ARMOUR FORMATION GETS NEW CHIEF

The sound of more than 30 armoured vehicles rumbling across the parade square drowned out the chatter from the audience at the Chief Armour Officer Change of Command Parade at Sungei Gedong Camp on 20 Jan.

The vehicles, which included Leopard Main Battle Tanks and Bionix Infantry Fighting Vehicles, took turns to perform a drive pass as a parting salute for the outgoing Chief Armour Officer Brigadier-General (BG) Benedict Lim.

At the parade, BG Lim passed the command baton on to Colonel (COL) Siew Kum Wong after being at the helm of the Armour formation for the past two and a half years.

In his farewell speech, BG Lim thanked his deputies and commanders for their wise counsel and efforts in keeping their units operationally ready.

Of his successor COL Siew, he said: "I can attest that he is a goal-getter, with a clear and sharp mind and the ability to think big, and an ethos to do the small things that affect the ground... His sheer determination and good sense of the ground will see Armour climb to even greater heights."

Enlisted into the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1985, BG Lim has held appointments such as Head Doctrine, Headquarters Armour and Commander 8th Singapore Armoured Brigade (8 SAB). He was also Director, Ministry of Defence Public Affairs and Assistant Chief of General Staff (Operations).

Since his appointment as Chief Armour Officer in July 2009, he has strengthened the fighting capabilities of the formation and sharpened the leadership skills of his commanders through learning forums, workshops, mentorship programmes and coaching sessions.

He also led the Armour formation in organising the National Day Parade in 2010, which featured a mobile column that showcased over 200 vehicles and hardware from the SAF and the Home Team.

Incoming chief COL Siew is an Armoured Infantry Officer who enlisted in 1989. His previous appointments include Commander 4 SAB and Deputy Assistant Chief of General Staff (Operations) - Intelligence.

The parade was witnessed by Chief of Army Major-General Ravinder Singh and attended by senior SAF officers and former Armour chiefs.