Surprise surprise

I googled my name for fun and guess what I found. Article of me way back in Sep 07.
Nice to see that MINDEF took notice.. :)

Fulfilling a dream

You could say that Officer Cadet (OCT) Muhd Sahfahri Bin Supar's dream has come true.

Even before his enlistment into full-time National Service, he had "aimed to come to OCS because [he] thought it was an opportunity to show [his] potential as a leader, not only in the SAF, but in the future."

And he has, indeed, made good, going on to win the Best in PT award.

"I feel very privileged and honoured to get the award, considering that there were many others who were fitter than I," he revealed.

OCT Sahfahri said the most marked change that he had noticed about himself - becoming fitter - was "a reward in itself".

Together with 194 other OCTs, he was commissioned at the SAFTI Military Institute on 8 Sep, at a parade reviewed by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim.

In his speech, Dr Yaacob reminded the OCTs that "professionalism seldom comes naturally or easily", congratulating them on their success in the cadet course, which he felt "bears testament to that drive and the will to do [their] utmost under the most adverse of conditions".

To graduate from OCS is no simple feat. Over the course of 38 weeks, cadets underwent a series of demanding and realistic training exercises, as well as advanced obstacle courses and exacting physical training.

In the face of these challenges, OCT Sahfahri did not falter, and said that it was all "manageable".

"OCS has put in a very good programme of progressive training which allows the cadets to gain fitness without pushing them too hard," he said.

Out of the 194 OCTs commissioned were four who hailed from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

Cyberpioneer spoke to OCT Mohd Hishamuddin Bin Hj Marzoki, one of the four Bruneian cadets.

"It was the first time I was away from my family," he said. "But after these nine months, I’m used to it."

What really helped him to settle in was the hospitality of his Singaporean friends, whom he found "really very friendly and very helpful".

According to OCT Hishamuddin, he would "always hang out with [the Singaporeans] and get to know their Singaporean culture."

But regardless of where they come from, both OCTs Sahfahri and Hishamuddin share a common bond: their time together in OCS.

Last updated on 11 Sep 2007