After completing a part of your BMT at Tekong, you may have received a notice that you will be posted to OETI.
There’s not much information about this institute, so what exactly will you be doing there?
Here is my experience after going through the Heavy Arms, Small Arms (HASA) course in 2015.
Contents
What is OETI?
OETI stands for Ordnance Engineering Training Institute, which is situated in Kranji Camp III. This institute teaches you the skills required to be a technician for weapons, armoured vehicles or turrets.
You may have heard that OETI stands for ‘Only Eat Talk Idle’. However, that is the nickname that most people have given it!
OETI is mainly a training institute for potential technicians, where they will equip you with skills to inspect and repair different weapons and vehicles.
Which camp is OETI in?
OETI is situated in Kranji Camp III. The training block and bunks are situated quite far inside the camp. As such, you will need to walk quite a bit before you can reach the institute.
This is quite important when you’re booking in, as you’ll need to factor in that time when you’re booking in on Sunday nights!
Is OETI a stay in or stay out course?
OETI is a stay in course, where you will book in on Sunday nights, and book out on Friday evenings.
There are bunks which are situated at the same block where your lessons are being conducted. This is rather convenient as everything is found in the same building.
However, you may be disheartened to find out that you can’t stay out during the course!
What courses are offered in OETI?
There are a few courses OETI offers:
- Armoured vehicle
- HASA (Heavy Arms Small Arms)
- Turret
The duration of these courses will range from between 2-4 months.
Is OETI considered a ‘slack’ course?
OETI may be considered to be a much less intensive course compared to what you’ll do in a combat fit vocation. You won’t be doing much physical activities during the course, except for the morning workouts.
OETI is mainly a training institute for PES C recruits, or those who have OOC-ed (out of course) from a combat vocation. As such, the physical intensity of the training in OETI is definitely much lower.
You will be participating in both theory and practical lessons, where you will acquire the technical skills which are required for the unit that you’ll be posted to.
What will I do in OETI?
Here is what you’ll do on a typical day in OETI:
- Morning physical exercises
- Basic Technical Training (BTT; with ST Engineering)
- Lunch (cookhouse or canteen)
- BTT
- Night activities (e.g. bunk inspection; drill training)
The days that you have in OETI are rather standard. After participating in the morning workout, you will then go for your lessons which are conducted by ST Engineering.
The best part is that these lessons are conducted in air-conditioned rooms!
During your lunch break, you will be able to go to the Kranji Camp cookhouse, or buy your food from the canteen that’s one level above.
Your seargents and Military Experts (MEs)
When you are not having your lessons, you will be under the command of 3SGs, who have recently passed out of the MASCC course.
These sergeants are in charge of your discipline during the course. They are also under the commands of ME3s and ME4s who are the ones that oversee the running of the entire institute.
Other bonus activities
From time to time, your commanders may grant you a ‘nights out’. This means that you will be able to go out from Kranji Camp for a night, before having to report to camp at 9-10 pm later that day.
The time that you have for your nights out is quite short, so you’ll need to make the most of it!
My friends and I mainly went to Yew Tee Point, which is rather near to the camp. Sometimes, we may play badminton at some courts that are at a nearby HDB.
Other times, your commanders may give you admin time, which means that you are able to do anything that you like within the confines of the camp.
Some people may choose to go to the gym, while others will stay in their room.
This gives you some free time to relax while in camp!
What will I do after OETI?
Here are some things that you’ll do after finishing your course at OETI:
- Passing Out Ceremony (POC) at Sembawang Camp
- Being posted to your unit
- Being given the opportunity to go for the seargent course (MASCC)
OETI is the institute where you are being trained as a technician. Once you have completed your course, you will have a POC at Sembawang Camp.
The POC is conducted for all PES C NSFs which are from the same batch. This means that you will meet some of your friends from Tekong!
After the ceremony, you will be posted to your unit.
This is rather important as you will stay at your unit for the rest of your National Service!
Depending on your unit, you may be given the opportunity to go for a seargent course (MASCC). This is very advantageous as you are able to get the 3SG rank, even if you are not combat fit!
If you are offered this opportunity, you definitely should consider going for it.
Conclusion
OETI is an institute in Kranji Camp III, where you will learn the skills required to be a technician. It may be one of the ‘chillest’ periods of your time in NS.
As such, do try to enjoy yourself, and at the same time, learn as much as possible!
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