For Mindef.
If you get posted to Mindef you'll soon realise that place is largely a wayang show. If you're an engineer. it's unlikely you will find romance with another engineer cos the capable engineers don't join DSTA. DUH!

You will meet loads of admin clerks. They earn about $1600. The smarter ones work in Mindef and then head for evening classes at SIM etc for further studies. After 3 years, they resign once they get their degree. I've seen a few return but in a much higher position. At least $1500 to $2000 pay jump.

If you're posted to Mindef there is transport from your home to there and vice-versa. You pay $80 monthly to the bus driver directly. It's really convenient. The only grievance is that sometimes the driver might drive off so it's good to have his hp number or some of the others who board the same bus as you.

Don't get into trouble with the military police and you'll be fine. Smoking points are conveniently located. Toilets are aplenty. Same with water dispensers. You have two floors of canteen food and if you don't like what's on offer then you can always head out to Bukit Panjang Plaza.

If you're posted to camps it's even better. You work alone or you have a partner. You basically eat snake everyday while earning an iron rice bowl. You might need to report to a uniformed officer but most of the time he doesn't bother you unless there's something urgent he needs from you.

DSTA/DXO is the same. The only slight difference can be the pay scale. Just take things easy. There are no jobs outside for local engineers given that so many engineers from 2nd and 3rd world countries are taking up private sector jobs for $2000 so for local engineers to join this sector makes sense.

Keep a low profile, keep your head down and earn the money. Clock your WITS suggestions, be punctual for work, don't take long meal breaks, don't get into trouble with the military police and you'll be fine.

It's all just one big wayang. It really depends on the environment and the culture. if you have a bunch of slackers then just follow suit. if you have one or two indian chiefs then make sure you up your game. after a month or two once these indian chiefs know that you're not the eat snake type then they will never ever bother you.

you will have so much of free time to daydream about that super hot girl you saw at the canteen or in the lift. all you need to do is stare at your monitor and place your hand on the mouse. so people passing by your cubicle will assume that you're busy trying to decipher some engineering code on your computer screen.

if you have people who are sitting beside you on either side of the cubicle then make sure that every now and then you
1) type on the keyboard
2) clicks on the mouse
3) use the telephone to make calls every hour etc so that the people on either side of you know that you're working.

mindef office space are pretty silent so much so that if you let off a fart, the people sitting beside you will know. so be warned! there will also be opportunities for you to be on outstation so you get to kill time by going to other camps for meetings or discussions. Again, these sessions are one big wayang cos important decisions have always already been made beforehand so whatever you guys are doing is just to talk nonsense, justify the reasons why the decision was such and such and then kill time till its 5pm to go home.

you will get to meet a lot of idiot who're basically clueless. and these will normally be people who're your superiors or senior colleagues. put your beliefs and opinions aside. just go with the flow. the civil service doesn't reward people with different mindsets or innovative ideas. the rule is simple. keep your head down, follow instructions, look forward to pay day and bonuses and take holidays with your family.

i guess the sad thing about DSTA/DXO/MDES or whatever silly scheme they will rename it is that if our loved ones such as gf, wife, parents were to be in invisible mode and they can see us in our offices and see the rubbish that we do day in day out, i think they will be sad. but oh well, must bring in the money then only can put food on table. I'm sure loved ones will understand, won't they?