A COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE NATION AND ITS PEOPLE

To Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS) recipients, the scholarship opens the door not only to the finest education opportunities, but also a challenging career in the military.

Above all, it is a commitment to serve the nation and its people.

This was the message that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean conveyed to this year's SAFOS recipients during his keynote address at the award ceremony held at the Istana on 17 Aug. Mr Teo also presented the recipients with certificates of award and ceremonial swords.

This year's five SAFOS recipients are Officer Cadet (OCT) Joshua Goh Koon Leong, OCT Seah Jun Hao, OCT Sharon Tan Xin Hui and OCT Tay Jian Hua from the Army, as well as Midshipman Soh Kah Loke from the Navy.

In his keynote address, Mr Teo also emphasised the important role that the SAFOS recipients will play as future leaders of the SAF.

"Ensuring that the SAF has the best possible leadership is the key to a capable SAF. The new generation of officers who will lead the SAF in the 21st Century need to have the intellectual capability, the professional knowledge and experience, the mental fortitude and the strength of character to drive and shape the SAF as it continues to transform to meet the challenges of the future," said Mr Teo.

The SAFOS recipients have an onerous but rewarding journey ahead of them, and will be evaluated at every stage of their careers.

Mr Teo added that the SAF remains the only organisation that places such huge responsibilities on its scholars, and that much was expected of them. "They have to learn fast, develop their qualities of leadership and earn the trust of their soldiers. The learning curve is steep and the expectations are high."

A prestigious scholarship, the SAFOS is widely recognised as second only to the President's Scholarship.

In fact, two of this year's SAFOS recipients, OCT Goh and OCT Tan, are President's Scholars as well.

Past SAF overseas scholars include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo, Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew, and Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong.