Nawaooooooo....... Local man is flabbergasted........ The only thing killing the soldiers is that it has been compromised...... Other than that even the 1972 AKs still dey blow person head comot....

Winning a war when the inside has been sold out is hard...... You only try to survive against all odds....... Afterall people are there who are still up and kicking..... If you can't beat them.... Crave out ur own survival method..... When the 5years is out you will be posted out of there to another place ......

But I keep wondering why those light army hilux are still in patrol in Red zone areas in Borno..... When we have armoured vehicles being assembled by Pro Force..... But Las Las those jihadist d snatch everything...... Armoured vest nko...,,,,,,,, Maybe it's because of the heat but the extra weight of the vest....army officers no just send the vest.....



Anyways.... I decided to start jogging today........after my pop in March... I had stopped jogging............

My experience today was funny..... Was expecting to complete my 3.2km less than 30minutes like before...... But I ran out of gas at 1.5km....i was even seeing stars sef and one yeye shit come dey hold me...... Chai.... I come take break siddon reason my life for like 15mins...... After regaining strength I come begin run again...... Las las na 40minutes I use finish am........ I don slack..... Maybe na because I had stop for so long........

Well na to keep practicing till am closer to the required time.....

The funny thing be say.... As I come back the shit no come worry me again until this evening

KODACK:


Who is legbete and which state does he hail from??

Tell me more about him/her

Lol.... The way you dey answer person sometimes eh.....that's how lebete was..... He was always involve in throwing tantrums when you ask a question here......even when he created a thread about how to collect his original certs from the army because he.wanted to jaapa..... He was still giving it to people who wey questioning his actions hot hot

KODACK:



2 months and 17 days.

Thanks for the info

actually the screening list was released December 28...we reported to NDA 3/4th...and I was screened out on the 14th but the screening was meant to last till 18th..they resumed training January 30

Life isn’t easy

Damfostopper:
Nawaooooooo....... Local man is flabbergasted........ The only thing killing the soldiers is that it has been compromised...... Other than that even the 1972 AKs still dey blow person head comot....

Winning a war when the inside has been sold out is hard...... You only try to survive against all odds....... Afterall people are there who are still up and kicking..... If you can't beat them.... Crave out ur own survival method..... When the 5years is out you will be posted out of there to another place ......

But I keep wondering why those light army hilux are still in patrol in Red zone areas in Borno..... When we have armoured vehicles being assembled by Pro Force..... But Las Las those jihadist d snatch everything...... Armoured vest nko...,,,,,,,, Maybe it's because of the heat but the extra weight of the vest....army officers no just send the vest.....



Anyways.... I decided to start jogging today........after my pop in March... I had stopped jogging............

My experience today was funny..... Was expecting to complete my 3.2km less than 30minutes like before...... But I ran out of gas at 1.5km....i was even seeing stars sef and one yeye shit come dey hold me...... Chai.... I come take break siddon reason my life for like 15mins...... After regaining strength I come begin run again...... Las las na 40minutes I use finish am........ I don slack..... Maybe na because I had stop for so long........

Well na to keep practicing till am closer to the required time.....

The funny thing be say.... As I come back the shit no come worry me again until this evening

KODACK:

Who is legbete and which state does he hail from??
Tell me more about him/her

https://www.nairaland.com/3704814/bitter-sad-regretful-experience-dssc

https://www.nairaland.com/3661282/what-happens-decide-leave-cadet

See like Una pieces bottle full thread abi na the small videos una watch morale don begin drop..
Ask sojee oo! There is death in the military awon Khaki lovers and like person talk people wey wan go find babe for ShopRite make una think an twice o.

ugo4u:

https://www.nairaland.com/3704814/bitter-sad-regretful-experience-dssc


https://www.nairaland.com/3661282/what-happens-decide-leave-cadet

I go read am


Enesi009, I can't be like this guy....and we ain't from the same state......

sikowitz17:
actually the screening list was released December 28...we reported to NDA 3/4th...and I was screened out on the 14th but the screening was meant to last till 18th..they resumed training January 30

I think the guy miss type

That's 1 month n 17 days

Damfostopper:
Lol.... The way you dey answer person sometimes eh.....that's how lebete was..... He was always involve in throwing tantrums when you ask a question here......even when he created a thread about how to collect his original certs from the army because he.wanted to jaapa..... He was still giving it to people who wey questioning his actions hot hot

Ugo4u just sent me the guys link...make I go read am.

You pronounced hot hot like saka in a Nollywood sitcom....PHONE SWAP

KODACK:





Ugo4u just sent me the guys link...make I go read am.

You pronounced hot hot like saka in a Nollywood sitcom....PHONE SWAP

lol..... Happy reading

Damfostopper:
Nawaooooooo....... Local man is flabbergasted........ The only thing killing the soldiers is that it has been compromised...... Other than that even the 1972 AKs still dey blow person head comot....

Winning a war when the inside has been sold out is hard...... You only try to survive against all odds....... Afterall people are there who are still up and kicking..... If you can't beat them.... Crave out ur own survival method..... When the 5years is out you will be posted out of there to another place ......

But I keep wondering why those light army hilux are still in patrol in Red zone areas in Borno..... When we have armoured vehicles being assembled by Pro Force..... But Las Las those jihadist d snatch everything...... Armoured vest nko...,,,,,,,, Maybe it's because of the heat but the extra weight of the vest....army officers no just send the vest.....



Anyways.... I decided to start jogging today........after my pop in March... I had stopped jogging............

My experience today was funny..... Was expecting to complete my 3.2km less than 30minutes like before...... But I ran out of gas at 1.5km....i was even seeing stars sef and one yeye shit come dey hold me...... Chai.... I come take break siddon reason my life for like 15mins...... After regaining strength I come begin run again...... Las las na 40minutes I use finish am........ I don slack..... Maybe na because I had stop for so long........

Well na to keep practicing till am closer to the required time.....

The funny thing be say.... As I come back the shit no come worry me again until this evening

Am not a physical trainer.
But am gonna tell you something based on my experience,which I had yesterday.

Yesterday was the first time I jogged in this half of the year..... But I completed 5.2km in 30mins.......how I did it I don't know, all I can say is that you need to build your stamina and endurance.......I skip morning and evening (over 500), 50 sit up morning alone(but I added evening when the Army form came out).......... Then when I was jogging I didn't run, I just started with a speed I knew I could continue with if I was tired, and holla I hit that time.....I was shocked myself, but I got knocked out all day long.


I'm sure experts in the field of jogging would shed more light for you.


Wehdone bros

olawaleseun:

Making reference to last year SSC/DSSC recruitment, the application portal closed in the 11th of November and the Shortlist Was released January 28

No sir, Form closed on 30th Nov 18, Shortlisted candidates List released on Thursday 27 Dec and screening commences 4 Jan 19 to 18, Final list was released on 28 January and they report on 30th Jan.

Success1930:
You guys are funny but u all av spoken well.Permit me to ask simple questions.Will DSSC officers {Lieutenants} go for war or only SSC does ? 2} if u are giving opportunity to choose btw SSS{intelligent officer} & Army which one will u prefer? Considering the following factors
~Career advancement
~Salary & allowances
~Incentives
~Prestige or respect
~Weapon
~Foreign training
~Exposure
~Promotion

Thanks in anticipation

Nigerian Army, no compromise

Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

When jogging never open ur mouth, never run and try as much as possible to complement ur speed with relief or terrain. Let ur target be ur push.

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money trying the treat the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller now than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why did that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

So sorry AB odinba,, I remember that Night when we advise u to calm down, Your Eyes will be alright, but d next day you are no where to be found,
Wish u best of Luck
KT 29

This is a most gracious piece you just penned down...I appreciate you for being able to stay strong, move on, and hold on to God. You are a great man.

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

Quite an emotional piece, I respect your decision what saddens me more is that NA has lost an intellectual colossus to civil life, was hoping you would shoot your shot again, but as people much wiser will say, "Let the will of God guide our choices in life". It's obvious that God wants to use you in a greater/bigger capacity.
It is well!!!
Later in life God's grace we will all look back and smile at the choices we've made.
*modified*
I think this deserves to be a thread on its own.

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

mehn..... So touching...... Best wishes to you

shobroy10:
When jogging never open ur mouth, never run and try as much as possible to complement ur speed with relief or terrain. Let ur target be ur push.

Hahahahahahahah lol...... I find the "jogging and opening of mouth" funny...... How can you be jogging and be opening ur mouth......


That means air intake from both the mouth and nostril ......mogbe

odimbannamdi


#word

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

[b]We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them[b] So Emotional

KODACK:



I don't know what you are talking about

keep on denying ur state and ur tribe I here u

KODACK:


Who is legbete and which state does he hail from??

Tell me more about him/her

he is from ur state read about him here https://www.nairaland.com/3486557/course-44-experience-nda-2016

enesi009:
he is from ur state

Na me dey answer you na en make.

Naso all this igbira people dey behave

Your bank of wisdom experience is really vast brother. Indeed, the higher powers had their sight for you set on something else. Nevertheless, your deeds will make you a Field Marshall in your current endeavor. This one really sunk deep, "Don't burn the bridges".

God bless the Marshall Odimbannamdi
God bless NLanders and all the Airborne's
May We See Peace Gentleman

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen.

Gentleman d portal is closed

KODACK:


Na me dey answer you na en make.

Naso all this igbira people dey behave

y e dey pain u like dis na.. Because I know D state u come from.. Take am easy ehn am not from Edo State I won't chance u keep on guessing no be only igbira, na nupe or bassa

enesi009:
y e dey pain u like dis na.. Because I know D state u come from.. Take am easy ehn am not from Edo State I won't chance u

Dude, because I once mentioned that I graduated from FGC Ibillo doesn't mean I'm from Edo.

Because I graduated from a university from a particular state doesn't mean I hail from that state.

Nothing is paining me from the way you want to know about my state...... continue the research, am sure till your dying breath you won't know my state even with your igbira juju you no go still know.

......but I just have two problems with you.

1. Why are you denying been an igbira person?....is it because of their violent nature and unruly behaviors??
..... Is it because I know about your state of origin thats why you are trying all your best to know mine.... I have friends from kogi state, and they attested to the fact that no any other tribe bears such a name........ I'm in pains now, cos am currently laffing at you in Swahili.

2. Worry about making the list.....cos am currently not a fan of stalkers..... But if you insist, Continue.......maybe it would make you sleep well at night.

KODACK:



Dude, because I once mentioned that I graduated from FGC Ibillo doesn't mean I'm from Edo.

Because I graduated from a university from a particular state doesn't mean I hail from that state.

Nothing is paining me from the way you want to know about my state...... continue the research, am sure till your dying breath you won't know my state even with your igbira juju you no go still know.

......but I just have two problems with you.

1. Why are you denying been an igbira person?....is it because of their violent nature and unruly behaviors??
..... Is it because I know about your state of origin thats why you are trying all your best to know mine.... I have friends from kogi state, and they attested to the fact that no any other tribe bears such a name........ I'm in pains now, cos am currently laffing at you in Swahili.

2. Worry about making the list.....cos am currently not a fan of stalkers..... But if you insist, Continue.......maybe it would make you sleep well at night.

continue guessing my state too dat won't make me accept it it's just show hw naive and insensitive u are... I choose to be ignoring u b4 but I wouldn't anymore.. For some one I thought is intelligent d more u speak only shows how low ur faculty his, for a person bearing a certain moniker is not an guarantee his associated to a tribe but to be honest I am enjoying it fooling some one who is already fooling him self ;DAm for ur info I grow up in Edo state and I know u if even u deny ur origin... Stalker cos u are d one who started de stalking I just decide to give u a feel of what u dish out.. U denying been ibilo and ur behavior here only confirmed to me hw dey always behave like savage dey her.. Sorry bro u just confirmed my assertions btw making d list is neva end game but for u I can sense is despiration

enesi009:
continue guessing my state too dat won't make me accept it it's just show hw naive and insensitive u are... I choose to be ignoring u b4 but I wouldn't anymore.. For some one I thought is intelligent d more u speak only shows how low ur faculty his, for a person bearing a certain moniker is not an guarantee his associated to a tribe but to be honest I am enjoying it fooling some one who is already fooling him self ;DAm for ur info I grow up in Edo state and I know u if even u deny ur origin... Stalker cos u are d one who started de stalking I just decide to give u a feel of what u dish out.. U denying been ibilo and ur behavior here only confirmed to me hw dey always behave like savage dey her.. Sorry bro u just confirmed my assertions btw making d list is neva end game but for u I can sense is despiration

Kindly correct your grammar, don't be in a hurry to reply. Calm down.

I don't understand Abit of what you just sent.

Like I told you......you choose to believe what you believe. OYO 4 YOU


wannan mutumin ba ya samun kwakwalwa….

ni dai mamakin me yasa yake tayar da hankali da ni kamar haka.

Ugo4u ka roƙi wannan mutumin ya bar ni....haba

KingAzubuike:
Many of you are joining this thing because of two things.

Unemployment and power to harass the civilian populace.

Sad but true