The Gruelling Jungle Confidence Course Accomplishment

12th To 27th April 2007
16 days in Brunei, and within this time frame, the Jungle Confidence Course occupied 9 long arduous days...


In my younger days, I have always dreamt of going through JCC, but I have had no idea how to get this opportunity. With the current system (for NS men of course), only the officer cadets in the Infantry vocation of OCS have this honour and privilege to go through this prestigious course.

So when I was being short-listed for Combat Engineers towards the end of Service Term in OCS, I expressed great desire and interest to my Platoon Commander that I wanted to stay in Infantry badly. To my delight, while my instructor was reading out the results of the respective vocations that each of us would be heading to, Infantry was what he read out when it was my turn. At that moment, I knew I could give it a shot for the very much desired JCC.

My back injury was a dreadful hindrance to my OCS journey, as well as to my one and only shot for JCC. I could still recall that horrific moment before JCC, when my back injury suddenly came back and I could hardly walk. It was insane. The pain and my condition were so bad that I had to actually have the thought of forgoing JCC just to commission.

It was painful to give up JCC, and I just could not accept the fact that I was actually about to make up my mind. I did everything I could to get myself back to a stable condition so that I could keep my JCC dream alive. Slowly but surely, the natural healing made positive progress. And with the help of some wicked painkillers, I was able to convince my Platoon Commander that I was physically ready for JCC. Fortunate enough, my name was inserted into list for JCC at the final moment.

Upon my arrival at the airport of Brunei, I was greeted by the notorious tropical thunderstorm. I was told by almost everybody who has been through training in Brunei that it literally rains every single day there, and boy, I was being forced to believe these statements after witnessing it myself. Subsequently, when we embarked into JCC and till the very last day before we left Brunei for Singapore, the daily rainfall proved its existence.

JCC was 9 days long, and we were only being given 1 and a half days worth of ration. Hunger, fatigue, cold, misery, injuries and cuts, were the extreme factors that were affecting all of us. There was a lot more behind the scenes, and there were too much to talk about. It was a hell of an experience, which etched itself deeply into my heart, an experience which I will never forget. Upon the completion of the course, the feeling of sweet success through sheer determination, aggression, perseverance, and a mighty will with a superior mind that endured all pain inflicted by the nature of the course, and also the sufferings from my wretched back injury, I was able to hold my head high up with absolute pride and integrity.

26th of Arpil 2007 Friday, was the day of my graduation ceremony of the JCC, and the JCC badge and certificate were being presented to me by Lakiun Camp Commander LTC Adam. The very moment when LTC Adam punched the JCC badge onto my chest, it was a significant moment that oozed glory and pride. It was truly one of the most defining moments of my life. And to add to the prestige and the precious value of the JCC badge, less than 40% of the participants managed to pass this gruelling course.

To me, this achievement was priceless. It meant so much to me that I gave more than everything I had, and back injury was almost oblivious to me. I have proven myself again that I could push on despite the tremendous odds that were against me.

I dedicate this achievement to my late grandma, whom I loved unconditionally with my true heart, and also to my dad, who has been absolutely supportive, positive, and confident about my ability to overcome these surmounting obstacles in such a difficult situation. Thank you dad.