BUILDING BRIDGES
STORY // Francis Kan
PHOTO // Mark Teo
A fascination with the Japanese language led Captain (CPT) Ong to start learning it as a third language in secondary school, before studying it formally again while pursuing her Masters degree in linguistics in the United States.
"Language can broaden your experiences. I've made many new friends because I can speak the language. It is a good diplomatic tool," said the naval officer.
Her knowledge of Japanese has proven useful -- she has used it to forge friendships with her counterparts in Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force and the Japan Coast Guard during informal networking sessions.
Indeed, building bridges seems to be something CPT Ong does well. A Tactical Aircraft Coordination Officer, she operates on board the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk Naval Helicopter and acts as the link between the Navy's frigates and the helicopter to direct its tactical manoeuvring.
"Serving in my current role was the fulfilment of a three-year-long dream, which was to be part of the Navy's war-fighting from a different perspective -- the air," she explained.
"On one hand, we employ naval tactics. On the other, we operate as aviators. Having to learn both aspects means that my work is always interesting."
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