Sergeant Justin Tan

"All my life I had always been someone who was anxious and weak, I always wanted to stay home and was afraid of being away from home. So, when I came to Wesley in Form 1, I was really worried for my secondary school life. A new school with new faces meant a new

lifestyle for me. It was already bad enough for me at the time until I realized that it was compulsory for me to join the Boys’ Brigade. I thought to myself that I was not going to survive till the end of high school. Who would want to wake up at 6 in the morning, on a Saturday, to go to school? Let alone polish their uniform parts the night before! Well the first time I took interest in the Brigade was when I was put into the Boys’ Brigade Marchpast for Sports Day 2014. At first, I didn’t quite get the commands and movements for drill, until this particular senior pulled me aside and began teaching me everything slowly. Slowly, even I didn’t see it at first, I became better at drill and the moves and all came to me easily. I started liking it. The one thing that recruits hate the most during parades – Drill, was the one thing that made me love the Brigade. Slowly, I found no trouble every Friday night polishing my uniform parts and waking up early the next morning to go to school. That particular senior was the first person who actually made me reevaluate my life, he was the one who inspired me to push on. His optimism was one-of-a-kind, and I followed his example. I decided to stay in the Brigade and tried to become an NCO. Eventually, I did become an NCO but after some time, I found myself lacking the

commitment to push on, for the job of an NCO was not what I had expected. However, through ups and downs, with faith I continued, eventually meeting God which rekindled my passion for the Brigade, eventually reaching the role of Sergeant, achieving the once lost dream I had when I was a recruit. There were definitely ups and downs, moments where I felt like serving the company even more and moments where I felt like leaving the Brigade. The true reason I stayed was because God had so lovingly blessed my journey with seniors who lead by example, molding me into the person I am today. Being in the Brigade has done a lot for me. I started walking without dragging my feet wherever I go, complained less, had respect for when I dress, started being more discipline and even started doing push-ups as an everyday routine! If I hadn’t been in the Brigade, I would still be the small frail boy who didn’t want to go out and explore the world. I wouldn’t have been able to perform first aid nor climb a mountain if it weren’t for the Brigade. I serve in this company now because I want to do the same to the younger boys what this company had done to me for it is said in Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” I have dedicated myself to making sure the Brigade changes the life of another boy the way it changed mine.”

-Sergeant Justin Tan, 2018

Sure and Stedfast

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