Posted on 02-Dec-2014
By Lance Corporal Soo Oosheng of 12th Kuala Lumpur Company 
October 23rd, 2014
Sometimes I think about how different I am now compared to how I was a few years back. I was once a disobedient, disrespectful, undisciplined, and short-tempered chap that always think for himself. I have never thought about what goals I will achieve in my life. But after I have been informed that I got offered a scholarship to continue my studies in Singapore, I stopped and realised how big the impact and the influence of The Boys' Brigade has been to my life.
Back in the year 2011, I successfully passed the entrance exam to study in Wesley Methodist School in Kuala Lumpur in year 2012. I was excited and sad at the same time - being happy that I can go to one of the best secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, but at the same time I felt sad with realisation thatI have to leave my friends from primary school as none of them got through the entrance examination. I was very confident that I could make new friends straight away because I used to have an ego as big as the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. I mean, how hard can it be to make friends? But boy, I was wrong.
Because of my lack of maturity and thoughtfulness, I was soon abandoned by most of my peers and felt isolated most of the time. I was so lost and have no idea how to survive in middle school without friends. Having no clue what was the reason that I had no friends to talk to and how unacceptable my behavior was. The next thing I knew was that I enrolled with The Boys' Brigade Company which operates in my school, the 12th Kuala Lumpur Company. You ask me why - because of the cool uniform design. But who knows, that decision was the best decision that I have made, which will affect my life and will bestow me a bright and clear future later on.
Being a member in 12th KL Company was my first time in my entire life joining The Boys' 
Brigade. It's the place where I have learnt about how important it is to obey our leaders and those we can trust i.e. our parents, why do we need to respect everyone else, how tolerance is necessary in a society, and last but not least, how disciplinary is the key to success in life. It is also the place where I have learnt to accept failures, when I failed to pass my Target Badge assessment test when most of the recruits passed with no sweat. I retook the test, not once, but three times, before being acknowledged by my Officers that I am worthy to pin the badge on my right arm.
Now when I think about it, it's the small, gold-colored badge that made me stay in this Company. I am surprised that I actually had the perseverance to take the same test over and over again just to get a badge that no one in my Company shed a sweat for. I could have just left the Company and sleep through the day every Saturday! Why did I go through that much hassle just to earn the right to pin a basic, gold-colored small badge on my right arm? Then it dawned on me. That is where I realised that I have been mesmerized by BB, so much that I think it's mightily important in my life as a young Boy.
It actually happened to be 2012 when BB Pesta was held in Johor. That was where I got to know what the big picture of the oldest uniformed unit in the world was. When I got to know how widely spread BB was, how passionate people are to make BB recognisable to everyone else in this whole world and how strong their spirits are, how thick their "Blue Blood" is, my perspective towards BB took a sharp 180 degrees turn. It just occurred to me that I had to stay in BB after I attended that fiesta. I can't tell you why, but I just fell in love with BB.
Now, I can proudly say that because of BB, I have learnt to tolerate and patient with others. Because of BB, I have learnt leadership. Because of BB, I have learnt how to communicate with each other properly. Because of BB, I have met true friends. Because of BB and everything I have learnt in it and through it, I passed the interview and am offered a scholarship to continue my studies overseas. All of it would not have happened if I chose not to join BB, not to continue in my pursuit for the Target Badge. I want to thank The Boys' Brigade, my Officers, my and fellow friends. Last but not least, I am proud of having my Target Badge that is always pinned on my chevron, constantly reminding me what and who has shaped me into who I am today.
