Screwups with CMPB

So, CMPB will get my vote for most inefficient organization EVER. Why? Coz I got screwed over by the inefficiency. As many of you know, I've to go back into National Service. To do so, I need to have a medical status, so that I can be posted to the right department. I had my medical checkup the week I was back in Singapore, early July, probably the 13th or 14th. They said that they will need my medical records from the Singapore General Hospital, because of a training injury sustained 4 years ago. So, they gave me 3 months of PES D, a temporary, useless medical status, meaning that I still cannot enlist. CMPB said that they will request my medical records from SGH and give me a PES status. The medical records will usually take 3 weeks.

I went back for another medical checkup on my eyesight on the 28th of July. I asked them about the medical records. It wasn't in from SGH yet. Since it has only been 2 weeks then, I wasn't too worried.

Time past. Lots of time. And nothing has happened. So I gave a call to the PES status office for re-enlistees last week, the 12th of August. So, that's 4 weeks already. And they told me that the records was still not in from SGH! Wow. Ok, that really sucks. The person manning the desk said that he'll check through and help me with moving things along.

Today, 18th of August. I get a call at 9.30 in the morning from the PES status office. They told me that SGH does not have my medical records from 4 years ago. I was like, "WTF mate!" That's not possible. The guy gave me the SGH number and I called SGH. The lady who picked up gave it a check, and they HAVE my records. And she asked me when did CMPB ask for the records. I said, probably around 4 weeks ago. And do you know what the answer was? "There was no request from CMPB about your medical records!" SONAVABITCH!! So CMPB was the one that didn't send in the request! And they tried covering it up saying that SGH didn't have my records?

So I called CMPB back. And told them what SGH said. They checked it and told me that the request went out 2 weeks ago. I don't know what the f*** is happening. The guy at CMPB spoke to SGH immediately and requested for my files. And it will take 2 long weeks to get my records from SGH to CMPB, because it is in microfilm.

At this point, I was fuming mad. Instead of putting in the request for my records early, it took CMPB 3 weeks to put the request in. And nothing happened for another 2 weeks. Now, I have to wait for another 2 weeks for the records to get to CMPB, another week or so for my medical status to be determined, probably another 3-4 weeks before I will enlist. That makes the entire thing 12 weeks long. 3 f***ing months! I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for time to be sitting on my ass for 3 long months, when I can be serving out this stupid National Service and then getting it over with! I can't bitch enough. How much of my time must CMPB waste? It is completely inefficient.

But, I didn't blow up in their face. I just told them to keep me posted on the medical records thing. I'll be calling them early next week to check up on them. And call them every two days to make sure things are moving. You know what? This reminds me of John Stockdale. Nothing moves. My blood is boiling when I write this. My aim? To be out of National Service before my 25th birthday on August 3rd 2007. Damn that stupid CMPB.