I had also wanted to join the military right from childhood. When me and childhood friend went to purchase the form online in a cafe, I brought my own home and my mother said "over her dead body" would she be alive and watch me become a soldier...😂 Say she no born pikin for government!!

My childhood friend is now with the Nigerian Air force, nicknamed "Muscle Man"

Revolution2022:
Do they send NDA officers to the theatre?I thought it's only commission officers.

Yes they do,as coordinators

chatinent:
Hi everyone,,, so this is my experience joining the Nigerian Army, batch 13NA regular intake.

Growing up in those days, I think I had a thing for the military...plus that's what my dad loved doing. Having stayed in the barracks half my life, I grew accustomed to the way and manner the system works.

So it was 2013, and I picked the form...although, with a modicum of apathy.

One thing about this phase is that even as you haven't joined, you'd start feeling like a soldier already! You go dey assume! You'd even begin to purchase okrika khaki pants and singlets...you know, after all, that's where you are going. We were already clearing people's doubts, and chawoosing those LASTMA boys you know.😌

Okay okay, time don reach. We proceeded to partake in the aptitude test, which served as the initial stage of screening within the confines of the barracks, followed by the subsequent pre-medical evaluations. Indeed, I successfully achieved a favorable outcome due to my exceptional intellectual acumen, and I possessed a considerable stature and exhibited remarkable dexterity. Don't believe me, it was through connections!😊😜

So time don dey reach to enter Depot N.A..that's the place where soldiers are made in Kaduna. That is the very crucible in which men are forged. A few acquaintances who were aware of my shortlisting had already commenced offering me counsel and expressing their condolences through the medium of proverbs. Lol. And there was Nduka. Nduka who indelibly etched an event within the recesses of my memory, destined to endure for the entirety of my mortal existence.

Nduka consistently showed an aura of maturity, rendering him a sagacious individual in my perception. On the eve of my imminent departure, he imparted a cunning stratagem to endure the arduous conditions when I get to Depot. He expressed the notion that throughout the duration of our training, it is imperative that I refrain from exhibiting any signs of intellectual lethargy or weakness. That if I wanted to get a quick ticket to the next phase and be seen as one who is fit. He said, assuming I was doing a frog jump or sth else, I should summon courage and refuse to continue. And the event that the soldier attempts to compel my compliance through the exertion of physical coercion, that I should attack and adopt a defensive stance and engage in a counteroffensive maneuver to the soldier. His words were laced with salt.

I was like "attack? Bro, that one na die na." He was like "funny you, do you think it's everyone who does the whole training? How do you think some soldiers are promoted fast before the others? It's how rugged you are and how you show it that will make them choose you fast from the weaklings. One oga will just call them to bring you out and bro, you are now very qualified because of the courage. E dey happen steady ". Hmm, I pondered over it. Well, it sounded a bit realistic.


Depot N.A.

The bus has just arrived the gate of the great Depot. Let's overlook what transpired during the trip and focus on this arrival. Next shout we heard was 'FALL IN.'

We were forced to carry our luggage while doing frog jumps to enter the gate. That was the slowest moment on my life. And if you tried to cheat the drill, you'll start again after being beaten mercilessly.

There was this Miss Pepeye trailing behind me who was lugging around a lot of heavy luggage. She was so upset by the soldiers that she abandoned her belongings and fled to the opposite side of the road, where she knelt down and begged while crying. The expression on my grave face was supposed to be one of laughter, but I had just beaten myself. At the very least, watching the drama was entertaining.


The 'faithful' day..

Long story short, we were "on planting." In military, to go on planting is one of the most difficult drills. You will literary be upside down and it will take no minutes before blood starts rushing to your head. In order words, you are upside down but standing on your head.

Omo, I don dey feel tears pouring from my side eyes but I wasn't crying. This drill is coming after we were already punished because sb murmured while the MWOII (Master Warrant Officer) was talking. My body was literally burning and we still had to go on planting. Since I was fair in complexion, it was another bad omen. Fair people in Depot are usually used as "white fowls" or scapegoats as you call it. Those soldiers enjoy seeing red veins or blood on your skin.

So, I was still on planting and in that position upside down, I saw a soldier still beating some others on planting either because they were shaking miserably or for sth else. I was deliberately if this military was even worth it. Abi no bi to just run? I looked at the fence and it looked jump-able. After all, they don't pay well. I was just looking for the perfect excuse for the nearest exit and to solidify my reasons to hang my boots.

It was that moment I remembered Martins who was in a local vigilante in my street who told me to roll in mud water for no just reason because he felt I was haughty. I swore to damage him when I came out. As I was thinking all this, I also remembered how Nduka advised me to not pay evil with evil when I finally pass out from the training. In mid-thoughts, I remembered Nduka’s advice—the game changer!

Don't forget I was still planting my head on the ground. My neck was about to break cos we have been on this for about 15mins. As I tried to adjust a bit to accommodate the pain with another side of my head, this soldier kicked me on my shoulders...a missed hit that should have been my neck. Omo, the whole advice from Nduka flashed me and in light speed, I came down from the drill and pushed the soldier so hard that he fell. And I charged towards him. To be honest, I didn't even know why I charged cos I didn't even charge to hit him or punch. I realised I just charged to make him remain on the floor.

To cut the story short, ha, Nduka no tell me everything wey fit happen to me o. The oga there told them to single me out...which Nduka actually said...but it was the opposite. The beating I received that day and the days that followed, only God knew how I survived it. Till date, I have some of the scars on my body.


It was not easy at all.


Have you ever experienced sth similar? Kindly share.

Chatinent chatinent chatinent, how many times did I call you??

Harcom:
12NA/68 intake here,i suffered like market thief in depot.At poster,do you meet Lt Daga then,Dogo,Afolabi and Maye as instructor that year.You are my immediate junior and i guess you are 69 intake.I left as well to further my education abroad when the heat too much.Madman job

As a pensioner or AWOL?

HORLADY:
13NA in 2013!!!!, maybe I have missed how they count Army intake. I am a member of Nigerian Navy 12AK in 2003 and spent 16yrs before bowing out.

You left navy!My dream job.Why na?I love navy and airforce but I do exam tire.I no make am.

Albertone:
What's the difference in training of soldiers(private) and officers(lieutenant)?
I noticed officers still get sense pass soldiers.

Is it that officers' training is more lenient?
Meanwhile, officers train longer(9 months) than soldiers(6 months) in the army .

NDA na enjoyment.It is tough at the beginning of the training.After sometime,na enjoyment.

Kharol1234:
Nigeria Army work no be am, have got couple of friends in the Nigeria Army and Navy, they look wer older than me even though we are same age.

No time for family, always on posting next they draft you for Boko Haram.

I know all the sleeps night my dad had as the then RSM of our barrack Retired now

Barrack women and there quarrel barrack children and stealing.


There was this boy that die while e went for recruitment, really felt hurt.

Nigeria Army work no be am.

One month or more duty.Khaki no go commot for body.You go visit house one's.

Harcom:
12NA/68 intake here,i suffered like market thief in depot.At poster,do you meet Lt Daga then,Dogo,Afolabi and Maye as instructor that year.You are my immediate junior and i guess you are 69 intake.I left as well to further my education abroad when the heat too much.Madman job

Smiles
Some have yet they don't want, some want and don't have. This job u left for abroad my elder brother Obtained form for itlooked for it

Revolution2022:
You left navy!My dream job.Why na?I love navy and airforce but I do exam tire.I no make am.

People quits the job like everyday. That is why we say "Soldier go, Soldier come, Barrack dey dia kampe"

elpochas:
Did you attend Depot nursery and primary school.I stayed in NMS officer quarters in the 90s.

Attended Command Children School Zaria NMS barrack!

Really,but thank God for him he didn’t join.Chance are high that he might be killed by insurgent.I know how many of my coursemate die untimely.See if anyone want to join army,try officer cadre,it’s mostly profitable going that line,but other ranks level na suffer head.Only the lucky few make it over in that region

Honeydenz:

Smiles
Some have yet they don't want, some want and don't have. This job u left for abroad my elder brother Obtained form for itlooked for it

windvane:
You made me remember secondary school days...AFSS....joined the cadet in 1992,that was like year 2.the drills were hell,I could remember an aircommodore's(1 star general) son fainted on drills,his dad came to school the next day and because our commandant was a squadron leader(major general),he gave both the RSM and commandant serious warning.one girl was slapped and she fainted,lately died in hospital,she was a sickle cell patient.i was lucky not go through heavy drills because I was playing the beagle for the color party...I love the military but I was lucky not to join.....seen so many posters of those that got into NDA 2000/01 wey don die for theatre for sambisa forest.My set was the last to use a real riffle for parades.....

why didn't you join na?

Ablemax:




why didn't you join na?

retired as a junior warrant officer and the provost of the air force band

windvane:
retired as a junior warrant officer and the provost of the air force band

wow congrats sir, though I love the military even wrote the 68rc intake exam but u know the rest of the story na

Ablemax:




wow congrats sir, though I love the military even wrote the 68rc intake exam but u know the rest of the story na

Any day,I love the Nigerian airforce.....if I had my way,i would join today.....buy man don turn butty finish.....I love the parade when it has to do with the AOC or the CAS!!!!back then at airforce base ikeja,around 8am when the AIr officer Commanding drives in with his convoy,then you have to scream STAND STILL EVERYWHERE!!!

it was my dream job even till now, really wanted to be a professional soldier, you complaining about the hash training is some how cos Nigerians are naturally stubborn hence the hard drills or else the purpose of the force wont be achieved

windvane:
retired as a junior warrant officer and the provost of the air force band

Congrats sir, just praying that NDA should favour me this year

Army Trained to endure
Navy trained to be brutal
Air force trained to be ajebo.

Representing NAF BMTC40.

Revolution2022:
One month or more duty.Khaki no go commot for body.You go visit house one's.

I swear, Even na 1am your oga call u, u must enter road by that time

onatisi:
It is understandable if many Nigerians don't value our soldiers. And that is due to the way the military and army had intervened too much in civilian politics and that has made them to lose their respect. You won't value Nigerian soldiers until you see how magnificently, purposely and professionally they perform in operations outside Nigeria. They did so so well in Sierra Leone and Liberia and also There is a video on YouTube where Nigerian soldiers fought valiantly alongside either American or French soldiers to the extent of the white giving kudos to our military. But because we see them collecting 100 nairas and 200 naira on our roads here in Nigeria like the police, this easily makes people believe they are useless.

True my dad went for this 2 Wars and 1 in Sudan.

Have 5 military siblings


3 soldiers

1 Navy

1 police


But can't just imagine myself joining either of them


I love my soft life

Call me bloody civilian na you know

Joined Navy some years ago sincerely training was not easy so as the job too hopefully trying to raise enough money to japa

Faithful007:
This is false.

As a drill instructor in the US Military, you cannot physically abuse anyone. Physical training like runs and push-ups are different from punishments. No one is forced to do anything against his will in training.

If you can't meet the physical requirements you'll be disqualified. Stressing one beyond what he/she can take or directly hitting someone is abuse and not training.

Please tell that guy, besides 21st century warfare is more about technology than it is brute force. Soldiers and some heavy weight boxers like Mike Tyson abroad are even forbidden from fighting even after service. They arrest them if found doing that.

They are even given very little room to mingle with civilians sef. Mostly found in baracks.

Revolution2022:
NDA na enjoyment.It is tough at the beginning of the training.After sometime,na enjoyment.

I no think so oh.
It does get better overtime but na die till they graduate o.

You boys sat on your heads for just 15 minutes and felt its the worst that can happen to you lol. Here in the nda, you can blow pot for hours and its still not the worst that can happen. There are even cadets that do cut 5 in that position. Ex boys, ex jams, ex commandos, and even colitos in old site, to some extent... We all go through same shit.

Harcom:
Really,but thank God for him he didn’t join.Chance are high that he might be killed by insurgent.I know how many of my coursemate die untimely.See if anyone want to join army,try officer cadre,it’s mostly profitable going that line,but other ranks level na suffer head.Only the lucky few make it over in that region

Even the officer cadre is just better thank nco route, na same war dem dey fight.

I don't think officers get special treatment at the theater. Even NDA graduates, colonels sef do fall.

Onigawara:
You boys sat on your heads for just 15 minutes and felt its the worst that can happen to you lol. Here in the nda, you can blow pot for hours and its still not the worst that can happen. There are even cadets that do cut 5 in that position. Ex boys, ex jams, ex commandos, and even colitos in old site, to some extent... We all go through same shit.

Sleeping in such position is another level of mastery cos wtf

You'll agree with me that it got easier cos you're doing it overtime. NDA is about 4 to 5 years na.
Op's training is just 6 months.

chatinent:


That was the only point I wanted to make.

But truly speaking, they only maltreat recruits there. Too much beating is not standard training. To them, they are removing the civilian blood..but that's not the way the whites train. Once opportune to go on peace keeping abroad, you'll see the difference.

You're educated and have penchant to throw in big words, why did you choose the army recruit of all places? Not Short service or NDA... Na die na...

crossbreedwears:
Im glad you grew up in zaria. Well, everything in this life is based on choice. Most parents that sent their children to NMS is choice while most that dashed away from NMS is still choice. I know so many people that after NMS and just 5 years in Unit, they never returned while some continued with army work while some fot admitted into Academy. Everything is based on choice and not the training that you think it's brutal. It's just good to have a military experience because it will help me scale a lot of things in life. By the way 2013 NA should be 70RI because 2013 NA has two batch

Yes , I tot as much

2013 cannot be 13NA

13NA don pass out from Oshodi NAFRC by now...


Dat na 79NA them.

This is a thread I like to read.

abufadllullah:

Attended Command Children School Zaria NMS barrack!

I did my nursery to primary 2 there,from 1995 to 1998.wot Abt u?

Albertone:
What's the difference in training of soldiers(private) and officers(lieutenant)?
I noticed officers still get sense pass soldiers.

Is it that officers' training is more lenient?
Meanwhile, officers train longer(9 months) than soldiers(6 months) in the army .

na sojas dey still train officers