Table of contents
Open Table of contents
Introduction
The NCDCC HQ Parade and Observance Ceremony happened on the 12th April, to commemorate the founding of NCDCC, in 2005. My parade was more special, as it was the 20th year.
The parade is formed by multiple contingents. There are 2 supporting contingents, led by CLTs as CCs (Contingent Commanders). There is the school flag party, where 1 cadet is the flag bearer bearing the school’s NCDCC flag. This cadet is accompanied from behind by theiur escort, who holds the WMG (yes, that water gun). The other contingent is the guard-of-honour contingent, where the first half is formed by CLTs, and the other half is formed by cadets, and in the middle of these 2 are the NCDCC flag, the national flag, amongst others.
Rehearsals
The first rehearsal was a component training, where each contingent is practicing their own drills. For most of the rehearsals, it would be largely, if not all, about drills. So brush up on your drill execution, as you’re going to need it.
Subsequent rehearsals were still mostly drills, except the last 1 hour, which would be parade rehearsals. The weather becomes really hot, since these rehearsals are usually around noon, so drink up and be prepared for some heat.
The actual parade day
Just about everyone was nervous and jumpy. No breakfast was provided (but it usually was), so please have a good breakfast before coming. We reported to the auditorium to put down our bags, and pretty much just waited there. Interestingly, HQ gave us an NCDCC 20th anniversary mug as a souvenir and as a thank-you gift. I remember that we also received gloves to wear for the parade. Once you put them on, you feel like a totally different person, one that is really confident and complete, for me at least. Why? I’ve always wanted to don theose gloves and do flag/gun drills, and now I actually get to wear them (though without the flag and gun). I asked some fellow cadets, and they agreed that felt more ready, perhaps even more respected. You can call me crazy, but that’s how I felt.
📌 NOTE: You can’t keep those gloves. You’ll need to return them at the end. What a shame.
Anyway, I digress. The parade was quite manageable, since it was about 5pm in the afternoon, the sky was clouded over and about to rain, and there was a breeze.
The march-past is arguably the hardest part, and you have to really focus and do your best, as everyone is watching you.
💡 TIP: Since you can’t time aloud when you PANDANG KE KANAN, PANDANG to look right to face the guests-of-honour, you will need to time in your head. Looking at the person next to you to see which arm to raise may mislead you since you think you are on the wrong hand. Trust me, it happens (to me, at least). Timing to yourself will help. Don’t be too distracted though, since you will need to PANDANG KE HADAPAN, PANDANG later.
The award ceremony is for outstanding CLTs and HOs, along with Pinnacle badge award recipients, and school awards. I wasn’t in the award ceremony (having only been in Year 3 and not Year 4), so I can’t say much.
📌 NOTE: You may have to pretend to be award recipients for the rehearsals, even if you’re not receiving an award. Just ignore the person’s name they announce and pretend to collect the award onstage.
Dinner is provided (yay!) in the form of a buffet. The food was (if my memory serves me rightly), beetroot salad, pineapple fried rice, lemon fish, salted egg prawns (shells edible), curry chicken (I think), and éclairs (these were quite nice). There was some sweet drink whose flavour I cannot put my finger on, and some dessert of cheng tng minus most of the ingredients, except peach gum and some agar, I think. There was also 100PLUS sorbet cones in the coolers, or citrus flavour without the fizz (an interesting “ice cream”). Not a bad spread, in all.
Conclusion
Yeah, that’s about it. The parade trainings do require dedication, as you have to spend some Saturday mornings (and sometimes, adternoons) for rehearsals. My advice would be to shine you boots, starch your collars, and do your best. Good luck (you’ll need it)!