Passing Out Parade (18/12/07)

18 DECEMBER 2007 (Tuesday) 0630H

As early as 0615H i woke up from my dorm at Dash 1 Delta Company at Block Carlie. It was very cold in the early hours of the morning as it was raining a few hours back. Not that i complain.. Lol. Because today would be a day THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET as it will be my last day at my beloved school... Royal Military College.

So yea its a bit NOSTALGIC i guess the feeling of today as this college has transform me to as better person.

'The Boy has to DIE in order for the MEN to be born'

That quote was given to me in early 2006 just before i enter RMC by my uncle which is an OP (Old Putera- A name given after we graduate from RMC) in the late 60's. Now i truly understand what this quote means...

Well now let me continue my story... After having a bath, we have to wear a uniform (No.4-A uniform that is a dark green uniform that is used during parade and marching) not only that, my shoe was not just an ordinary shoe but a drill boots which have shoe nail that when you march it have a very sharp sound coming out of it and people around will be 'WOW' it.. Lol. Well also with berrer ( a type of hat in the military world) and a red halkel ( jambul in Malay they called it) plus yellow muflar and white glove..

After we when down to the parade square to get prepare for the parade. I remember that it was just 0645H when we came down and the event only starts at 0750H. It was very early and even the sun has not rise yet.

But the special thing about our Passing Out Parade is that is not just the normal marching but with Colt M-16 rifle. And the rank holder used sword for marching.. Who in the world at age 17 use sword or even rifle for marching eh??? It was something right..

So i took my rifle which it serial no is (UPNM 266) and when to my company for final preparation.

Well our parade was actually divided into two contigen.. No 1 and No 2, No 1 contigen consists of the first four company which is Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. Thus follow by the second contigen which is Echo, Foxtrot, Golf and Hotel. Furthermore the company is only consist of two row which normally three and each company is lead by the three rank-holders which is 1 SUO (Senior Under Officer) and 2 JUO (Junior Under Officers). Also in the company were the KSM (Kompani Sarjen Majer) which his job in the parade was to make sure we cooperated with each other. As for me i was in the Foxtrot company. Anyway if you are wondering what is this company is all about, its like house team as like Harry Potter have 4 houses in Hogwarts, as RMC there's 8.

So as the time approaches to the event, i thought that this is it. It all come to this. After two long sweet pain bitter memories.. It all come to the next two hours.

The moment come. We march into the parade square. And waited for the arrival of the VIP's. Not just one VIP but five, including the Chief Of The Malaysian Armed Forces (PAT), while other VIP are Chief of Navy (PTL), Representative of both Chief of Air Force (PTU) and Arm Forces (PTD) and also Chief of Staffs which we waited like almost 1 hours just for all the VIP's arrival. And these are a few picture that were taken while waiting for them.

So just after the arrival of PAT, the parade commander reported to him to commence the parade. First was the inspection of the contigen's by PAT accompanied by the commandant of RMC and the parade commander in a vehicle.

After the inspection, the contigen have to march across the grand stand in both slow march and normal which something similar to the Merdeka parade to honour the VIP's.

Here are the picture of the slow march of my company. Foxtrot company.

And this is followed by the normal march.

After the marching is the prize giving ceremony that was given by PAT. The prize are the 5 most prestigious award in RMC. And here are some picture.

After the prize-giving ceremony, its time to go... As we leave the parade thru the door at the back of the parade square which have the two turrets guarding it. As we slow march we sang 'Pertemuan and Perpisahan' or known as Auld Lyne Syme i think..

So that's it Royal Military College.. My home and my pride.

OP Irsyad Tahir Md Nazri (433882)

Foxtrot 2006-2007