Grandpa warrior

He has known the military all his life, having grown up in a camp where his family had their own quarters. His father was a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) in the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC), and a fearsome one at that.

"I heard stories of how his men would literally drop their weapons when he railed at them on the parade square!" said Major (Ret) Ibrahim Bulat of his father, who was himself acquainted with his father's formidable wrath on numerous occasions while growing up. It was due to his father's influence that he eventually joined the military, shared MAJ (Ret) Ibrahim.

After signing up with the SVC in 1963, he found himself mobilised to deal with the racial riots the following year and during the violent Konfrontasi period. Konfrontasi describes then-President of Indonesia Sukarno's opposition to the formation of Malaysia.

To the young Ibrahim, the reasons for the turmoil were alien, having grown up with Chinese, Eurasian, Malay and Sikh friends. "To me, this is Singapore all races living cordially with each other."

Looking back at his three decades of service and how much the SAF has progressed since, MAJ (Ret) Ibrahim said: "I think we have been successful but it's also important to pass this message (of the need for defence) to the younger generations." That is why the 73-year-old grandfather of 10 children gives regular talks at educational institutions (secondary schools and post-secondary educational institutions) and SAF units on those early years of the SAF, through the Commitment to Defence Ambassadors Programme, where members of the SAF Veterans' League and national servicemen speak about significant historical events and past military operations, highlighting important lessons learnt in the face of adversity. "I'll continue as long as I am able, because it's important."