A day in the life of a non-combat supply assistant (storeman)

For reference, my exact vocation is SA(GE), and I'm a pretty relaxed company storeman for a CSSCOM unit.

What is a supply assistant?

According to CMPB,

The Supply formation commands, plans and provides logistics support across the full spectrum of operations.

This doesn't mean much, but I guess it's true

Let's go on ...

We train supply assistants to plan and implement the transportation of goods, equipment, and services. You will play an important role in ensuring logistical support is promptly and readily available for all SAF missions, allowing other formations to concentrate on their mission objectives.

Ignoring the transport part, not all is exactly true, because the SAF did not train me to be a supply assistant at all. I OOC-ed, and that's why I'm here, so my only training has been from my potato upper-study or Encik. The second part is very true. Often times if you weren't there, your unit will suffer because there's a lot more stuff they have to do themselves. More about this later

You will serve as the custodian of the SAF’s inventory, and manage and account for all our capabilities and equipment.

This is true. Note that "manage and account" can also mean "held liable".

There's some more stuff "supply chain management" and forklifts, but none of this really applies to me, so I cannot speak about it.

How does one become a supply assistant?

It's possible to be posted to a unit as an SA. You may see something like "SA(GE)", which means supply assistant general equipment. In my unit, however, none of the SAs (or ASAs) were directly posted here, but all of them OOC-ed from some course and ended up here.

Those who get Supply assistant on their posting order after BMT will probably go through the Course (unsure of the exact name), which I believe is held in Sembawang camp, similar to the driving course. To see more about the course, refer to page 39 of the NS Vocations Handbook.

What's a day in my life like?

• before 0800: wake up/enter camp + (don't) eat breakfast
• 0800: first parade + draw store keys
• 0800-0830: "fix" stores (put some log books back ...)
• 1830-1200: various tasks
• 1130-1400: lunch
• 1200-1700: various tasks
• 1700-1715: "clear" stores
• 1700-1730: last parade + fallout/bookout

Tasks

What are the various tasks? I'm in a transport unit, so the tasks may be different if you're in a different unit. The most important is opening the door to the store for a transport operator before a detail. We have to make sure they sign the log book after they take their items (like fire extinguishers). After their detail is over, we have to open the door again.

Whenever someone needs new bedsheets, you are the man they're looking for. You are responsible for opening the "general store" where they keep their dirty laundry and get the clean bedsheets, blankets, and pillow cases. When there's too much dirty laundry, the laundry man comes to take it. The same guy will come a few days later with the clean laundry and help you unload it into the store.

I like to call Supply Assistants "Encik's assistants" too. That's because you help your sergeant major do whatever non-office work he does. This can include anything, and I mean it. Let's play a little game. Which of the following is not something you can possibly help your Encik with?

1. Do some painting
2. Get tea and snacks from the canteen for Encik
3. Escort contractors (external workers) around camp
4. Take you to his home to help move furniture
5. Manage indentation of lubes
6. Print out and laminate posters to hang around the company
7. Look for "missing" vehicles

Answer: None of the above, it's a trick question. About number 4, although I haven't had to do it, I've definitely seen it online somewhere.

Apart from this, you will also assist in IPPT conducts and spatial training. In IPPTs, you may be a marshaller, or you could help the medics if required. In spatial training, you just move cones to the parade square. Both of these require ice packs and water areas set up, which you will do.

Other stuff

Here are some (unspoken) rules, tips, or anything else that didn't fit under the above headings

• There will (should) always be more than 2 storemen at a single point in time. One guy usually can't manage everything. Two is a good number, but for certain things, two isn't enough either.

• Keep the store keys on you at all times. Only give it to other SAs or ASAs. Do not give it to anyone else, even the commanders. If they ask, just tell them "I'm not supposed to give these to anyone", and accompany them for whatever they need.

• Depending on your unit/company, the SA's and ASA's jobs will overlap, so may find yourself doing quite a bit of work on the computer.

• If you're in a chill and relaxed unit like me, expect a lot of free time (more than 2-6 hours), so keep those Netflix downloads ready.

• The store can be a comfortable place to sit if it has an AC. Added advantage: If you stay out of your commanders' line of sight, they won't see you and may designate smaller jobs to other NSFs.

• You're an "essential worker" for your company, so if you are missing, the other storemen suffer. If no storemen are present, the ASAs will probably have to cover. Do not chao keng, because your buddies will hate you for it. Someone has to do that work.

• It's quite interesting to have some form of step counting. Although you are quire free for most of the day, you will be surprised to see how much you've walked. It can be anywhere from 2 km to 13 km per day.

• If you become a storeman through OOC, you may stay a PTE for live. Depending on your unit, course is required to uprank.

• You can tell if your Encik likes you. If they give you the more challenging/difficult tasks like escorting workers, it means they trust you can get it done. If they give you money and ask you to buy them something and also buy yourself something, it's a good sign. If they give you useless work like making sure the laundry looks neat and tidy, it could be an indirect punishment.

Some not-so-good stuff

Firstly, you will be held liable if anything important was somehow lost from the store.

With that out of the way, let's talk about respect. Often, storemen are not well-respected by others in the company. For instance, some people anyhow leave their laundry in the store (despite me telling them where to keep it), so I have extra work. Additionally, TOs are supposed to leave bring back their items on detail (like fire extinguishers and other stuff) back to the store. But some of them leave it around the company and just tell me to put it away from them. I've also seen some people snapping at me or my buddies to get our attention when they need something from the store.

Sometimes you get punished as a "messenger". Imagine this. Encik tells you to get something from some guy. That guy tells you no because blah blah blah. You tell Encik this exact reason. Now Encik scolds you for not getting the "something" even though it is in no way your fault.

And of course, sometimes you have to do everything yourself because your upper-study won't help you. Sometimes the other storemen chao keng and make you do all their work. I may talk more about this in a rant later.

FAQs

1. Are all storemen stayout?

   No, not necessarily. Company storemen (like me) are usually stay in, while HQ storemen may be stay out (from what I've seen online). However, a lot of storemen are PES C or E and are excused stay in, so people think all storemen are stay out. Even if you're stay out, you may be required to stay in for an early morning task the next day.

2. How much free time do you get?

   On average, I'd say around 4. Some days, I spend the entire time in office. Other days (for example, when you need to set up for an IPPT), you won't have much free time (but you'll have enough)

3. Do you ever go outfield?

   I'm an "equipment" supply assistant in a non-combat unit, so no, never. Those in combat vocations probably go outfield.

Feel free to ask anything else, share your experiences, or fix any mistakes I made by messaging me on Reddit.