ENGAGING BUDDING SOLDIERS

As the National Cadet Corps (NCC) turns 110 this year, its acronym takes on an additional meaning - Nurturing, Committed, Cool - through its new transformation plan. PIONEER checks out what is in store for the cadets.

In May, a group of cadets went on an overseas school trip with their peers from the same co-curricular activity (CCA). But their travel destination, Bergen-Hohne Training Area in Northern Germany, was one that not many have access to.

The military training area was where troops from the 48th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) conducted their annual live-firing exercise, codenamed Panzer Strike, from 2 May to 27 Jun.

Together with Commandant NCC Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Adrian Koh, eight cadets and three cadet officers from various secondary schools and polytechnics got to witness SAF troops and Leopard Main Battle Tanks in action. Their nine-day visit to Exercise Panzer Strike was one of the new initiatives under the NCC Transformation Masterplan launched this year.

Relevant to youths

In realising that cadets grow up in a very different environment today as compared to past generations, Chairman NCC Brigadier-General (BG) (Ret) Goh Kee Nguan said: "The NCC has kept itself current and relevant to today's youth in all that it does."

Its new tagline - Nurturing, Committed, Cool - sums up the objectives of the transformation plan: to nurture its cadets into committed leaders through an expanded variety of cool and fun programmes.

While some people deem NCC to be a boring CCA with cadets doing only foot drills and push-ups, BG (Ret) Goh said there is more to NCC nowadays.

"A lot more activities are conducted outside the school - at the NCC Campus in Amoy Quee Camp and out at sea, as well as with the SAF units.

"With the current transformation, we hope to change the image of NCC by introducing sports like street soccer and handball to the NCC units."

Cooler, integrated programmes

Besides having group games that strengthen fitness and build teamwork, the new plan features interesting activities that help cadets develop a global outlook and deepen their understanding of the military.

These activities range from overseas trekking expeditions to Jade Mountain in Taiwan and Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia, international cadet exchange programmes to more countries such as the United States and Australia, to basic survival courses at the soon-to-be-opened NCC Survival Village. They also include the NCC Space Wing Programme, where cadets learn the basics of space aeronautics and rocket propulsion from former NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) engineers.

The plan will also herald greater integration of the land, sea and air programmes, said BG (Ret) Goh. Cadets from all three Services can look forward to taking part in activities that were previously offered only to a specific Service, such as experiential camps conducted by the SAF combat engineers, radio-controlled aircraft flying courses and kayaking adventures.

Commanding Officer of the NCC Land (Boys) Unit from Fuhua Secondary School, Captain (NCC) Chia Chun Teck, has seen prominent changes in the NCC activities organised over the years since he was a cadet.

"Back then, we mostly had tae kwon do, foot drills and running sessions. But currently, besides undergoing basic survival training, airborne and diving courses conducted by the SAF units, cadets have opportunities to participate in SAF field camps and visit local and overseas exercises."

Nurturing committed leaders

Although NCC is undergoing a transformation, it will remain focused on character building and leadership development. Said BG (Ret) Goh: "We firmly believe that leaders with strong values and moral fibre are vital in sustaining the nation's success."

In the area of leadership development, he noted that NCC will continue to mould its cadets into strong leaders and committed military commanders through working closely with the SAF.

Collaborations with the Officer Cadet School (OCS) and the Centre for Leadership Development, for instance, have yielded encouraging outcomes as NCC prepares its cadets for National Service, added LTC Koh. "A significant number of ex-NCC cadets have made it into the SAF's leadership schools, such as OCS and the Specialist Cadet School."

Full-time National Serviceman 2nd Sergeant Kumar Ganesh, currently an instructor at the Basic Military Training Centre, said that his NCC experience helped him to discover his leadership potential.

He added: "The most memorable part of my cadet days was a live-firing exercise. At the age of 16, I could shoot a real bullet from a rifle. It was quite cool."

Year-long celebrations

To commemorate 110 years of NCC, the youth organisation has planned and organised a series of events since the start of this year.

From mid-May to end-June, cadets across Singapore raised a sum of $138,886 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund in a charity drive during their school holidays.

Following a nationwide relay run in June, the NCC 110th Anniversary Parade and the launch of a commemorative magazine in July, as well as the planned opening of the NCC Survival Village in September, the celebrations will conclude with a military dining-in and the launch of the official NCC Facebook and Twitter pages in December.

"NCC is something close to my heart. It has brought out the best in me, so it is time for me to contribute and render my support as an alumnus."
- NCC associate member Muhammad Taufiq on why he signed up to complete the NCC 110 Road Relay