BNTS/ANTS 2016

ANTS 2016- ONE SURVIVE, ALL SURVIVE! Written by Lance Corporal Teh Eng Hong of 12th Kuala Lumpur Company

On the 12th of March, the Advanced NCO Training School (ANTS) was held in Wesley Methodist School Kuala Lumpur (International). A total of 33 members from various companies within the Kuala Lumpur State as well as some from Selangor State participated in the training school. The camp started at 8 a.m. in the morning with registration. In order to complete registration, we were to complete a series of tasks. Even if the tasks seemed simple and like child’s play, due to some of us missing out some minute details, this resulted in wastage of time which resulted in the infamous ANTS punishment which were lots to be accumulated. After quite some time, we finally completed registration. After a quick briefing by the Head Coach, Mr Andrew Tan Tze Yuen, Lieutenant of 12th Kuala Lumpur regarding the dos and don’ts in ANTS. He also told us that ANTS was a simulation on what we would face while working in the real world. Shortly after that we went down to the Futsal Court to begin our first activity.

The first activity of ANTS 2016 was Pass the Bottle. We were supposed to pass 40 bottles from one end to another without breaking any of the rules set by the Head Coach and within the goal set by ourselves. Through this game, we learnt about goal setting, the importance of communication while working as a team as well as anything was possible. This was seen when we initially took two minutes and forty eight seconds to complete the challenge, we managed to bring it down to one minute and twenty four seconds after a few rounds. The initial goal set was to complete it within a time frame of three minutes. After that we were given a lecture regarding goal setting by Mr Chan Liem Joe.

This was followed by lunch. We changed into our ceremonial attire after lunch as we prepared ourselves for the opening ceremony. Just like the previous years of ANTS, the campers were required to do the Guard of Honour. The practice took quite a while as some of us were not very sure of the commands. After the practice we did the Guard of Honour to welcome the guest of honour who was Mr Andy Tan who was the State Commissioner of the Kuala Lumpur state Boys’ Brigade as well as the current Captain of 4th Kuala Lumpur Boys’ Brigade. After we succeeded in doing the Guard of Honour, we then had a short group photo session.

After doing the Opening Ceremony, we had exactly five minutes to change out of our ceremonial attire into smart casual. Then we had a quick debriefing from the head Coach and then we followed our squad coaches into our classrooms for a group discussion where we were required to set our squad goals and a few squad rules. After that we had an hour for washing up. We then refreshed ourselves with dinner after a few stern reminders about punctuality and Esprit De Corps from the head coach as some of us were late while coming down to dinner.

Shortly after dinner we went up to the Dutton Hall for a session regarding Problem Solving by Madam Su Ling, Captain of 6th Kuala Lumpur Company. She taught us regarding the steps to solving a problem. To reinforce the lesson we had a game which was Lost At Sea. Each person was handed a piece of printed paper where at first they were required to rate a list of items from 1 to 16 to indicate which item was important narrowing down to which item on the list was the least important. Then in our squads were required to rate the items as a squad. Then Madam Su ling gave us the official rating for the items. Gales of laughter were heard where we laughed at the difference between the official rating and what we as a squad rated the items. Then we were required to calculate our squad score on out sheets which involved nothing more than simple mathematics. The squad with highest score would be able to start ‘rowing’ their ‘life boat’ to the other end of the hall. Before we started rowing, the squads were required to flip their life boat which was ‘upside down’. The ‘life boat’ which was actually a large sheet of thick plastic was more difficult to flip over because all members of a squad were required to flip the sheet of plastic over while standing on it. After the end of the game, only one squad managed to flip their ‘life boat’ over. Through the game, we learnt about problem solving and teamwork. After that we went into our classrooms to have a quick discussion session with our squad coaches.

We then had our supper. While having supper, some of us went to see the head coach to ask whether we could settle some of the lots that we accumulated because the total accumulated was rather worrying. After our supper, we then filled in the Assembly Ground where the head coach gave us his verdict and ultimately told us what one lot meant now. For ANTS 2016, the punishment for one lot accumulated meant the Hercules, which meant our brawn was to be put to the test. He told us we are not to do it that night due to the reason that there was Sunday Service held tomorrow and we required our strength to go through the highlight of ANTS which was Activity Based Challenge (ABC). After that we went and had a good night’s rest.

We began our second day of ANTS with physical training. After breakfast, we then headed up to the Wesley Hall for Sunday Service with the Basic NCO Training School (BNTS) trainees. Before the service started, we introduced ourselves to the trainees of BNTS and exchanged greetings. The hall was filled with voices in greeting and sight of hands being shook. We had a round of Praise and Worship where we sung two songs to praise and worship God. Then Honorary Captain Lawrence Tay spoke to us about the word of God. Then we rushed back to the Dutton Hall after the service ended. This being because we only had two minutes to rush to the Dutton Hall.

After we settled down in the Dutton Hall, the head coach briefed us on what is needed to be done and what will take place after each challenge. After each challenge, all squads were required to be enter the Council Court where the coaches told us our mistakes and the room to improve those mistakes. Then we were required to eliminate two underperforming members by vote. Those members eliminated will be sent to the penalty hall where there were a number of penalties such as date with a Drill Officer, washing toilets until it resembled those of a six star hotel, washing the officers’ car and many more. Nervous laughter was heard from some of us while some of us had shocked expressions while we listened to the head coach list down all of the penalties. Each squad was also given some cards with unique function. The first challenge of the ABC was where all the squads had 70 minutes to record three videos with a maximum time frame of 90 seconds each regarding youth issues faced by parents lately and the solution to the issues which were to join the Boys’ Brigade. To cut the long story short, through the videos, we were supposed to promote BB. Once we were done recording, we were to show the Head Coach all three videos and upload the video on Facebook we thought was best. We had fun.

The second challenge was after lunch. Prior to that we were supposed to change into our smart casual. Then those who weren’t eliminated were briefed by the Head Coach regarding what to do for the second challenge. The second challenge was basically a photo hunt all around the Sentul area. One of the members who owns a smart phone is to keep in contact with the head coach as the head coach will constantly send pictures of the next place. Each squad was supposed to find the location and take a group photo at the location and send to the head coach via WhatsApp. Halfway throughout the game, much to our shock and surprise, squad three which was eliminated was revived. This added an element of surprise and ultimately made the challenge even more challenging. At the end of the game, squad two emerged victorious.

The third and final challenge took place before dinner. The third challenge was called the Dinner Café. Each squad became ‘owner’ of a café and were supposed to design a menu to attract some ‘multi-millionaire’ customers who were the coaches. Each customer had two voting papers where they could vote on a restaurant which they thought did very well. We only had forty-five minutes to complete the challenge. Before the challenge started, all the squads were given forty-five minutes to strategize and plan out what they are going to do. At seven p.m., the challenge started. All of us scurried about, as busy as bees trying to put our ‘café’ in order. At seven forty five in the evening, the coaches begun their evaluation those who were marketing did their level best to market out their café to the ‘multi-millionaire customers’. All of us did our level best to impress the ‘multi-millionaire customers’. After we completed the challenge, we had our dinner. Through ABC we learnt about ethical decision making as well as conflict management.

After dinner we had a debriefing by the head coach about ABC. After the debriefing, we had a game which was conducted by Mr Chan Liem Joe. The game was called the big tic tac toe which aimed to reinforce what we learnt during ABC which was conflict management and ethical decision making. After that the head coach, Mr Andrew Tan played the X and Y game with us which just like the big tic tac toe game, also aimed to reinforce what we learnt during ABC which was conflict management and ethical decision making. After the game, there came the moment all of us dreaded, the time to settle our lots. Then there came a few surprises as well. Due to the deeds of a few trainees, the outstanding amount of lots which were 28 were considered null and void. However we still had to account for our mistakes therefore to pay off the 28, we had to do a drill competition instead of going through the Hercules. Then we had a good night’s rest and slept like a sack of rocks until the next morning.

The third day went off to a flying start with physical training which was followed by breakfast. We then had a lecture by Mr Lawrence Tay regarding Value-Centered Leadership or VCL for short. Then we had games played with us to reinforce the lesson which aimed to teach us to trust in our teammates. Then we changed into our boots and filed in the Assembly Ground where we had our drill competition. We had fun.

After a hurried lunch, we changed into our ceremonial attire once again for the closing ceremony. Some of us were elated with joy when we received our ANTS participation certificates to indicate that we survived this. I gained many experiences and useful skills after going through this camp. Although it was only a 3 day 2 night camp, it certainly brought impact to my life. I am certain that I am now a better leader and ready to carry out anything that will bring the company to the next level. ANTS was an eye opener as well as a unique experience and I would really encourage those who qualify to go for ANTS next year to go for it, for they will never regret going for ANTS. Indeed it the concept of Esprit de Corps, better summarised as One Survive, All Survive is paramount not just in ANTS, but also in our daily lives.