BROTHERS IN NS

Since the fraternal triplets from the Hong family started their National Service (NS), their house has been transformed into a "military bunk".

"I had to help my understudy repair so many vehicles today, very siong (tiring in Hokkien)" lamented Corporal (CPL) (NS) Benjamin, an automotive technician at Headquarters (HQ), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command.

"Very siong meh?" retorted Corporal First Class (CFC) Clarence, a Military Policeman (MP) serving at Gombak Base.

"Eh, my 'upper-study' is going to ORD (Operationally Ready Date) soon and is clearing his leave. I have so much to learn in a really short time," Recruit (REC) Derek, an administrative support assistant at HQ Republic of Singapore Air Force, chimed in.

The conversation was but a glimpse of the bantering wisecracks that the close-knit trio exchanged throughout the interview.

Even though all three are "stay-out" personnel because of the non-combat nature of their vocations, they bond like stay-in soldiers in much the same way, except that the triplets do it at home.

Brotherly help

During the Basic Military Training (BMT) phase, CPL (NS) Benjamin, who was the first to enlist, shared first-hand tips with CFC Clarence who was due to enlist a month after him.

"I knew how life was like in (Pulau) Tekong... The instructors would go around 'stealing' your rifles during field camp to teach you to be alert at all times. I taught him to secure his rifle by hooking his waist belt through the scope or handle bar of the rifle," recalled CPL (NS) Benjamin, who completed his Full-time NS in February.

The fact that REC Derek went through a different BMT course because of his hearing problems, and enlisted a year later because he went to a polytechnic, only made their shared BMT experience more diverse and enriching.

While the tips were not applicable for his four-week PES (Physical Employment Status) E BMT which focuses on service support training, REC Derek felt like he got to know all the different characters his brothers encountered, from the nerds to the show-offs.

Boys' talk

Similarly, serving in different vocations gave the trio plenty to talk about. CPL (NS) Benjamin often discusses his automotive work with REC Derek, who holds a diploma in aerospace engineering. The discussion sometimes turns into heated debates.

"They are always arguing about what fuel or engines are suitable for military vehicles or aeroplanes," said CFC Clarence." But I don't join in their conversation; I'm on a different wavelength."

He added: "Benjamin always hao lian (Hokkien for show off) about how many vehicles he is able to repair in a day."

CPL (NS) Benjamin then pointed to REC Derek: "Derek always tells us there are many chio bu (Hokkien for pretty girl) Defence Executive Officers in his camp canteen."

When probed for more details, the trio, who are all single 20-year-olds, blushed immediately.

From boys to men

On a more serious note, their father, Mr Hong Tuck Choy, was pleased with their transformations from boys to men.

"When they were growing up, they were always running around. But now you can see that they have become more mature and responsible," said the 58-year-old who served his NS as an aircraft technician in the early 1970s.

CPL (NS) Benjamin, who admitted that he does not enjoy getting his hands dirty, has become a seasoned and skilled technician.

And REC Derek, who described himself as not being very sociable, is now improving his interpersonal skills through working with people from various departments.

Likewise, CFC Clarence, whose ORD is in March, has learnt to deal with difficult people as an MP. "I was not street smart in the past, and if an unexpected situation suddenly cropped up, I would not know what to do, but now I ve gotten the hang of it," he said.

When asked to sum up their NS experience as triplets, the boys didn't feel that their experience was any different from that of others. Said CFC Clarence: "NS is something all boys have to do, so we just do our part and have fun along the way!"