SISTERS IN ARMS
One's got her feet firmly on the ground, the other's hungry for adventure – CPT Rebekah Abbott and CPT (Dr) Hannah Abbott share the joys of growing up and signing on with the military.//STORY BY NICOLE YONG /PHOTOS BY CHAI SIAN LIANG & COURTESY OF INTERVIEWEES
It’s common for sisters to share clothes, but what if both you and your sister are also in the military? It happens twice as often!
“My sister steals both my civilian clothes and my uniforms!” elder sister Captain (CPT) Rebekah Abbott, 31, complained.
Younger sister Captain (CPT) (Dr) Hannah Abbott, 28, added cheekily: “One time, she thought she was borrowing my uniform pants.
“What she didn’t know was that those were her pants all along! I just borrowed them without ever returning.”
Dreams of joining the military
CPT Rebekah’s childhood dream was to join the military. She would watch the National Day Parade every year and imagine herself being a part of it.
“Back then, I didn’t know much about females signing on. It was only in my second year of junior college when I attended a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) women’s seminar that I learned women could join the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces).
“I filled in the form and submitted it on the spot!”
CPT Rebekah enlisted for Basic Military Training (BMT) on 6 Aug 2014, and is now an Air Warfare Office (Air Battle Management). She’s been a controller in 201 Squadron with the Air-Land Tactical Control Centre (ALTaCC) for just over a year.
When asked about the challenges of her role, CPT Rebekah recalled last year’s Exercise Wallaby, which was her first time being an ALTaCC controller for such a large-scale exercise involving other Services.
She and her team managed the airspace of the entire Shoalwater Bay Training Area, which is about four times the size of Singapore.
“It was challenging because it was both my first time in Exercise Wallaby and taking up this role. I had to learn a lot of new things quickly, since the airspace was so much bigger there compared to Singapore’s.”
Another special memory for CPT Rebekah was commentating for the RSAF’s aerial display team at the Singapore Airshow 2024. While it was nerve-wrecking at first, she now looks back on this experience with pride.
Following her sister’s footsteps
When CPT (Dr) Hannah was just seven years old, she already had dreams of becoming a doctor. In a school assignment, she drew a picture of herself as a doctor treating a patient.
One day, CPT Rebekah, who had already been in service, gave her an SAF Medical Corps brochure.
Having gained exposure to the SAF through attending her sister’s BMT graduation parade and other milestone events, CPT (Dr) Hannah realised the military was also something that would fit her personality and interests.
In January 2017, the younger Abbott sister enlisted.
When asked how their parents felt about their second daughter signing on as well, CPT (Dr) Hannah replied: “They were probably already used to it!”
“Of course they were comfortable with the idea, seeing as I was already the guinea pig for Hannah,” CPT Rebekah added jokingly.
“Now, they have peace of mind knowing that we can look out for each other.”
Today, CPT (Dr) Hannah is a Staff Officer at Headquarters Army Medical Services.
Before this, she spent about a year as a Medical Officer at the Army Deployment Force (ADF). Her most memorable experience to date was completing the ADF Rite of Passage in 2024.
“This is something that trainees go through after they finish their Combat Qualification Course (before they can don the ADF patch). It was physically demanding and challenging, and I felt very proud to be able to experience what ADF operators went through,” she recounted.
Having each other’s backs
Although they share similar interests (and matching bright smiles!), the two sisters have vastly different personalities. Elder sister CPT Rebekah is more pragmatic and meticulous, while younger sister CPT (Dr) Hannah is more adventurous and carefree.
The pair fondly recalled a recent trip to Taiwan together, where CPT (Dr) Hannah tricked CPT Rebekah into climbing a mountain – by lying that they were on the way to getting bubble tea!
CPT Rebekah realised her ploy too late, but – in true big sister fashion – gave into her little sister’s wishes easily.
The Abbott sisters are proud that they have each other’s backs as they stand side-by-side to defend the country.
“I feel proud to be part of something bigger and keeping our skies safe. At work, gender doesn’t make much of a difference – we still have the same expectations for operational skills and professional knowledge,” CPT Rebekah reflected.
“I see being a woman in uniform as a great opportunity,” added CPT (Dr) Hannah.
“Being the only woman in my training environment motivates me to push past my limits every day. It’s a reminder that I’ve still got so much more potential to uncover.”
