FIRST AMONG EQUALS

To succeed, she believes in nothing less than determination and a good learning attitude. Meet CPT Tan Weiyi, who recently topped the SAF's Company Tactics Course (CTC).

What do you imagine someone who aced a course to be like? Cocky? Loud? Over-the-top?

Well, Captain (CPT) Tan, an Army Intelligence Officer, is none of that. In fact, the first female soldier to top the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) CTC is endearingly unassuming.

When asked to describe the qualities she had that enabled her to do so well, the 29-year-old was visibly embarrassed, shifting and muttering shyly, "Wah um zai leh ('I don't know' in Hokkien), do I really have to answer this question?" before putting it down to the opportunities she had been given to work and learn at the operations-planning level.

A star pupil who's modest to a fault. Now, wouldn't you want her to be your Officer Commanding (OC)?

Into the deep end

CPT Tan is now the OC of a company in the 12th C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Battalion. She took over the company last December after completing the CTC.

The six-week CTC prepares young leaders in the Army for the role of OC and is open to Regulars, Operationally Ready National Servicemen and Full-time National Servicemen. It trains soldiers in the planning and tactical considerations necessary in company-level missions.

The course is more a test of mental capability than physical endurance. This was right up her alley - CPT Tan was drawn to the mental stimulation that army intelligence work offered.

"Since I was very young, I'd always wanted to join the Army and be a soldier. I also wanted to specialise in an area and develop my critical thinking skills. As I'm interested in geopolitics and international relations, this was the best place."

The CTC was, by no means, a walk in the park. CPT Tan recalls being thrown in the deep end from the get-go: "Our first mission was not to plan a company mission, but a battalion mission. For many of us, it was out of our comfort zones because we had (only) been Platoon Commanders or Company 2ICs (2nd-in-charge)."

She added: "The learning curve was very steep, but we did this so that we could understand the bigger picture."

The cohort of about 70 trainees also had to learn to work together and put their diverse vocational experience to good use.

Said CPT Tan: "But as the saying goes: practice makes perfect - the more you do, the more you talk with your friends and the more you learn, everything becomes more familiar and the planning becomes second nature."
 

CPT Tan receiving the company symbol from outgoing company commander, Lieutenant Alvinder Singh, at a battalion function last year.

With all my friends

The topic of "friendship" came up frequently in the conversation with CPT Tan. And it's clearly something she holds close to her heart.

"I'm not one to go into a course and try to outdo everybody. To me, a course is for you to get to know people from other formations, learn from them, and build your network of friends," she explained.

"So (in topping the course) the credit has to go to my course mates as well. I feel extremely honoured because, in a way, I was bestowed this position by them: I needed their support."

She added: "If you look around the SAF, there's nowhere that allows an individual to stand out (alone). You always need the support of your peers."

No privileges

Since completing the course, which ran from 21 Jul to 26 Aug 2015, the congratulations and interview requests have been streaming in for CPT Tan. She is, after all, the first female officer to top the course in its 99 runs.

But while she is flattered, she is also rather surprised to receive all the attention because, frankly, she doesn't see what the fuss is about.

"To me, really, gender shouldn't be a defining factor in someone's achievements. Male or female, it doesn't matter, because we are all in green," she explained earnestly.

"In the SAF, what matters are your effort, determination and willingness to learn. Being a female in the Army, one cannot expect to be served anything on a silver platter; in fact, if anyone expects certain privileges, that person must be in the wrong career."