1,041 SOLDIERS READY TO TAKE ON SPECIALIST ROLES

As friends and families gathered at Pasir Laba Camp watched on, 1,041 graduands tossed their berets into the air in celebration at the 10th Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade on the evening of 23 Mar, marking the completion of their 22-week Specialist Cadet Course.

Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong was the Reviewing Officer at the parade. In his address, Mr Wong reminded the new specialists of the important role specialists would play as leaders and commanders in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

"As leaders, you are entrusted with the duty of leading the soldiers under your charge into battle when called upon, to protect the sovereignty of Singapore, to defend your families, your friends and your future," he said.

Mr Wong also added that they "have to work closely with the Officers to forge a strong and cohesive unit", and urged them to make every effort to spend time to engage their soldiers. As the critical link between the soldiers and the SAF leadership, they should act as guides, friends and mentors to their men.

"Engage your men regularly, and explain to them the rationale of what they are doing, so that they have the mental agility, the battlefield awareness, and the combat skills to operate as effective, adaptive and thinking soldiers," he said.

The Specialist Cadet Course consists of an eight-week Foundation Term where the Specialist Cadets (SCTs) undergo a basic training course to prepare them mentally and physically, a 12.5-week Professional Term where they are given more in-depth knowledge with regard to operational readiness and leadership ability, and a one-and-a-half-week Combined Arms Term where they get to understand more about the other specialist vocations.

SCT Muhammad Faris Shahmim Bin Mohamed Alif, excelled throughout the course and received the Golden Bayonet award. He underwent the Emergency Medical Technician Specialist Course at the Medical Training Institute.

Having obtained a diploma in nursing, SCT Muhammad Faris initially did not see the need for combat medic training. "However, I realised that the experience and the requirements are... different; there are much more skills that I need to learn as a combat medic, such as going for outfield training and treating the injured in the battlefield," he said with regard to his specialist medical training.

Another Golden Bayonet winner, SCT Eugene Ang, felt that this course had made him a better leader. His most memorable experience throughout the course was to lead a section of men, many of whom are about his age.

"I feel that the leadership skills that I have picked up would allow me to be a role model to my men, and to... make a positive impact on their lives," he said. SCT Ang believes that his leadership qualities will help him in the future even after Operationally Ready Date.

On the other hand, SCT Daryl Tan Qiu Wen had other sentiments. He graduated from the Army Logistics Training Institute with a Silver Bayonet award despite missing his family he had left behind in Australia when he returned to Singapore to serve National Service (NS).

"Being away from my family and adapting to life back here as well as military life is something that I struggled to cope with, but then I realised that there are a few soldiers serving NS like me, and I realised I was not the only one. I had a lot of emotional support from my peers," said SCT Tan who had moved to Australia with his family at the age of 12.