THE ONLY EASY DAY Was Yesterday
THE Luminox Jungle Survival Course helps participants overcome physical constraints and mental pressure. It is aimed at bringing the Navy Seal mantra of “The Only
Easy Day Was Yesterday” to participants and help them understand how each day’s challenges can make one stronger.
Participants were given a top secret message that revealed their mission. Participants were spilt into five groups, namely Seal Team 6, Ice-Sar, Sea Wolves, Undersea Voyager Project and Spartan, with each team consisting of four members. The names were selected based on spokespersons, organisations or obstacle races. Commanding officer of Luminox Jungle Survival Course and retired Navy Seal Rob Roy subsequently enforced the importance of team work, trust and leadership in each team by asking questions about each teammate, reinforcing an unspoken rule that in a Navy Seal team, your team was your family and you had to trust each other.
Participants learnt how to time hack or to synchronise their time down to the seconds and used the rotating bezel of their watches for countdown purposes. At each stage of the mission, a fixed time duration was given to complete the task, simulating an environment of a military mission where time can be a matter of life and death. As a retired Navy Seal, Roy appreciated the simplicity of a traditional watch as it meant that it was easy to use on missions and reduced any risk of errors that would jeopardise the job. Participants were given physical activities such as pushups and sprints to test their physical limits.
Navy Seals not only need to be physically strong but also need to use their intelligence during missions. The jungle survival course incorporated this aspect by providing participants with a blind map and compass to help them navigate through the jungle and mangrove swamp. They were given a puzzle to solve before they began their mission to kayak through the mangrove swamp. The kayaking experience emphasised team work as one had to coordinate with his partner to successfully complete their mission. After which, the teams were expected to move not more than six feet apart from each member through the jungle back to the finishing line.
The ability to adapt to an environment and make use of the surroundings is what separates a Navy SEAL from the ordinary person. Each team was expected to build a shelter using ropes, wood and leaves that could fit all teammates. This, again, pushed participants to think outside the box on how they would build their shelter and every member had to contribute to complete the task on time. At the end of the day, each team was allocated points where the winning team was given a certificate to commemorate their participation in the jungle survival course.
Having Roy as the commanding officer of the jungle survival course was apt because when he was a Navy Seal and could relate to the mantra of “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday”. In addition, Roy was intensively involved in search-and-rescue missions and was proficient in diving. Roy also shared with participants on what it took to become a Navy Seal and how he used that knowledge to develop leadership and training programmes. He also shared his involvement with Luminox and how the timepiece became a part of his Essential Gear. The sharing experience helped participants to understand the mantra of “The Only Easy Day was Yesterday” as well as understand how timepieces were useful during military missions and were built for the Navy Seals.