Life behind Detention Barracks (DB) [tagged] - Page 2

tymc · #16 01-09-2011, 02:46 AM

I was a MP (not the 15K allowance kind) posted to DB in my NSF days and the full name for the centralised DB is SAF Detention Barracks, not Kranji DB as most pple calls it.

Answers to Bro Gara's qns

1. Missing IPPT is a chargeable offence, but only missing 3X will be sentenced to DB and last yr I found out that it is missing 3X in a row, meaning, if u miss 2X and go for the 3rd, the record gets reset (but I nvr try before). The 1st 2X will be fined only.

2. If there are no changes from my time, there are 3 types of detainees, those summary trial into 2 kinds, 1st timers and repeated offenders and the 3rd being court martialed. Daily program depends on the type of detainess is classified into. For the 1st timers who are summary trial, it will be more punitive in nature, any small mistake will be punished, the physical regime tougher and no rehabilitative program so as to make their lives in DB boring and tough as a deterrence.

For the long sentences, it will be more rehabilitative in nature, there will be counsellors involved, physical regime not as tough so as not to get caught in a situation such as riots. There will be some things for them to do in the cell such as drawing, reading etc.

3. As for the size, dunno the measurments, no of detainees inside is either 1, 3 or 4. 4 should be lesser now as there is a bathing area and toilet inside, generally is 1 or 3. It will never be 2 in a cell.

4. Detainees

5. Any civil offences will have criminal records, such as drug possession, outrage of modesty, etc. Military offences such as AWOL, insubordination will not have criminal records.

6. Names

7. AWOL

8. Same proportion as the SAF

9. Yes

10. Food previously cooked by SAF chefs, now dunno, SFI maybe? Std SAF food, but lower quality though.

11. As far as I know, females are usually discharged from service and not sentenced to DB.

12. Just do everything you are told esp if it is a short sentence. Serve the sentence and fuck off!

13. There is a remission which is the same as those in prisons, 1/3 discount. To be honest and I dun think this is top secret or confidential, everyone is entitled to this discount. The discount is taken or cut only when behavior is very bad, such as taking part in riots or assualting the staff. So far I see this power in used only in these 2 cases, or instances of poor behavior in detention are punished in other ways such as solitary isolation, etc.

vkoolboi · #17 01-09-2011, 07:34 AM

Bro Tymc. Interesting post.

rwx001 · #18 01-09-2011, 02:30 PM

11. Are the females being lockup in other loCations?
No, same place different cell.
Usually short sentence and will be discharged from army
Will be look after by a female MP.

vietnam80 · #19 01-09-2011, 02:34 PM

DB ar .... hahaha....great memories... i wonder any bros here in DB during 1997-1999 where something BIG happen....

MaiDUaKang · #20 01-09-2011, 02:37 PM

I still remember very clearly that many of my ex campmates go into db like drinking water. All the hokkien soldiers with tattoos like to commit offence and go in like holiday chalet becos it's a small issue to them...

tymc · #21 01-09-2011, 05:34 PM

I was posted near end 1999 and I heard about it. I just missed out on the major event by about 6-9 mths, I supposed. I dunnow about any other big event. But there was another major event the following year though. What happened? I wun say explicitly, but there was no public apology like the one Wong Kan Seng made when he was Home Affairs Minister. I dun recall the Defence Minister (dunno who at that time) making such apology statements. :P

vicsong71 · #22 01-09-2011, 08:06 PM

Back in the very late 80s , I went AWOL for more than a month.
I surrendered and was sent firstly to Guardroom and then taken to DB after lunch. As C.O. at that time was not around, I was not sentenced as yet.

Went in under CA ( Closed Arrest ). went for check up and Cut botak within 2days. there are 2 different T shirts CA for sentence not handed and SUS for soldier under sentence.

After several days, went back to unit and was sentenced to 40 days.
Promoted to SUS lol..

Life is routine, moring ard 530 am breakfast , and toilet..
B/fast is abt 4/5 slice of bread and kopi or tea.
Followed by bath/ toilet. We strip naked in the cell and walk to toilet .
Bathing is by a bar of soap, those yellow colored soap bars dat was used
for washing clothes and washing trays back in the late 80s .

After dat back in cell, there was also roll call whereby we had to sit facing the wall and no talking during roll call.
Most of the time, short term detainess are in cell facing wall and chatting amongst fellow cell mates.
longer term detainess will have to do marching with heavy full pack...

I remembered a greeting which all of us had to follow to greet the NCOs.
Ah...... Good Moning Sir, Ah....... Perssion to carry on sir.
Lunch was vege and either little meat or fish with soup. Rice was a lot!
Dinner was abt the same..

at ard 7pm or so, will be roll call followed by 8pm +/- lights off..

Life was hard as u get bored with either chatting with cell mates or
facing wall. est 5 hrs chat 7 hrs face wall.

But u will rather go db then get report RP... LOL

I hope this helps as it been more than 20 years since I was in DB..

vietnam80 · #23 02-09-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tymc

I was posted near end 1999 and I heard about it. I just missed out on the major event by about 6-9 mths, I supposed. I dunnow about any other big event. But there was another major event the following year though. What happened? I wun say explicitly, but there was no public apology like the one Wong Kan Seng made when he was Home Affairs Minister. I dun recall the Defence Minister (dunno who at that time) making such apology statements. :P

There are in fact 2 major events but i was not sure whether it was posted in the papers or not. But i'm sure bros here who are in DB that period of time knew what are the BIG events...

LentorGarden · #24 02-09-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vietnam80

There are in fact 2 major events but i was not sure whether it was posted in the papers or not. But i'm sure bros here who are in DB that period of time knew what are the BIG events...

Care to share what happened? I believe it must have been of an inmate or many inmates beating up the MPs?

vietnam80 · #25 03-09-2011, 12:54 PM

Bro, u r rite but this is one of the 2 cases. The beating of MPs causes a very big hoo-ha where the commandant of that time came over and speak to all the yellow shirts...but after the talk and in the nite, haiz...what spoken was diff from what they had done..... In those days, Mps have to open up our level cells for toilet and bathing session and so the higher risk of fighting cases..... now DB has thier own toilets lor.....2nd case was VERY BIG and i think only yellow shirts at that time only knew what happen, i better not elaboate too much as to not offend the TS in his thread and most of all the BLUES wor......

yoda7112 · #26 03-09-2011, 03:44 PM

Halo wrong forum leh!!!!

vicsong71 · #27 05-09-2011, 12:26 AM

Oh gosh, just by being helpful and sharing info I was zapped...

anyway, cant be helped... Just fyi , in 1989, there was a mass awol in one of the infantry unit. ( my unit )

Gara · #28 05-09-2011, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicsong71

Oh gosh, just by being helpful and sharing info I was zapped...

anyway, cant be helped... Just fyi , in 1989, there was a mass awol in one of the infantry unit. ( my unit )

Mass awol in 1989? What's the inside story?

vicsong71 · #29 06-09-2011, 01:13 AM

Back in 1989/90, the PC for one of the Infantry company was a jerk.
Made the platoon piss off.
As a result, more than a dozen men decided not to book in after nights out.
when they finally returned, they have to be charged as it could not be wrapped up. So there goes this mass AWOL.

Unit is a Mono Intake and the men were all from Bravo coy...
Overall in my company, about 20 men had been in DB, me included.
As such, DB was nothing fearful to us as we were really fit back theen.

sennheiser · #30 06-09-2011, 02:42 AM

I was a RP during my NS days. ORDed in 2009.

I've been to the DB many times escorting detainees. Its not fun even though i'm just the escort. I must say that u are stripped of all dignity when you go in as a detainee. I've been in as far as the detention cells and i really feel for the detainees though they had it coming.

I've escorted reservist uncles into DB for skipping IPPT. They were sentenced to DB by CO cos they skip > 5 times.

I've also escorted a NSF who have AWOL for months. He surrendered and was sentenced to 1 mth DB. After he came out, he went AWOL after a few weeks.

We have to handcuff the detainees and i'm normally handcuffed to the detainee as well. When we go to medical centre for FFI, everyone is staring at you. Damn malu.

This occurred during my time.