Having been through the seventh NDP combined rehearsal at Nee Soon Camp, our next one will be the last one held at the 'Home of the Engineers', after which we will move to the Padang. Many of those marching in our contingent don't like burning their Saturdays would jump at the first opportunity to avoid the rehearsals, but I seriously find every ounce of pride being there and doing what I've been told to do at the parade. It's a thoroughly unique and rare opportunity to be marching there, as well as marching off on a 2km route that takes me from the City Hall past the IR, and most importantly, seeing the combined F-15 and F-16 fly by from where I'm going to be standing.
This year's parade very oddly features the supporting contingents of the Girl Guides, Boys' Brigade, SJAB, NPCC and NCC (yess, the NCC too) sporting umbrellas as their 'arms'. I never gave thought to what they usually carried during the parade, but umbrellas, and red ones at that, seem to touch quite a raw nerve when they're issued to the NCC, of all formations. I'd feel quite embarrassed if I were in that contingent. My hopes for it being a prop were dashed when I realised that their 'Hormat Senja-ta', or presenting of arms, involved them opening up their umbrellas in tandem for the arrival of the President. What then, should their arms be?
Anyway, what's most interesting in my opinion is the NDP 2010 march-out/in song. I liked it the first time I heard it; it's tune is thoroughly uplifting for a march, as any NSman should attest to. I found the song on youtube (keep in mind it's not the theme song, it's the marching song) and I'd have to say, it's very laughably communist-like.