FIRST BATCH OF GRADUATING BMT RECRUITS IN 2015

Some 3770 recruits celebrated the end of their arduous Basic Military Training (BMT) with a graduation parade - the first Singapore Armed Forces parade of 2015 - held at the Float@Marina Bay on 10 Jan.

Also marking the end of another significant journey at the same place were 400 Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) from the 694th and 695th Battalions, Singapore Infantry Regiment (694 and 695 SIR), who had completed their NS cycle.

Reviewing Officer, Member of Parliament Christopher De Souza, thanked the NSmen in his speech, saying: "You have contributed significantly as part of the Island Defence Force, so that the rest of Singapore can sleep peacefully at night, and for that we salute you."

To the graduating recruits from Basic Military Training Centre and 6 SIR, Mr De Souza said: "For 50 years, a strong and credible defence has provided a safe and stable environment for our children to grow up in and for our businesses to prosper. All this would not be possible without the conviction, hard work, and determination of our pioneer generation."

"I urge the recruits who are graduating from BMT today to carry on this pioneering spirit in the defence of Singapore."

It was apt then, that the parade featured a handing over of the Singapore Flag by Captain (CPT) (NS) Jason Seow, Battalion second-in-command of 694 SIR, to Recruit (REC) Luzerne Cheng. It represented the handing over of the responsibility of defending Singapore to a new generation of soldiers.

Coincidentally, CPT (NS) Seow was REC Cheng's biology teacher at Swiss Cottage Secondary School.

"I feel that it is very meaningful, myself as a teacher, to pass the state flag to a student," said CPT Seow. " where I pass the responsibility of defending the country to the younger generation."

REC Cheng agreed, saying: "I think one very important thing is that it was a personal touch It was someone I knew who was passing down from the previous generation to (the present)."

Also present at the event were Chief of Army Major-General Perry Lim, BMTC commanders, and family and friends of the newly-trained soldiers and the NSmen.