Saturday, December 15, 2007
the ocs commissioning parade.

It's December again! I was the Post-parade Dinner Bugler for tonight's Officer Cadets' Commissioning Parade, and this is my 2nd time doing this. It was a great experience all in all, looking at how the post parade reception came about.

There was alot of saluting involved though, with me in my full No. 1 uniform and headdress, and all the Officers, both senior and junior pacing around the dining hall, mess and the garden, my right hand was never at rest. Some of the newly commissioned officers were taken aback when we saluted them, and was either busy looking for my rank on my uniform, or just did not put down his hand when he returned the salute. (When you salute an officer, you do not put down ur hand until he does.) Which means, I had to hold mine up until he realised that, yes, he is THE officer now. Ok whatever. Interesting, seeing foreign military dignitaries gracing the occassion. I guess the SAF must really have loads of diplomatic ties around.

I heard the Band got a standing ovation from the Speaker of Parliament (Who was the Reviewing Officer for the parade) and subsequently from the rest of the audience. Damn, I missed it cos I was detailed as the Bugler for the night. This feeling of being appreciated for being on parade is amazing. When the Band marches towards the reviewing officer and the grandstand playing BANDSTAND (our unit march) , the applause and all the attention is what fuels us.

Missed it though. I din even get it for SAF Day. And they got it today.

Really, would do anything to be on parade for that.