The Hegehogs' Story

Back when I was an Officer Commanding in Basic Military Training Centre, it is always heartening when many of my ex-recruits, having made their way to command school or other units, return and tell me that their most memorable, defining moment took place in their Basic Military Training.

My main objective was always to ensure that the recruits, who train under me, have a positive experience. That includes ensuring their safety, valuable use of their time, making sure everything we ask them to do is purposeful and meaningful, and ensuring they work well together and support one another.

Each batch I took, I started my opening speech with this story:

It was the coldest winter ever. Animals were freezing due to the cold.

The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

Basic Military Training is likely the first time these young men live in such close proximity to many others (usually 15 others as 16 makes a section) for an extended period of time (normally 9 or 17 weeks depending on their batch type). Typically, there will be certain habits everyone has which might "prick" others. When the focus is on these rather than training to their best ability, these habits can sometimes lead to bigger arguments amongst the young men.

Additionally, this is usually the first time they are separated from their family for so long, family they have been living with, who have been supporting them for the past 18 years. Also faced with physically demanding training program, Basic Military Training is a trying phase where many term is the rites of passage from boys to men.

However, the ones who are there to their left and right, will be the ones who will go through everything together with them. Everything they are going through, the person beside them is going through the same. It is ever so important to work together, help and support one another, and survive the Basic Military Training together.