How to MC

This is the start of a host of articles providing tips for people to survive during BMT. These are strictly "tips" for recruits, to inform them of ways in which they can perform to the best of their abilities. I am not advocating the act of slacking off (especially in this post), but instead how they can use this in order to pass BMT more smoothly. (You'll get the idea down below)

A trip to the MO (Medical Officer) is an experience you don't want to go through too many times, especially during BMT (Basic Military Training). Pulau Tekong boasts an outstanding array of medical facilities, physiotherapy and trained professionals; is what they say to your parents so that they feel at ease with leaving their sons/daughters on an island for the next 9 weeks. In reality, the "outstanding" facilities are reserved for real emergencies, and what you are left with, is normal "polyclinic" medicine and staff. And that's on a good day. Hearing from a few of my friends, MOs at times can be very hasty when treating and diagnosing recruits and they pretty much don't care. Unless of course, your condition is serious.

But away from the standard of medical care and facilities. Today, I will be sharing with you tips and knowledge about MCs (Medical Certificates) in BMT.

There are basically 3 kinds of statuses that you can obtain after seeing the doctors on Pulau Tekong. With each status, comes various protocols that you need to follow when under that status. These can be categorized into 3 categories, RMJ (Run, Match, Jog), 10B and 10C

RMJ - Run March Jog

As the name suggests, the RMJ status means that you are excused from running, marching and jogging. These statuses are usually given to recruits that have relatively minor strains/injuries. This can range from muscle aches to cuts/scrapes to abrasions. A RMJ status means that you are excused from most, if not all physical activity, during the entire duration. Also, if you are seen running around when under this status, you can get punished pretty badly (unverified)

This status is reserved mostly for light strains and external injuries. If you fall sick and go to the MO, there is no way you are getting this status

Attend B - Light Duty

When you are issued this status from the MO, it means that you have been given a standard MC. The status can be issued for most minor illnesses like cough and flu to pulled muscles, and can range from 1 day to as long as 2 weeks. This means that you will be exempted from all physical activity for the stated number of days. Furthermore, recruits issued with this status will have a 4 day observation period after their status is over, of which he/she is still not allowed to participate for the first two days. This means that a two day MC is effectively 4 days of MC.

Attend C - Sent Home

Attend C is usually given to patients with really high fevers, serious illnesses, or in emergencies. This means that you will be sent back home. After which, you will come back with an attend B status.

"Chao Keng" is it possible?

Frankly, in bmt, it is quite impossible to slack off if you're in PES A/B1 (Combat Fit). BMT for combat fit personnel requires an 80% attendance rate for all training (roughly 2 weeks worth of MC), attendance for high key events such as BTP (Shooting), FC (Field Camp) and so on. As well as acceptable BMI. Yes, people who have gained weight since their initial medical checkup and have high BMIs are immediately sent out.

Failure to do so, and you will "OOT" (Out of training). Which means that you will redo BMT again, from the start, unless you down PES. Downing PES is hard enough to do already, so save yourself some the trouble and just go through that 9 weeks. Have fun! BMT is far from a chore, and the people that do OOT for valid reasons are freaking sad that they had to leave. So please, don't be one of those people.

"Sir... I cannot, I cannot... sir..."

What other people do to chao keng, but still fulfill the graduation criteria is by "falling out". Instead of reporting sick, which gives you an MC, a ban from physical activity, some just "give up" halfway through the activity. Let's say Adam is doing some speed training for example, but he knows his calf is strained and wants to let it rest, for tomorrow's 8km route march. So, instead of reporting sick, making him miss his route march, (remember Attend B?) he "falls out" during speed training, after about 15-20 minutes for "cramps". He's excused for the rest of that training. Assuming that is the only PT activity of the day, he gets the opportunity to recover for the next day's march.

At the end of the day, whether or not you fall out because you need to recover to participate at your best at a high key, or just because you're lazy and you can't take the training (weak), is up to you and your conscience. 

Personally, I only fell out once, during PT because of a legitimate reason (bowels weren't happy), reported sick once for a groin strain (a mistake, because I missed a 6km march and had to stay back over the weekend to do it). Chao keng is bad, boys. Why not become stronger while in NS? Ah gong pays you money to get fit! So make the most of what you have in BMT.