CCA Points

Dear RIRC,

Having graduated from RIRC in 2005, I dare say I've seen the world more than all of you.

And trust me, CCA points are not everything in the world. Last time, this was how it works:

- every rank you get, you +1

- 1 competition you join and win, you +2

- good attendance for every year, +1

A1 is 10 points. and thats the max you can go..you can't get 11.

So I got Warrant Officer (+5), good attendance for 4 years (+4), won CAC (+2) = 10 (11 reduce to 10)

Oh so how much does my slacker friend get?

He got Staff Sergeant (+4) (YOs approved), good attendance since its 75% and above (+4) and won a competition from another CCA (+2) = 10

Hooray, I put in a lot more effort than him and yet he got the same points as me! Wonderful.

So how should I feel about that? Start slacking like him? Stop putting in effort in everything that I do, hoping that I can get good grades like any hard-working soul will?

Seriously guys, do you really wish to live your life by points?

As much as how the CCA point system has changed to LEAPS (25 points for A1) and made it seem "better", considering that it covers "more" areas such as leadership and service, do they truly reflect what you have done? Of course they don't, as some of you have noticed. The CCA Point system is still flawed. It does not deserve to be the method of recognizing what you have done. So why still sulk about it?

I swear to you, when you get out of RI, people don't care how many points you get. You go to NS, uni and the working world (which includes NS actually), try boasting to everyone, "Hey I got 30 CCA points ok! Shows I'm pro!" Seriously, they don't bother at all. What they really care is how you behave and face real life situational problems, and how much effort you really put in at that moment of time.

And the fact is, as much as A1 is great to aim for by the end of your Sec 4 life in RI, bosses look more at what you do in your uni/NS/JC.

So now you start questioning: "If CCA points aren't that necessary, I might as well slack in RI, and do a better job n JC onwards."

And how do you suppose you can surpass people who have been really working hard in RI and have gained 4 MORE years of experience in leadership than you?

The purpose of a CCA is to provide you with a LOT of opportunities for you to learn about yourself, learn what you can't learn in a normal classroom, find your true potential, find and boost your strengths, sharpen your weaknesses, shape your character and leadership skills, find your talents and learn how to properly socialize with the people around you and make the best out of every single opportunity given to you.

For you to gain experience. For you to learn. Where we ALLOW you to make mistakes, and learn from there. Where we are still here to guide you to the right methods of doing things.

Before you get to the working world, where one wrong move and poof there you go. fired.

CCA points are meant to be a guide, not a way to recognize what people have done. Its the same thing that I mention to the sec 3s. The positions in the new committee are NOT the way we recognize what they have done in the past 3 years.

Apart from that, CCA points are really not as great compared to the real experience that you go through via the opportunities given to you throughout the year in RIRC. Comparing CCA points to what you've done for the unit totally undermines the true meaning of self learning and development.

If recognition is what you ask for, here's how we do it:

Materialistically, we show recognition through the rank system, your testimonial in Sec 4 where you write down every event which consists of you leading the project, and treats like training offs.

Apart from that, knowing that we've always been observing you guys since you entered this CCA, we will definitely give more opportunities for those who have been putting in effort to so that these people can grow more. After all, they are the ones who have been working hard so far.

And if you think that "more opportunities" = not worth it / more work load = sux, may I suggest that you read the purpose of a CCA once more. Perhaps you might not understand now, but once you reach sec 3, you will understand the true meaning of this blog post.

At the end of the day, do ask yourself: Why are you putting in more effort than others?

- Coz you want to help out your batch/unit?

- Coz you want to improve yourself further?

- Coz you just want to volunteer?

- Or coz you're doing it for the sake of points?

Think about it.

By the way, (I'm not bragging here)

ever since I entered Sec 1, I couldn't be bothered about CCA points, and merely put in a lot of effort in whatever that was given to me.. volunteering to do stuff, go for HQ events and becoming IC for camps and events...simply coz its fun, and coz I just want to do my best to help my batchmates out.

I only realized that I got A1 when I reach sec 4.

See, the points still come when you're just having fun and putting in your best in CCA. :D

------

Oh yea, I don't get points by being a VI..and I've been a VI for the past 5 years. No recognition no whatsoever.

I get much more important things than points and testimonials:

1. An awesome unit that has totally transformed compared to the day I step into RIRC in 2002

2. Exceptionally Great & Fun Learning Experience

3. Developed my leadership skills to a level which you rarely get anywhere else

Most importantly?

I get Great Friends. :)

Yours Truly,

Hadi