Army Open House is BACK after a 5-year hiatus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of National Service (NS)! The momentous event is taking place in the city at the F1 Pit, on 27 & 28 May (Sat & Sun), and subsequently in the heartlands in June. Official event details can be foundĀ here.Ā You can also follow The Singapore Army and AOH Facebook pages for the latest event info and show timings.
Miniature Stories is proud and honoured to be a part of the event. We were here earlier in the week where they were already up-and-running with private events. When taking a break fromĀ manning our booth, we got a chance to catch some sneak previews and try out their activities. We have to say – this is definitely an event that’s NOT TO BE MISSED! Especially if you have little ones. š
Here are some of our favourite exhibits. There wereĀ many more activities and shows that we didn’t manage to catch, so be sure to come on down this weekend to explore them yourself!
1) You can try your hand at an actual Standard Obstacle Course (SOC)
Guys who have been through NS might not think much of this, but it will definitely be a hit for kids, or teens who would like to get a sense of how much Ā more you need to train before it’s time to enlist.
Our very own MR-ed Miniature Stories founder, Caleb, ran the course to see if he still has it – granted without FBO (Full Battle Order) weighing him down. After all, it’s been almost a decade since he last did it. Check out his video here:
2) You get to fire weapons
The SAR 21 and MATADOR, which are the ubiquitous weapons used by our NS men, are set up here at the Army Open House for visitors to actually pick up and fire! For added realism, you get to fire the SAR 21 with blanks (don’t worry, ear muffs are provided). You’ll also get to experience the infamous weight of the MATADOR on your shoulder.
Miniature Stories co-founder Terra attempted to fire the MATADOR and had some trouble with the sight scope *sigh*. On-looker Caleb entered Raging Sergeant mode. š Ā “Cannot see? CANNOT SEE???! You drop 20 then tell me again whether can see or not!!!”
Thankfully she had no such problems with the SAR 21
3) You get to enter and ride Army vehicles like the Terrex
This is something that even guys would enjoy, since those who were not from Armour or Infantry would probably not have gotten a chance to sit in these vehicles.
The Terrex, Leopard, Light Strike Vehicle, Bionix, ApacheĀ and many other vehiclesĀ are all right here at the F1 Pit in their full glory. Not only will you be able to climb inside, you’ll even be able to goĀ in some of them for a short joy ride!
More thrilling than riding in a Ferrari, if you ask me
4) There is a super cool room with a show-and-tell about the different Army Formations
It’s one thing to read about it on MINDEF’s website, and a totally different experience viewing the exhibits and gear that are unique to each formation. There are also men from the different formations present to personally explain and share about their role in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as well as how they use the various weapons and equipment exhibited in the room.
Walking through the room and learning about formations like Infantry, Guards and Commandos, we felt a strong sense of their esprit de corps.
Learn about the Singapore Army’s formations and their various roles in battle
5) Lots of strapping, tough-looking soldiers walking around
Seeing all the uniformed men going about their duties with dedication and responsibility made us feel really proud of our military force.
It assured us that our nation’s defence is in good hands (our genuine sentiment – we were not paid by SAF to say this). š
Army Ready, Soldier Strong (Picture source)
Head down to the FI Pit this weekend for a day of fun and adventure at Army Open House 2017! Don’t forget to stop by our booth, where we’ll be offering fantastic one-off discounts on all our figurines. We even have some new Army-themed merchandise that are great fun for the kids!
