Black Beret

Unlike what most people think, donning the black beret together with your No. 4 hasn't been easy if you're a determined individual who wants to live up to the expectations of the 28 ERSC. But in the midst of it all, I'm glad to have met men who show that the place isn't a lost cause after all.

For the first time in that place I heard one of my men telling me, "it's ok Sergeant, this kind of (menial) work is not for you to do!" during one of the routine checks. And when I insisted that I wanted to stay on and learn something, I was immensely touched when he told me with a smile, "you don't have to do this in the rain; don't fall sick!".

On top of the fact that it's extremely rare that sergeants get due respect in that place, I was moved by how this rescuer is able to show the principles of Pride and Care that many can't. What's more was that he wasn't a native-born coming from a land that's currently overrun by a military junta, yet he takes his duties and roles in NS far more seriously than some native-born Singaporeans. Who says foreign-born Singaporeans can't contribute back positively or don't deserve to be treated the same as native-born Singaporeans? These supposed "Singapore for Singapore-born only" Singaporeans should sometimes get a reality check and wake up to the fact that these new generation of foreign-born Singaporeans aren't here to just make sure Singapore remains competitive and cosmopolitan, but to also remind us of what being a true Singaporean means and how we shouldn't take things that we now have for granted.

And today I'm saluting and taking my beret off to this guy who, in his humilty, displayed the true Singapore spirit of industriousness and mutual respect that our forefathers founded this very nation upon, a spirit that many young "native-born" Singaporeans - especially in my current workplace - fail to see and live up to.