Is NCO needed in BB??

I would say the second most common term used in the Boys’ Brigade is NCO. What exactly is NCO – “Not Committed Officers” or “Non-Commissioned Officers”?

Well, NCO stands for the later definition but how many of BB members, even NCOs, take time to ponder on what exactly is NCO and what is the function of having this position in the Brigade.

NCOs always prided having stripes on their right chevrons and white lanyard on their left shoulder. It symbolizes authority and higher position compared to Privates. NCOs also have the power to punish boys and give instruction to the other members ranked lower than them. This position is the most-eagerly awaited and most-looked forward short-term achievement in the Brigade. However, how many of the NCOs did actually understand and reflect on its actual role and what is expected of them in this leadership position?

A BB Company can be illustrated as a human body.

• Jesus, the Commander of the Boys’ Brigade, is the head and brain of the body. It provides direction, vision and objective for the company.

• The Officers Council is the nerve system, with the Captain being the major spinal cord, linking the Commander with other parts of the company. Every officer is part of the nerve system.

• The NCO Council is then the skeleton of the body. It provides the support for every movement of the body, which is the various section – Junior, Senior – are the other part of the body like hand, leg etc.

Illustrating this human body, we can visualize the importance of NCOs to the company. Company can have the best vision and goals with all the officers transmitting accurate information and motivate the boys to move towards the goal. However, imagine the company with no bone structure or with weak osteoporosis bones, can the objective be met?

NCOs need to understand their crucial role in the company. As leaders for the Privates, Squad Leaders to your squad members, NCOs must display committed level of leadership. You are bestowed with authority and power to execute your duties as leaders for your squad. However, authority and power comes with responsibilities. When I was an NCO, when a private was punished with 10 push-ups for not polishing their belts, an NCO will be punished with 20 push-ups for similar mistake. I viewed the additional 10 push-ups for NCO as a punishment for not being a good example as a leader. So before you punish your boys/girls, always ask yourself whether you will be able to do better than them? If not, then think twice before punishing because with the authority to punish, you also have the responsibility to correct them.

Every single member assigned to you is like a sheep to the shepherd. Being an NCO is indeed a good opportunity to enhance and learn the art of leadership. If you have learned to handle your squad of ten members, then eventually more will be added to you as time progress. One day, NCOs will become officers in the company and leaders in the society. Then you will realize the experiences and skills learned from the NCO days will come handy.

I observed that NCOs of this generation lacks of initiative and motivation to strive for greater heights. It is extremely important for NCOs to have continuous drive to improve your company. NCO Council provides an excellence platform for NCOs to work as a team to make a difference for the company. NCO Councils can provide many wonderful ideas for improvement, organizing exciting activities within the company and as a support group among NCOs to motivate and encourage one another to pledge their commitment to the company.

However, many a times, strong NCO Council within a company has been seen as a threat to the officers’ authority. I was once the Chairman of the NCO Council and I truly understand the difficulties of having officers viewing the strength of NCO Council as a mutiny (pemberontakan). NCOs must learn to the ways to voice out their opinion and viewpoint in a mature way. In fact, this is the best training ground for you to learn to face the reality of the society. It is good that we learn to interact and debate on our opinion respectably to put forth our argument.

Well, having worn the hat of NCO and then Officer, I certainly viewed the strength of NCOs as a blessing to the company rather than threat to the officers. Officers need to realize that when there are opposition voices from the NCOs, we should take time and consider the argument that the young leaders put forward. We should actually take joy because our future leaders are not merely yes-man leaders but leaders with views and perspectives. Therefore, it is a challenge for Officers to guide these young leaders with the right perspective and framework, according to Christian leadership, to work as a team within the company. After all, the ministry of Boys’ Brigade is for young people and not adults.

Back to the NCOs, are you striving for the best as an individual and as a team in the NCO Council? As leader to your squad member, are you a good example for them to follow? Imagine NCOs with long hair, smoked, played truancy (ponteng sekolah); what example are the boys getting from you? Therefore, NCOs must show respectable image as leaders and yet able to connect with the boys. NCO always needs to build good rapport with his or her members and understand their needs and problems. NCOs should be impacting the boys and girls’ live with their own.

When every Squad Leaders and Assistant had strived to do their best, it is where the NCO Council can perform accordingly. All Squad Leaders should share their squad’s problems and everyone in the team will contribute ideas and support the leader to face and overcome the problem as a team. It is through these team efforts, that NCOs can build the team rapport and move forward as a team. I can assure NCOs that if the NCO Council is united and committed, your company will transform positively beyond imagination. In addition to that, NCOs should also encourage and support one another in our Christian walk in times of personal tribulation and temptation through sharing and prayers. I personally had experienced the wonders of God’s guidance and transformation when NCOs come together in prayer and fellowship.

NCOs – past, present and future aspiring NCOS, feel free to share your thoughts whether is NCO needed in BB?

BB, Drill and I

In my humble opinion, the first BB activity back in 1883 is DRILL. I believed what Sir William Alexander wanted when he started BB was to control and instill discipline into the rowdy boys in his Sunday School class. Well, the best method would be to teach them drill so that we he gives command, everyone follows!

Well, after more than a century, is drill still needed in the Boys’ Brigade? Many argue that the weather today is too hot for drill (at least in Malaysia) and exposing too much to the sun will cause skin cancer. That’s scary!

Personally, drill is the activity I enjoyed most. I liked the feeling of oneness within the team and the smartness with accuracy in executing the movements. There was great sense of satisfaction when everyone is the team do their best in unity.

Having taken part in National Drill Competition in 1996 and 2000, I have gone through some intensive training in drill along with many other physical training, team building and mental psycho sessions were conducted to prepare the team for these competitions. I remembered after one training section, about a month before the competition in year 2000, a fellow Sergeant was sitting down with me and shared his concern with me.

“I’m sitting for my SPM at the end of the year. I have been so involved in this drill competition and have not even started any preparation for SPM. What do you think if we don’t win?”

Well, I remembered replying him that the drill competition is important. What is more important for the company and every member is what we gained in the process of preparing for
the competition. My opinion was we should look at the progress of every member and the team as a whole. We have grown stronger, closer and understanding each other better. Isn’t that already an achievement for us?

To cut the story short, the team actually went all the way and won the National Footdrill Competition despite numerous problems and conflicts. It was a joyous day for the team but certainly one of my worst. The day started off with arguments between three Sergeants in the drill squad, went on to win the competition and the last thing I know is that this will be the last time I drill in this team. I was shouting and jumping in joy but the next moment, I was literally crying, knowing very well I will be leaving the company or even BB. Many thought it was tears of joy but it was indeed tears of sadness. The importance here is the process of building the team and not winning the drill competition. The failure of it that saddens me.

Coming back to drill, what is drill? Is it merely turning right and stamping your foot under the hot sun? Is it worth some much of our time to drill, at least 30 minutes per week?

To be frank, I believe drill is an act to instill oneness and unity within a company and more broadly, in the Boys’ Brigade. When BB members talk about drill, it is like speaking a common language so dear to our heart, regardless of whether we come from English, Chinese or Tamil speaking company. Perhaps Sir William might not have thought about that, but certainly, drill has united us beyond our imagination.

However, as BB marched into the new millennium, there have been so much of changes in the drill system. There was this strong wave of reformation in standardizing the drill system. A drill conference was held in order to discuss and synchronize every particular movement in drill. To me, this certainly does not make sense and illogical!

When I said treating drill like a language, can we expect every Malaysian to sing ‘Negaraku’ exactly the same tone and beat? How then can we expect every single BB boy throughout Malaysia to drill exactly alike? Even the army does not do that. What do you expect then of amateur schoolboys? I am rather skeptical about the reformation.

In the 2003 National Drill Competition, an extra component of BB Drill was included into the marking system. When you have that element, who and how the benchmark is set? Isn’t all who took part in the competition are already BB members? Then everyone should be awarded maximum marks. Sadly that doesn’t happen. To this day, participants who took part in that competition do not know what exactly BB Drill is. Is the reformation for the good for the Brigade or is it causing unnecessary confusion?

The existence of drill competitions is to stirrup the interest of boys towards drill and provides an avenue for boys to have friendly competition. Winning or losing should not be the ultimate aim but just a bonus.

After 12 years actively involved in the Brigade, I humbly conclude that drill was, is and will be the most important tool in BB that instill discipline, building teamwork, concentration and espirit-de-corps as well as physical strength.

What Have I Learnt???

I joined the Boys’ Brigade at the age of 12, rising through the ranks from Private to Staff Sergeant and eventually became a Warrant Officer. Throughout my 12 years in the Brigade, I have learnt uncountable amount of life-changing lessons, which I will share the 5 most important ones.

1) Having a Commander-in-Life

The first, foremost and the best lesson is having Jesus Christ as my Commander-in-Life. The personal relationship built with Him through the guidance of Boys’ Brigade was vital. Although coming from a Christian family, it is through the fellowship and incidents happened in the BB that strengthens my relationship with God.

2) Leadership

Although BB is not the only place I learnt about leadership, but it is through BB that I understand what Christian Leadership is all about. I have the privilege of having committed and dedicated officers to guide and mentor me. The approach of leadership is serving the boys by providing them with example and impacting their lives. At the same time, instill in the boys values of self-respect, reverence, discipline and obedient. The greatest example of Christian Leadership is none other than Jesus Christ himself.

3) Overcoming Homesick

I was a Scout in primary school. Whenever I go for camps, I will cry my way home the very first night. Things did not turned better after going to secondary school. It began to change after I joined BB. It was through prayers and warm fellowship of fellow BB members that helped me to overcome this sickness. The first camp that I managed to complete is Drill Camp in 1996 followed by the week-long Golden Jubilee Pesta.

4) Striving for the Best

My dad used to said, “Don’t do well in your exams, then you better quit BB”. I answered, “BB is being involved in church. It got nothing to do with study.” I assume lots of boys in the Brigade will answer that.
However, after finishing my university and worked, my perspective has changed. Boys must first understand their roles and strive to do his best. Playing a multiple role in our daily life, BB members must work hard and strive for the best in everything they do. It’s all about discipline and the success you achieved in life that will reflect the success of BB training in you. I realized no matter how much you achieve in the Brigade, it will remain as only a small part of your life story. Therefore, strive for excellence in every role you play, be it a son, grandson, student, brother, BB, NCOs etc.

5) Understanding Human Beings

This is the most expensive and most bitter lesson I have learnt. Growing up within a warm fellowship of fellow members in BB was sweet and simple. However, when problems propped up and individuals’ interest come into action, friendship will take the backseat. I learnt the hard way of organizational politics by paying the price of losing all the friends. Backstabbing, betrayal and bad-mouthing became the deadliest weapon. Officers can even misuse their authority to manipulate situation according to their interest. It was also in BB that I learnt the hypocrisy of Christians. Certain people might look pious, religious, caring leader with all wonderful characteristics, however, when personal interest is at stake, the dirtiest and most ruthless ways can be used, even towards fellow BB members and within the BB community.
On a positive note, these incidents had taught me to be more observant and cautious towards the people I encountered. It has taught me to handle different people with different characters in different ways. More importantly, Christians are also human being, therefore they also make mistake.

I remembered!

I remembered! It has been almost 12 years that I have joined the oldest youth uniformed organization in the world. The experiences accumulated throughout this period was filled with joy, laughter, sadness, tears and many more feelings that was indescribable by words.

I remembered! I was 12 years old. One Sunday afternoon in November 1994, after church, I was about to go home. On the way out, I met two BB officers, Teh Tiak and Amos Lim. They offered a casual invitation for me to join them for the afternoon BB meeting. Although I was reluctant, nevertheless, I still when for the first BB meeting that afternoon. From that Sunday, every Sunday afternoon is never the same again. Subsequently, I officially joined the Boys’ Brigade in January 1995, with the 6^th Penang Company.

I remembered! The 5½ years with 6^th Penang Company has been remarkable, experiencing the ups and downs that I guess not many teenagers or even adults had experienced or furthermore, understand! No doubt about it, this period of teenage years was filled with many sweet memories as well as bitter experiences that I would never forget.

I remembered! It was also these 5½ years in 6^th Penang Company that I found Jesus Christ as my Commander-in-Life and in addition, Zhi Ling, my girlfriend for the past seven years.

I remembered! In August 2000, I transferred my BB membership to 1^st Penang Company. Since then, I have been with 1^st Penang until August 2006, where I left to pursue my graduate studies overseas. Six years with 1^st Penang Company has transformed and changed my perspective of BB tremendously. I thanked God for the opportunity to witness His great transformation in the company, from a small company to more than 80 boys when the company celebrated its 60^th Anniversary on 6 August 2006.

I remembered! These 12 wonderful years in the Brigade has been great. I have gained uncountable blessings and experiences, but sadly, along with several regrets as well.

Lastly, “Thank you” Lord for this ministry of Boys’ Brigade and for the opportunity to let me be a part of it.