26 DEFENCE SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN OUT

Singapore may well have a pair of sisters working hand-in-hand to defend the nation in future.

In the not so distant future, Midshipman (MID) Angela Toh could well be commanding a naval ship, while her elder sister, Lieutenant (LTA) Stella Toh, pilots the naval helicopter paired with the ship.

This was a dream scenario painted by the sisters.

They are now one step close to making that a reality after MID Toh received the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Merit Scholarship on 15 Aug.

Introduced in 1983, the Scholarship recruits top students to groom them for senior leadership and command positions in the SAF.

The 19-year-old chose to join the Navy after witnessing how her sister, a pilot trainee, has become more disciplined and a better decision maker. LTA Toh received the same scholarship last year.

MID Toh aspires to command her own naval ship in future, but also hopes to contribute to the nation "beyond the ship".

"Within the Navy, we travel to many ports around the world. So one of the very important aspects of the job is to be a diplomat for Singapore, to form strong relationships with other countries," said MID Toh who will head to the Imperial College London to study biomedical science.

At a ceremony held at Sheraton Towers on 15 Aug, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen presented the Scholarship to 21 recipients.

Of these, five were from the Army, four from the Navy, and 12 from the Air Force.

At the ceremony, Dr Ng also presented the Defence Merit Scholarship to five recipients.

The Defence Merit Scholarship, introduced in 2002, is awarded to outstanding students who will be groomed for senior management positions in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

All 26 scholars will pursue their tertiary education in renowned local and overseas universities.

One Defence Merit Scholarship recipient is Ms Rachel Ong who just started her undergraduate study at Yale-NUS College.

She hopes to emulate her mother, a Defence Executive Officer at the Army Officers Management Centre, who has been contributing in meaningful ways for over two decades in MINDEF.

The 19-year-old hopes to become a policymaker to improve recognition and welfare for SAF servicemen and to contribute in defence diplomacy.

"It has always been my dream to work in the government. Singapore has given me educational opportunities which I would not have gotten in other countries. I feel indebted and want to serve," she said.

Similarly, LTA Benjamin Tan, an SAF Merit Scholarship recipient, hopes to give back to the society by defending the nation.

The 21-year-old came from a humble background - his father is a taxi driver, while his mum is a home-maker.

"I would like to protect what our forefathers have worked so hard to achieve thus far, and safeguard a similar environment for our future generations to grow up in," said LTA Tan. He will study actuarial science in London School of Economics.

On why he chose to become an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle pilot in the Air Force, he said: "The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology is rapidly developing. I feel that there is a lot of room for development which I can value-add and contribute back."

For LTA Kenneth Kuan, he took up the SAF Merit Scholarship and a career in the army because he relishes the opportunity to shape and develop the people under him.

When he was a platoon commander in the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, he gave his men - holding the ranks of Corporal and below - opportunities to voluntarily take part in the decision-making process for their training runs.

"As a participant, there is only so much that you can see... understanding the background work... would give them better insights to the challenges that they may face in their future jobs," explained LTA Kuan, who received the Sword of Honour when he was commissioned as an officer in January this year.

"I think these are things that are good to expose them to in a safe environment where they are able to learn," added the 20-year-old who will study liberal arts and sciences at the University of Virginia.

The scholarship award ceremony was attended by parents, as well as senior officials from MINDEF and the SAF.