Reflections on Two Months of Military Service

@ Non-Technical Discussion

Background

It has been two years since my last military service, which was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After graduating from university, I applied early for military and served another two months in Taoyuan Yangmei. This article aims to share my thoughts and activities from these two months during a period of no article production. Although it may not be related to web development, I believe that organizing experiences and continuously outputting is very important, so I decided to write about it. I won’t talk too much into military stuff; instead, I will share my views and insights on military life.

Reflections on Military Service

Compared to my last unit at Zhongkeng Jingbei, this unit is much more relaxed, and since it is the second phase, there is no assessment to pass. Therefore, there is more freedom and time to think than I expected (and I can carry my phone with me and use it during free and rest times!). However, there isn’t a lot of free time. For example, the free time generally looks like this:

  • After class - 10 minutes
  • Lunch break - 90 minutes
  • Before bed - 30 minutes
  • Exercise time - 60 minutes

Although there are many free hours in the military, after stretching my limbs after class, going to the restroom, writing military journals, changing clothes and tidying up, brushing my teeth and washing my face during the lunch break, and feeling so sleepy before bed that I can’t keep my eyes open… the trivial matters quickly pass, and time slips away during building defensive structures, cleaning weapons, and physical training. While waiting and daydreaming, I began to ponder:

What gains and growth can military service bring me? What methods suit me?

Learning to Slow Down

When others are busy working and enjoying life in outside world, I initially felt a bit dissatisfied in comparison, but I gradually became used to this unavoidable reality. This is one of the few moments where it is force you “how you should live.” It may not be very comfortable, but it is not unbearable either.

Before military service, I always set many goals, and if I didn’t achieve them, I would feel regret and dissatisfaction. However, in the slow-paced military life, the main goals became “to let time pass” and “to obey reflexively.” This military experience allowed me to experience the differences between two lifestyles, and by understanding these two completely different ways of living, I can better tailor a more meaningful future plan for myself.

Learning to Pass the Time

During the first phase, I tried reading books, but I couldn’t concentrate on books that required focus. The summer heat, the irritating humidity, and the noise of equipment checks made it difficult for my mind and body to think linearly and deeply, resulting in laughable effectiveness. So, I decided to skip “intensely purposeful books” for now!

On the contrary, I really enjoy using my free time in the military to read works that have a lot of explanation and imaginative space, such as: “Goodnight, Punpun,” “Koko wa Ima kara Rinri Desu” “Parents Who Say ‘Please Kill My Child’,” “The Balance of Heaven,” “Drug Crime Files”… Even if the military is not free, it is only physically. Even if my body is confined to a small bench for the entire morning, forced to maintain weapons or stand guard in a daze, my thoughts can still run freely in any direction.

My way of passing the time is to read more comics or novels, especially works that are close to daily life.

The slow-paced military life is a great opportunity to stop and reflect on the past and future. I can think about my own shortcomings and also consider others’ and fictional ones. By thinking many hypothetical stories, I have developed more perspectives on viewing things and passed many uncomfortable moments.

Adjusting Physical Condition

The importance of health needs no further explanation. Therefore, besides going to bed and waking up on time, I also try to exercise more. I may not play basketball or volleyball, but I can always run, running until I am soaked in sweat. After all, there is nothing else to do. In the military, if there are no surprises, there is a nice arrangement of an hour of exercise time every afternoon before dinner.

Additionally, I never buy snacks or sugary drinks; I only drink water or tea. Occasionally, there are some thoughtful little snacks distributed during events, such as: milk bread, chocolate bread, juice drinks, and KFC boxes. However, it is best to stick to military meals, as extra food can easily destory my efforts. I am glad that my fellow soldiers are willing to take these temptations for me 😅.

Conclusion

Military service is suitable as a place to “compulsively think about the meaning of life,” providing decent food and a pay of 8.5 TWD dollars per hour. Is military service necessary for life planning? No. Determined individuals can create the same changes anywhere. Even without military service, one can change their life through the three points mentioned above: slowing down, passing the time, and adjusting physical condition. I just believe that it is easier to experience these in the military.

Two months of military life revisited after two years may not bring about any significant changes in life, but it has allowed me to experience the preciousness of freedom.