Guardsman brothers take “twinning” to the next level

Separated by only one minute at birth, twins 2LT Shaun Yap and 2LT Shane Yap have, in their own words, spent their whole lives “stuck with each other”.

Even though the 22-year-olds are not identical twins, their paths through full-time National Service (NS) have been the same.

After enlisting in July 2025, they both graduated from Officer Cadet School (OCS) this year on 13 Jun.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that they ended up as Guards officers. After all, their father, Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC) (Ret) Yap Tai Chuan, 56, was one too!

Joining the Guards family

Both twins said that even though they were inspired by their dad to try their best in NS, he never put any pressure on them to follow in his footsteps.

“He never pushed us to go to OCS or do anything that we didn’t want to. In fact, (that’s) what made the journey especially meaningful,” said younger brother 2LT Shane.

2LT Shaun agreed, adding: “He never expected us to be posted to Guards, so when he found out he was surprised but very elated, and we could tell that it was a proud moment for him.”

Thanks, Mum & Dad

Since the twins enlisted for NS, both parents have come together to support their sons, with each playing a different role.

2LT Shaun elaborated: “Dad always makes the effort to come fetch us for every book out, no matter the time we are released.

“We also have a lot of conversations in the car, where he will encourage us and teach us how to better conduct ourselves and have a better mindset to tackle the next week.”

Washing their NSF son’s dirty clothes and equipment every weekend when he books out is an experience that many mothers will remember. But for the twins’ mum, it is twice the load!

“Somehow at the end of the weekend, our clothes will always be clean and smell nice, so really a big shout-out to her!” said a grateful 2LT Shane.

Not a walk in the park

The twins are thankful for their parents’ support, especially as getting through OCS was no easy task.

They were among the pioneer batch of cadets to complete their Guards Conversion Course (GCC) while still in OCS.

“It was an amazing experience, and we are honored to be part of this first batch to commission as Guards officers. But it was also challenging as GCC came near the tail end of OCS,” explained 2LT Shane.

“That’s usually when training is winding down and getting less intense, so (going through GCC then) felt like we were suddenly thrown back into the deep end.

“But it was a nice wake-up call and also a small peek into what we might be experiencing when we go into our units.”

Helping a twin in need is a twin indeed

For 2LT Shaun, the challenge during GCC was twofold as he had injured his ankle during his OCS Summary Exercise and was not fully recovered during the first few days of the course.

“I had to miss several of the initial mandatory activities, so for the first week of GCC, I genuinely questioned whether I would be able to make it through.”

Giving his brother a pat on the back, 2LT Shaun continued: “Having my brother alongside me made a tremendous difference. 

“Simply knowing that someone I trusted was going through the same journey gave me strength and it reminded me that I was not alone.”

Asked what it was like having a twin in OCS at the same time, he said with a laugh that it was like “having a blood buddy that you can’t get rid of!”

Nodding, 2LT Shane added: “There’s a comfort in knowing that someone always has your back. If I’m ever in trouble, I know that I have my brother beside me and that I can count on him.”

To the next milestone

Now that they have commissioned as officers, the twins are looking forward to taking up the challenge of leading their own platoon of men in 3rd Battalion, Singapore Guards.

“I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned,” said 2LT Shane. “I’m sure there will be many things that we have to learn on the ground.”

Older brother 2LT Shaun agreed, continuing: “After 11 months going through training schools, we are finally going to experience unit life, something that our father as well as other peers have gone through.

“It’s not going to be easy, but I’m looking forward to that change and becoming part of an active unit.

“I hope that I can inspire and motivate my men to go through this NS journey just like how my father did for my brother and me.”