi mentioned, 先有国, 后有家, I do not really agree to it. I love Singapore for my family is here, for I have something I want to protect, to defend. I would not be that sure if I do not have a family here. So for me, I believe that family always comes first and now, I am willing to give my everything for my family members. This is how I look at total defence. Being an conscripted army like Singapore, individuals would have to find and discover their own reason to stay and defend Singapore if she ever goes to war and my reason for that it is for my family.