Leopard tank operator

[vivianho]

Hi my friend recently got interviewed to be a leopard tank operator during bmt (which the ppl who interviewed him said high chance he will be posted there), may i ask if its a very xiong vocation becos he's been very emo after knowing
its the most ulu camp (sungei gedong) in singapore where he had to travel abt 2 hour plus to get there from bedok, maintaining the tank is a nightmare, harsh working conditions (heaty, dusty environment) and etc...

Can someone enlighten me so i can console him a bit?

 

[renfred89]

Hi my friend recently got interviewed to be a leopard tank operator during bmt (which the ppl who interviewed him said high chance he will be posted there), may i ask if its a very xiong vocation becos he's been very emo after knowing
its the most ulu camp (sungei gedong) in singapore where he had to travel abt 2 hour plus to get there from bedok, maintaining the tank is a nightmare, harsh working conditions (heaty, dusty environment) and etc...

Can someone enlighten me so i can console him a bit?

He will get over it in time to come... There's nothing you can do to alleviate his fear and emo-ing unless you personally experience it before.

 

[IncTEh]

if he really get posted as a leopard tank operator, then will he be in 48 SAR. It depends really on your company over there. But from what I understand, it is confirm not as siong as BMT. During outfield, you don't even need to dismount and march. You will be forever in the air-con tank. You dont do maintainence everyday, only twice per week. And normal Basic operator servicing only take 30 mins max.

It is not the most ulu camp, considering SAFAC to have their nearest bus stop 2km away.

Alternatively, ask him to try to get to command school. Then he got another selection chance in SCS or OCS xD

 

[chengwei]

if dont become tankie, doesnt mean wun go to other xiong vocations.
in fact, all vocations have their xiong portion. and of course the easy portion.

as mentioned before, armour personnel spend most of their time in vehicle(other than armoured infantry whom dismount for attack), so dont have to walk and walk and walk...like infantry.

not everyone gets to operate a tank.
and somemore a heavy powered one.
and of course it is definitely not an easy feat to be one too.

lastly, black beret is jin satki.

 

[vivianho]

Thanks for your feedback

Leopard tanks are air conditioned? I thought all leopard tanks are moderately "air ventilated" that provides air for the crew only, which made it still hot and stuffy working inside a tank and not to mention its working in a high powered tank? Since when SAF are so generous to fork out money to install air-con...

Even in this video the guy also said its hot working in a tank & maintaining the tank may take about 2 hours!! LOL

Ep 2: Tank Gunner (I'm a Soldier, Sailor, Airman) - YouTube

 

[j_t_fusion]

there is aircon but the aircon acts more like an air ventilation system to prevent the electronic equipment inside from over heating and also to prevent the ppl inside from getting heat stroke.

tank operator is already one of the better vocations cos you are vehicle-bounded. this means that you will not need to walk and walk and walk while carrying all those heavy equipment. it also means that you will not be exposed to the elements... rain, hot sun, etc.

and it is not as if they will be going out for outfield exercises everyday.

long maintenance hours is good cos a typical day in the unit consist of breakfast, some physical exercises, maintaining equipment, lunch, maintaining equipment, dinner, end of one day. (replace maintaining equipment with sai gang whenever applicable)

if the maintenance of your equipment takes a long time, then you will have a legitamate reason to escape from all those sai gang.

 

[georgeleong]

leopard tank compared to operating Bionics 40/50 or 20mm .. leopard dun chiong so much.

ORD-ed from SAR42 (1st Bionics Batallion) b4 leopard came out but i do agree compared to Armored infantry it's a better job.

 

[Targaryen]

Welcome to 2nd coy. Tell him to look forward to the weekend guard duties too.

 

[IGNITI]

I'm a tank operator from SGC too, although i'm from the armoured engineer side. Dun think maintaining leopard now will be as hard as maintaining a tank that has been phase out by britain since WW2. Remember during my times, training phase very xiong, after that we just laugh at those people walking during outfield. So just tell ur friend don't worry too much.

 

[vivianho]

erm 2nd coy?? What guard duties? And i happened to chance upon this site --> Military Nuts -> Marking A Milestone With 48 SAR

Those comments don't sound good at all...

 

[IncTEh]

leopard tank compared to operating Bionics 40/50 or 20mm .. leopard dun chiong so much.

ORD-ed from SAR42 (1st Bionics Batallion) b4 leopard came out but i do agree compared to Armored infantry it's a better job.

now 30mm liao! xD i just ord-ed.. 9th mono hahas

 

[Targaryen]

erm 2nd coy?? What guard duties? And i happened to chance upon this site --> Military Nuts -> Marking A Milestone With 48 SAR

Those comments don't sound good at all...

2nd coy, which is vacant now, is one of the companies in 48. Guard duty is patrolling around the whole camp; something we all do in addition to our real jobs.

Don't worry too much about NS, it's just not worth your time.

 

[derrickgoh]

IMO for any vehicle, the siong part is not operating but maintaining.

Gone are the days whereby any damn thing u call the maintenance guys. Now is all basic maintenance & repair you DIY liao. Tough enough for B vehicles, good luck for A vehicles.

Didn't know Leopard 2SG has aircon. I only know the CET has aircon. At that time it was the only armoured vehicle with aircon.

 

[chengwei]

didnt notice in the first place...but...TS a girl?


alamak...no offence but how come need a girl to console a guy about NS? "

 

[derrickgoh]

Since when SAF are so generous to fork out money to install air-con...

All 5 tonners and SUVs have air con lor.

 

[derrickgoh]

I'm a tank operator from SGC too, although i'm from the armoured engineer side. Dun think maintaining leopard now will be as hard as maintaining a tank that has been phase out by britain since WW2. Remember during my times, training phase very xiong, after that we just laugh at those people walking during outfield. So just tell ur friend don't worry too much.

How's life with the "elephant"? LOL! I was with the "crocodile"

 

[IGNITI]

How's life with the "elephant"? LOL! I was with the "crocodile"

Hahaha... I'm a CET Tank Comd. ** Aircon, no refrigerant how to have cold air. Air blown out all hot air, might as well don't on. LOL. Maintenance always one hell hectic, but come to outfield, is likkaboss. Enjoy those days man.

 

[vivianho]

His my younger cousin actually where we played together since young so we're more like "friends". Well he sort of dejected after hearing lots of unpleasant xiong experiences tank operators have to endure from his friends and the internet so trying to find some facts to cheer him up.

In BMTC he sort of get tekan a lot so i'm concern whether he can cope with this new vocation if he gets it.

Back to the topic I heard from him that only a handful of them were interviewed abt 100, are they too stupid among the graduating batch of BMTC or simply they rejected going command sch so they were chosen to do this sai kang job?

 

[MrConfused]

The air ventilation system is not as cold as an air con. Basically, you will do maintenance for at least twice a week. You get to travel overseas more than others.

 

[keithlin]

being a tankie is fun, he is lucky that SM1 tank is faced off..
leopard tank is 4 man crew.. maintainence is easy as well.