CHASING LONG-AWAITED DREAMS

Dreams do come true, if you just chase them hard enough.

Becoming a pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) had always been 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Ng Wei Jie's dream. However, just a year before enlisting, he broke his collarbone during a Frisbee tournament. This forced him to downgrade his Personal Employment Standards (PES) status - dashing his dreams.

After the one-month Basic Military Training (BMT) for PES E recruits, he was posted to 8th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (8 SIR), where he served as personal assistant to the Regimental Sergeant Major.

"My time at 8 SIR was enjoyable, but I wanted to do more," said the 20-year-old Full-time National Serviceman (NSF). "It was something I had always wanted to do and I didn't want to just settle there and let it be. So I went to up(grade) my PES, to do more and go to OCS (Officer Cadet School)."

After completing the full eight-week BMT, he finally fulfilled his schoolboy dream of going to OCS. But he was faced with another disappointment: he did not make the cut as a pilot. However, he still made it into the RSAF - as an Aerodrome/Precision Approach Radar Officer.

"I was disappointed when I found out I didn't make it (as a pilot), but I understood that the requirements were very stringent," he admitted.

"But I'm happy to be an Aerodrome/Precision Approach Radar Officer. It's a highly specialised role and there are only about 15 of us in each batch. I learnt how to work under stress. As part of the air traffic control crew, when something doesn't go as planned, it's up to us as controllers to react to it and do the best we can, and to remain calm and composed."

He also encouraged other NSFs to hold fast to their dreams: "To others like me, what I want to say is that, you must first know your (physical) condition. And if you know you can do it, go for it."

On 16 Sep, 2LT Ng finally received his long-awaited epaulettes, as well as the distinguished Sword of Honour, at the Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade. He was one of 260 cadets to be commissioned at the ceremony held at SAFTI Military Institute. This year, 208 cadets from the Army, 14 from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and 38 from the RSAF were commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Speaking to the officer cadets at the parade in the presence of their loved ones, Guest of Honour Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say highlighted the growing terror environment in Singapore and the world, and the need to stay united: "The terror threat to our country, the region and the world is far greater today than it was before. We must stand together in unity, and not let divisive forces break our bonds as one people, and as one nation. The SAF has done well in keeping up with our security challenges.

"National Service has strengthened our unique sense of pride and cohesiveness in our society; where one learns to trust the person next to him regardless of race, language, or religion. This social capital, reinforced by a strong SAF and Home Team, is what will see us through the evolving security threats of our time."

He also reminded them to be good role models for the men they lead: "You will set the benchmark of what is possible in your troops. It is critical that you have that grit within, to persevere and never give up. Always believe that you can make a positive difference, to improve the effectiveness and readiness of our SAF."

Like 2LT Ng, Naval Officer 2LT Gugan Krishnan was also grateful to receive a second chance. The RSN Regular was hit by a lengthy bout of illness, which caused him to miss lessons and fall behind in his Naval Advanced Term studies at OCS. After failing some of his tests, he was called up by the Performance Review Board.

"It was a wake-up call for me," said the 21-year-old. "I promised (the Board) to make an effort to study and prove in my sea sorties that I could apply what I had learnt. And I did exactly what I said I would do. I took the effort to go and study on my own."

He also had the support of superiors who gave him opportunities to prove himself: "While I was doing my watch at the ship's bridge one day, my course commander told me, 'I'm giving you a problem and I want to see how you solve it.' I was a bit scared, but then I remembered it's something I had studied on my own outside of the classroom. He saw that I had been studying and was pleased."

As for 2LT Jang Wook, it was the support of his platoon mates that made his OCS experience meaningful. As a Permanent Resident from the Republic of Korea, he lives alone in Singapore, and found comfort in the company of his OCS buddies.

"My parents aren't with me in Singapore, so it's really hard when I go home and they are not there. But in OCS, I have all my buddies and platoon mates around me. So I enjoyed being in OCS, and the people around me made it great," said the 22-year-old Infantry Officer. He has been living in Singapore since he was two years old, and had insisted on staying to serve his National Service and become a citizen.

"Initially my parents were against me staying, especially my mum, because she wants me to be back in Korea with her. But this is really home for me. I want to contribute to Singapore, because Singapore has contributed a lot for me. So I choose to defend Singapore," he said resolutely.

Adding that his parents had flown in specially to witness his parade, he let on that he had a surprise for his mother: "I haven't told them that I got the Sword of Merit! Later when they're here I'll tell them, so that my mum won't regret the choice she made to leave me here alone and she'll know that I'm doing well."