10th KL's NCO Retreat 2014

Report by Corporal Nathan Chan of 10th Kuala Lumpur Company

MELAKA - The word “retreat” in 10th KL’s NCO Retreat 2014 is misleading. Held on the 30th of August to the 1st of September in El Sanctuary, Melaka, it was instead a hectic, mentally tiring camp of planning and fellowship.

It started with a bang, with the bus breaking down on the way, requiring an impromptu transit after 2 long hours of waiting. Lunch was served long overdue when we finally reached the campsite.

A session of games came after settling down in the dorms. Held in a crowded hall, it provided some light relief after the long trip. Then came a session of self-evaluation and reflection - less than an hour before dinner.

Then came the long anticipated AGM, the Annual General Meeting. The atmosphere was extremely formal, with stringent protocol enforced when adding anything to the discussion. Within an hour, a new Executive Council was elected.

With the new EXCO in place, a revision of the NCO Honour Code began. Each item in the Honour Code was analysed with the company in mind, as we decided on how to inch closer to those seemingly impossible virtues.

By the time it was over, most of us were more than ready to hit the bunk. And so the dorm was quiet, apart from the chattering of monkeys above and the noise of the ceiling fans in the dorms.

The next day began at 6:30 in the morning, with a session of worship before breakfast. Then came the practical evaluation of the company as a whole, followed by the creation of solution for those problems. The only session of outdoor games preceded dinner.

That night, our Chaplain Anand Kumar came all the way just to give us a memorable lesson in Biblical leadership. With the lesson fresh in mind, we had a final hilarious game of dares. The 2nd day ended with the planning of the next year’s calendar.

The third day was the last. After a final lesson on detailing, we headed home, thankfully without incident. The trip had not been perfect. The dorm toilets got clogged multiple times, and the ball we were playing rolled off a slope once or twice. Yet the camp is one that my fellow NCOs and I will probably remember for a long time.