121 NEW SENIOR MILITARY EXPERTS FOR SAF

Military Expert (ME) 4 Zainal Abidin Bin Shukor has been living his dream since he signed on with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1983.

I ve always wanted to be a combat medic and save lives on the battlefield, said the 52-year-old. During his military career spanning more than three decades, ME4 Zainal Abidin has been deployed to far-flung places such as Guatemala as a United Nations peacekeeper and Afghanistan as an emergency nurse. On 22 Jul, he graduated together with 120 others at the Senior Military Experts Appointment Ceremony.

For ME4 Zainal Abidin, the appointment means more than just career advancement. As a military medical expert, I think there is a need for us to constantly upgrade ourselves to keep up with the current practices so that we can do the best in our jobs, he said.

He entered the Singapore Armed Forces as an O-levels-holder and subsequently converted to the Military Domain Experts Scheme (MDES). Because of MDES, it was easier to (find opportunities to) upgrade our skills, said ME4 Zainal Abidin, who was able to attain an advanced diploma in para-medicine under SAF sponsorship.

Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Minister of State for Defence Ong Ye Kung said that the military experts helped to keep the SAF s fighting edge sharp by leading innovation and driving technology from within.

He urged the graduands to dedicate their time to advancing their knowledge and relevant skills. It (the MDES) is a strategic capability that enables the SAF to see further, learn faster and integrate its systems better.

To go far, you must be prepared to go deep, and hence the strategic importance of the Military Experts Corps.

His words were not lost on the graduands. For ME4 Lloyd Chua, it was precisely the opportunity to delve into his love for engineering that drew him to the SAF.

When I looked at the SAF, it was only natural that I joined under the MDES, said the 26-year-old.

As Senior Military Experts, we have to learn relentlessly in order to keep pace with technological advancements and drive innovation within the SAF, said ME4 Chua who has just returned from SAF-sponsored university studies in the United Kingdom.

It s much more than just about mastering the science and technology to advance the cutting edge for the SAF, it s also about leading people so that we can leverage on everyone s individual expertise, said ME4 Chua, a Naval Warfare Systems Engineer in the Republic of Singapore Navy.

That way, we can bring the SAF to greater heights, said ME4 Chua who received the Sword of Merit award for his outstanding performance during the course.

The appointment ceremony marked the completion of the Military Domain Experts Course (MDEC), which trains military experts to take up roles in the SAF where deep expertise in fields such as engineering, intelligence and military medicine is required.