GIRL NEXT DOOR

She is sweet, unassuming and kind - the sort of girl you would bring home to your mum. Meet Ms Sally Xie, a Defence Executive Officer in the Ministry of Defence's (MINDEF's) Human Resource Systems Department.

She adores children and spends her Saturdays at Keming Primary School conducting activities for students in the Girls' Brigade. Last year, the 23-year-old even went on two voluntary trips to the outskirts of Manila, Philippines, to care for underprivileged children.

When she is not doing voluntary work, Sally is your typical girl next door who prefers to stay at home or head out to a cafe to read. Her personality is probably the result of her positive upbringing. She and her two siblings were brought up in a strict military-like manner; her dad is a retired Army Warrant Officer.

Even her decision to join MINDEF after graduating from the National University of Singapore last year was largely influenced by her dad. "Since young, I've seen how decisive and disciplined my father is, so I would like to work at a place with such values as well," she said.