Drill Camp 2016

12th KL Drill Camp 2016

Written by Lance Corporal Jayden Tan of Squad 3

3rd October 2016

On the 16th and 17th (Friday & Saturday), 12th Kuala Lumpur Company held its drill camp in Wesley Methodist School Kuala Lumpur (International). The aim of this camp is to train members in the drill team for the upcoming Kuala Lumpur State Drill Competition on the 17th of August 2016. The total participants of this camp were 15 while 13 members will be representing 12th Kuala Lumpur in the competition.

At 12.45 pm on the first day, we kept our luggage in the Dutton Hall. We filled in in the Canteen in our Company T-Shirt. Before starting our drill practice, we ran up to the Dutton hall to arrange our luggage and hung our uniform there. After that, we started our drill practice under the hot sun and we practiced the synchronization of turnings, hand swinging and all other basic drill. After that, we trained multiple times until we were ready for the competition. After that, Captain talked to us and advised us to trust that we could win the competition and have the team spirit. We listened to him and had a final practice for that day. It was very different and much better than before. We were grateful for our hard work had paid off so far. We had supper and washed up. We were told to have a good night rest to have full energy for the next day.

On the 17th of September, we woke up and washed up at 4.30 am to polish our uniform parts to ensure they were shiny as a new pin. We wore our uniform and pack our luggages into Captain’s car. We had our final practise in the morning and went to SMK St. Gabriel to participate in the KL State Drill Competition at 9.30 am. Before the teams even had a shot to prove to the whole Kuala Lumpur State that their respective team was the best, they had to go through the uniform inspection. The uniform inspection was conducted by a panel of officers from the Kuala Lumpur State Boys’ Brigade Council. The footdrill was judged by several personel from the Malaysian Ground Forces (Angkatan Darat Malaysia). The teams from the senior section will go on to the drill ground in a predetermined sequence with a Junior Section Team preceding it. The drill sequence for the Senior Section team comprised of over 30 commands.

After all the teams competed, we had a quick break before it was time for the results were announced. The awards and closing ceremony was a moment full of tension, excitement and heartbreak alike for the participants. Only three teams out of all the teams present will be selected to represent the Kuala Lumpur State Boys’ Brigade will be selected to compete in the upcoming National Level Drill Competition at the National PESTA held in the month of December. After the closing ceremony, we went on our own separate ways.

Even though we didn’t get to represent the Kuala Lumpur State, being able to partake in the Kuala Lumpur State Footdrill Competition was an eyeopening experience and equivalent to a victory on its own.