Stress days
From last recent monday till Good friday are very tough days for us.We have to study and do practically how to use a S-A(surface to air) & S-S (surface to surface)gun.The gun is fixed to ground on the training shed for us to learn and try,with bullets or rounds .These guns can be found fixed on many ships for defense or attack.The caliber is 0.5 inch.There are certain commands we have to follow when performing on this weapon.We were taught that when we are preparing to engange enemy ship or aircraft, the duty officer will shout the command "gunner 1,close up!"Me or example gunner 1 will have to remove the muzzle and gun cover,check if there is any rounds inside the firing chamber of the gun(if so, take down the round number and discard overboard).Then answer back to officer:"gunner1 close up Clearaway bore clear!"Next he will shout"gunner 1 load!" Then I will cock the gun, feed the gun with the life ammo and put the gun to "safe mode"(meaning that the gun will not fire even u pull the Fire trigger).Then have to shout back"gunner1 loaded half-cock." haha sounds funny?But cock in military terms means the final step b4 abilty to fire the gun whereby a round inside the magazine will be insert into the gun firing chamber after cock.There are much more commands, but i think list 2 enough liao lah.and some more the most difficult part is to answer back after u have followed the officer's command.(readthe previous 2 examples.)Y can't those officers let us Fire At Will when we see enemy aproaching.By the time we answer command here and there, enemy run away liao loh.(joking)