During Basic Military Training, my unit, Kestrel Company, was particularly concerned with our mobile phones. Regular checks were conducted, oftentimes without warning.

This was because of a previous batch of recruits, of which one particular idiot had the brilliant idea of taking an in-camp video recording and then posting it online after graduation.

The video contained explicit content (among other things, guys stroking their dicks) and reached the ears of the Chief of Army and the Chief of the Defence Force in a day.

Needless the say the commanders of my batch were particularly leery of this ever happening again.

One day, nearing the end of my training, we were set to book out (leave) Tekong Island when we were hit with a surprise phone inspection. Everyone in the section placed their phones on a table and my platoon sergeant scrolled through our devices.

When it came time for me, he looked through my photos, abruptly turned to me, and said, “Recruit VegetableSalad, you look the same as you did in six years ago.” He had obviously seen my secondary school photos on my phone.

Without thinking, I immediately answered, “Thank you sergeant!” My heart immediately sank. Did I just screw up?

Platoon sergeant laughed and carried on the inspection. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had been terrified I was about to get my section smoked!