Sweat, mud and tears

Field camp, or outfield training, simulates operational conditions and is designed to provide recruits with five days of practical experience in the field.

The three main activities are digging a shell scrape (a shallow trench), often under the sweltering sun; fire and movement (learning to advance towards or retreat from targets); and a situational test that aims to assess leadership ability under stress via a simulated mission.

To top it off, recruits need to apply, and reapply, camouflage cream on their faces.

“I don’t like the camo. When I sweat, I can taste the grainy texture,” says Mr Haravin Shaun Sivakumar, 20, a biomedical science diploma graduate from Singapore Polytechnic.

He finds it especially tough digging the shell scrape on Day 2 of the field camp using a changkol, a digging tool.

A shell scrape is a knee-deep rectangular hole in the ground that is about 2.4m by 0.8m, and serves as a basic form of cover from enemy attack.

After about two hours of digging, he loses his grip on the changkol as he swings back, and it hits the back of his helmet. He has to seek medical attention.

Feeling better after placing an ice pack on the back of his head, he says it was hard to loosen the soil, which is packed with roots and rocks.

Recruits have about three hours to dig the shell scrape, with a 15-minute water break for every 45 minutes.

After two hours and 45 minutes, an exhausted Mr Javis Goh, a 20-year-old aerospace engineering graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, is perspiring profusely. His only thought: Get it over and done with.

“I’m mentally and physically drained. It is hot and I’m sweaty. I feel like giving up, but there is no choice. I just have to push myself to dig and get it done. I’m not a big fan of field camp,” he says.

On the other hand, nature lover Aniq Afhami Hamir, 22, who does callisthenics exercises, finds the digging is not that tiring, and finishes in 2½ hours.

But by Day 3, the physical conditions have started to wear down even the fittest among them.

Mr Aniq sniffs himself and says: “I have not showered for three days. I feel so disgusted. I think I smell bad, but other people said no. I think we are all smelly, that’s why.”

Mr Connor Francis Foster, 18, who graduated from Dover Court International School, says that the fire and movement training, which involved crawling on the ground, is most tiring for him.

“It’s physically demanding because your energy drains really quickly. But after eating and resting, I was able to recover,” he says.

Not being able to wash up after getting muddy and sticky from training is a bother, but he gets used to it after the first day.

As part of the outfield exercise, recruits are put in an uncomfortable environment to train their resilience.

They build a basic shelter, called a basha, to sleep under. They also have to keep their rifle near them at all times, so it does not get “stolen” by their sergeants.

Fresh food for lunch on one of the days is a treat. Their eyes widen expectantly at the bentos (below) containing either curry chicken, tofu and cabbage, or long beans, sausage and stir-fried pork.

All other meals are combat rations – ready-to-eat meals that come in a retort pouch pack.

The lightweight packs contain a variety of food, from pastas to desserts to snacks, and can be eaten without heating.

“I expected a lot worse from combat rations, but they were quite nice. The arrabbiata pasta was really good,” says Mr Goh.

Aside from testing their soldiering skills, the field camp aims to help them understand the importance of defending the country, with constant reminders that they are protecting their loved ones by doing so.

Through pep talks by their commanders, recruits are urged to keep safe, work as a team and motivate one another.

One of the platoon commanders, First Warrant Officer Mohamed Zaki, says that by placing recruits in an uncomfortable situation, they learn to better appreciate basic amenities like toilet, shower and bed.

Just before distributing letters (below) from home – parents are given a pre-paid envelope to be sent back to the Basic Military Training Centre in advance – to the worn-out recruits, he reminds them that their mothers and fathers tried their best, even if they may have used different child-rearing approaches.

“When you finish field camp, call your dad or mum. Buy them food when you go home,” he suggests.

It is the end of Day 3. Glum-faced recruits get a boost when they are handed a letter each.

Mr Aniq receives a thick envelope that includes his favourite Disney Princess figurine, Moana, which he displays at home in his bedroom.

He tears up when he reads notes from his mum and three siblings reminding him to do his best, keep a positive mindset and take things one step at a time.

“I felt quite emotional. It’s not easy being away and the figurine reminded me of home,” he confides.

Mr Goh (below), who receives a letter from his parents and brother, starts crying before peeling open his letter. Enclosed is a collage of six cherished pictures of his younger self.

“I wasn’t expecting childhood photos, so that made me tear up. The photos were of me being a fat kid. I’ve transformed so much, so I’m very happy about my progress,” he says.

He is touched reading his mum’s message on her favourite moments bonding with him, as well as his chef dad, who promises to cook him a nice meal upon his return.

“I think the line that made me feel very emotional was when they said ‘I miss you’ and ‘I love you’. It’s not something my parents say often to me; it’s not something that I often say to them,” he adds.

For Mr Haravin, reading his 11-year-old sister’s message leaves him choked up.

“I did not expect the letter from my sister because she’s quite young. She said she would stay with me forever as we grow up. For her to say that, it hits hard,” he says.

His father’s belief in him also makes him tear up. “Growing up, I always wanted my father’s validation, wanted him to be proud of me, and the first thing he wrote was that he was proud of me.”

As part of BMT, the recruits learn foundational military skills, including combat skills, weapon proficiency and discipline.

For the recruits, the most anticipated event is live firing, which takes place within the first week.

Mr Haravin (above) says: “Holding a weapon and being able to shoot – it was something I could imagine happening only in a video game, not in real life.”

The experience of learning how to handle weapons far exceeds his expectations.

“Being assured that I can handle shooting a rifle or throwing a grenade is something very rewarding,” says Mr Haravin, who achieved marksman level, which means firing at least 26 out of 32 shots on target.

For Mr Goh, it is like seeing his favourite shows, like British drama Line Of Duty (2012 to present), come to life.

“I watch a lot of action movies, and I think it’s cool and a big responsibility to handle a weapon,” he says.

Afterwards comes the last hurdle in the final week – the 24km graduation march, which is done in two phases: a morning march on Pulau Tekong, which includes activities like combat medical aid and casualty evacuation, and a night march. It is the final physical and mental challenge for the recruits before they graduate from BMT.

“The distance isn’t the only challenge. It’s also carrying the heavy equipment,” says Mr Foster, referring to the 20kg field pack, which does not include the weight of his load-bearing vest, rifle and helmet.

“My game plan is to make sure all my equipment is put on properly and as comfortably as possible, so wearing it won’t drag me down as much,” he says.

The weight, combined with the distance and duration, makes the estimated five-hour night march from Changi Coast Walk to The Kallang (formerly known as Singapore Sports Hub) an endurance test.

Mr Goh reckons at the start of the march: “My biggest challenge would be to mentally push myself to the finish line. I’m not a big fan of carrying a heavy load on my back.”

Even before the night march, Mr Haravin is tired from waking up at 3.45am for the morning march.

“I’m feeling a bit nervous because it’s a long distance and it’s a night walk. My biggest challenge will be fighting what we call the Z-monster, or sleep, because the march will end quite late,” he says.

They take three breaks – for water, energy ice pops and snacks – and about four hours for the morning phase. Five hours later, the recruits complete their graduation march.

At the end-point in Kallang, Mr Aniq says his shoulders hurt.

“I’m feeling very tired. I kept telling myself to just keep walking. It feels a bit surreal that I completed it,” says Mr Aniq.

Mr Foster reflects that the march was even tougher than the field camp.

“My feet are very sore. Towards the end when I couldn’t see the exact target, I felt like giving up. Then I saw the National Stadium and told myself to push to the end,” he adds.

Mr Haravin feels a sense of relief at completing the task: “I feel proud of myself for not giving up even though there were times I wanted to fall out.”

Mr Goh is the most energetic of the lot at the end of the march.

“Maybe it’s the euphoria of finishing the route march. I feel quite fine, not tired. I’m so excited about finishing this and finally getting to graduate from BMT,” he says.

After nine weeks of training, some recruits shed unwanted kilos, others bulked up. All got tanned, became fitter and most passed their IPPT.

But physical transformation aside, the four recruits ST followed say they have become stronger, not just physically but also mentally.

They also have a new-found appreciation for their families, treasuring precious bookout weekends together.

After weeks of waking up at 5.30am, Mr Haravin no longer stays up the whole night like he used to, and spends more time with his parents.

“The relationship between my dad and me has improved, we understand each other better and there are a lot of different things to talk about now,” he says.

His father, civil servant Sivakumar K. Pillai, 48, says the family has drawn closer. “We do small things, like fetching him, and now we always have meals together over the weekend. These are things that we treasure a lot.”

The same goes for Mr Foster, who says he is now more disciplined, and prepares breakfast for his parents on weekends because he wakes up earlier than them.

“Previously, I would wake up only at lunch. Now, I wake up around 7am. Then I’ll have all that extra time in the morning to be productive,” he says.

His father, hotelier Frank Foster, 65, is proud that the intensive training has challenged his son physically, mentally and emotionally.

“He is more mature, thinking things through before making big decisions, and has been resilient in managing certain situations himself,” he says.

His mother, housewife Simone Lim-Foster, 52, says the biggest change is in her son’s diet. “This boy was ‘allergic’ to vegetables and fruits, but now, he eats everything when he comes home.

“He is grateful for what we do for him – for the home, bed, laundry, cooking – and is always hugging us nowadays,” she adds.

While Mr Aniq’s highlight is that his abs are more defined than ever after BMT, the time spent away from home has made him cherish the time with his mum.

“I call my mum every day, but couldn’t do so during field camp. It hit me that I have to spend more time with her,” says the second youngest of four siblings aged 21 to 28, who makes a pitstop to buy his mum her favourite foods – like ice cream, bingsu and goreng pisang – as soon as he books out.

Likewise, Mr Goh says he appreciates his family more and makes it a point to spend more time with them.

“I used to see them every day, but now I see them only on weekends, so I really treasure my time with them,” he says.

For instance, his father often asks if he wants to go to the market with him.

“Last time, I would say no because he goes very early in the morning and I wanted to sleep. But now, with my sleep schedule adjusted, anytime he wants me to go to the market, I’ll happily go with him,” he says.

He also ferries his brother to badminton classes on weekends, while his mum makes it a point to fetch him from Pasir Ris MRT station whenever he books out.

“Through these experiences, I became a lot more appreciative of my family. I told myself that when tough times come, family will always be there for you,” he says.

With the completion of BMT on Dec 6, 2025, the four recruits and their batchmates have moved on to the next phase of national service.

Mr Aniq, Mr Goh and Mr Haravin were posted to the Specialist Cadet School, while Mr Foster was assigned to be a security trooper.

Click here for Part 1 of The BMT Journey to follow the four recruits through eight weeks of physical training before they started basic military training (BMT).