ORD Loh! (Part 1)
Wednesday, 6th February 2008
This day was a special day for twelve of us, minus Kingston, who still had a month of service more to go.
For the rest of us, that day marked the end of our one year and ten months tenure serving the Armed Forces full-time.
The Operationally Ready Date, or ORD, is indeed the day that all full-time servicemen look forward to, and for some of us, it came four months too late (see Exercise Wallaby).
We were well-prepared for the arrival of that day, having gone through an unofficial Civilian Conversion Course for the past month.
Without any appointments, commitments, nor even a slight presence in our company line, we were slowly acclimatising to a life without fall-ins, book-ins and the like.
There would be no more extra or guard duties, nights off, roll calls, lunches and dinners in the cookhouse (not breakfast, usually), arms-cleaning and parades.
Abbreviations like COS, OC, CSM, CO, RSM, ARR, AAR, IPPT, SOC and OVM would not be heard for months after this day.
Unpacking our cupboards and removing every evidence of our stay in our bunks was difficult for some of us, not just because of the memories we would leave behind, but also because there was just so much junk.
The empty bunks, in a much cleaner and repainted condition than when we first moved into 41 SAR, clearly reflected how much change the battalion had gone under since we first arrived a year and a half ago.
Massive renovations in the company line, the first evergreen intake, and the building of a 500-man strong battalion.
The overall Armour Road Relay Champions for 2007, the operationally ready standbys of both Glory and Hawk Company, and the changing of command of our Commanding Officer, Officer Commanding and Company Sergeant Major.
We have witnessed or been part of it all.
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