"Horrified by many profanities in matinee show on NS life "

I read this forum letter in the Straits Times on 14th July and I couldn't believe my eyes. Although she's a woman and has no experience in National Service, its common knowledge that the ARMY is not really a gentlement's club (to use the term in its literal meaning). Does she not know anyone who has ever served NS?

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I ATTENDED the matinee show Own Time Own Target at the Drama Centre in the National Library building over the weekend. One magazine lauded it as a 'laugh out loud, rediscovery of zany side of national service'. I presumed this meant it was a family-type show and took my two teenage sons, aged 16 and 14, to the show on the premise of a MediaCorp-owned magazine review.

To my horror, I was cringing uncomfortably in my seat the whole show, highly disturbed by the language used. I do not have a problem that the language was coarse and in dialects. But it was offensive when every sentence and curse uttered by the officers (rightly or wrongly, provoked or otherwise) at the NS boys in the drama was a profanity of the female genitals.

The show was a full house, with young and old, males and females equally represented. I am sure I was not the only one who was disturbed by the excessive cursing and swearing by the officers at the recruits. My observation was that people laughed out loud not at the clumsiness of the recruits but mostly because they felt uncomfortable with the profanities.

As a mother, I find it hard to imagine that after years of sheltered school life where students are taught values, to be gentlemanly and polite and respect their elders, these boys have to do NS run by officers who do not blink an eye when they curse their mother, sister, girlfriend and the whole female population by way of conversation.

My boys were shocked to realise that NS is a rite of passage where they will be officially subjected to bullying, shouting and cursing - nothing gentlemanly at all.

If this is a light-hearted look at life of NS boys during basic military training, I fear to know what my boys will face in their real-life situation when they enlist. Please, someone, assure me this is not so.

Wee Hua Boey (Mdm)

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Guess she expected a typical army conversation to go like this ah?


2LT 2IC - Recruit Tan, can you please fall in and gather the rest of the recruits too? Thanks! By the way, please fall in at 6am tomorrow morning for morning PT. Thanks ah!

RECRUIT TAN - You're welcome sir! I'll go do that immediately! Thanks for informing me on the program for tomorrow!

2LT 2IC - No problem Recruit Tan! Its my pleasure! I live to serve you!

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6am tomorrow morning

2SG KOH - Good morning recruits! Can you please fall in now? er..Recruit Chan, you are standing on one leg, can you please stand on two legs? I know its very early but it'll look better. Thanks!

RECRUIT CHAN - Sure thing SGT KOH! I'll do that!

2SG KOH - Thanks Recruit Chan! Ok recruits, now that you all have falled in, let's start with some push ups ok? Is it fine with you?

RECRUITS - Yes SGT! We are okay with pushups!

2SG KOH - OK! Thanks! Everybody please go into push up position...yup...ah, Recruit Seah, can you move a little faster please? The rest are still waiting for you. Thanks!

RECRUIT SEAH - Sorry SGT, I'm still a bit sleepy. I'll try to move a bit faster. Thanks! Sorry ah guys, my body still asleep.

RECRUITS - No problem Seah, take your time ok? We can wait. Don't injure yourself ok?

2SG KOH - Ok! Now that everybody is in position, can you all please do 20 pushups? OK start now please....

RECRUITS - 1...1..2...3....2.3..4..4..3...4...

2SG KOH - Hmm..maybe you all can try to count together? It'll sound nicer! Thanks!

RECRUITS - Yes SGT. 5...6...7...8...

2SG KOH - YEs that's it...sounds so nice, like an orchestra...well done guys!

RECRUITS - Thanks SGT!