a day devoted to St John... after a long break

after about 3 months of not touching anything related to St John, i was finally back in action today.

i knew from Shiwei that there was going to be a parade for the 50th anniversary next year and that the whole programme would start early today. so i went down to just take a look at how things were going.

during the parade rehearsal, some of the teachers asked me if i know the flag drills, which i did. they promptly asked me to help train the flag party for the parade. it turned out that there would be a flag party comprising of the house flags and the flags of the individual uniformed groups. so i did my best. it helped that the HO course did refresh my skills on MOI and all that, and it seems that the flag party were able to catch what i was saying.

i had a chat with the new officers and am glad that we have de-conflicted our areas of responsibility within the corps. also met up with the sec4s who will be going on to JC. none of them are forthcoming about going to OTC next year, which is okay, but i hope at least one or two will take the plunge, as we need them to help stand in for the officers who will be taking their A levels next year.

i also got to know that quite a number of RV-ians will be going to ACJC next year, and this had been the trend since last year as the incumbent second-choice JC, SAJC will be shifting to an inconvenient location in Potong Pasir next year. Previously, the number of RV-ians who went to ACJC instead of SAJC could be counted on the fingers of one or two hands. Now I got to know that there are quite a lot of them, but they are those who could not make it to NJC...

later on mrs yeow asked me to help get the flag slings for the whole flag party. turned out that Mr Kam, the guy whom I bought from in 2000 had closed down. i was able to get them for half the price though, at another shop run by a couple whom i knew since my cadet days. the teachers were evidently pleased that we were able to get it for so cheap. however it seems that now, they are including a flag bearer from each cca, and a school flag. that would be tough as they probably don't know drills. but it can be done.. i am sure of that.


after going to lavendar to order the flag slings, i went down to clementi town for their SJAB 25th anniversary celebration. it was a simple affair - a barbeque, with neither the pomp and pageantry of a ceremonial parade nor the formality of invited guests. The barbeque was followed by a prize presentation and speeches by the OIC and TOIC of clementi town corps. after that, i went for a drink with some of my fellow officers before going home.

on the train, i bumped into Andrew who was in uniform for the last time! he ORDs tomorrow. congratulations, Andrew!