HIGH ACHIEVER
STORY // Siti Rohani
PHOTO // Mark Teo
While she may be slim and petite, don't underestimate her fitness -- 1st Sergeant (1SG) Choy loves rock climbing and climbs every week.
She took up the sport as a 16-year-old after making up her mind that she wanted to join the Army. "I realised that I didn't have good upper body strength so I wanted to do something about it."
That meant that she had to put dancing on hold, a hobby she'd enjoyed since she was nine when her mother signed her up for tap and modern dance classes. Despite having "forgotten everything", the bubbly 24-year-old took this photoshoot in stride and struck a pose with grace.
As a tank leader, 1SG Choy has to ensure that her Leopard 2SG is ready for operations, and that her gunner, loader and driver work well together. Furthermore, as Platoon Sergeant, she needs to ensure that everything is in place for the entire platoon.
Though she doesn't get to drive the tank as much as she would like, she enjoys being out in the field with her men, which makes up for it.
With 12 men under her command, it can be challenging to make sure everyone plays his part to function smoothly as a team. To strengthen the bond, 1SG Choy reaches out to gain their trust.
"My men know that they can talk to me about their problems, however small, and I'll listen to them and give them advice."
