NATIONAL DAY AWARDS FOR 636 DEFENCE PERSONNEL

Stepping into the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as a school leaver, armed only with an "O" level certificate in 1993, Military Expert (ME) 3 Kumaran Naidu never imagined he would get to where he is today.

At 41, ME3 Kumaran is now a subject matter expert on the naval gun systems used on board warships operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). After obtaining an engineering diploma on an SAF sponsorship, ME3 Kumaran had many more opportunities to upgrade his skills and learn more.

"Everything I am today, I owe to the RSN and all the grooming given to me," said ME3 Kumaran, who was part of a team that developed a palm-sized laser device used to analyse the reliability of naval guns.

With the innovation, the team replaced the tedious old method that required a heavy 35kg motor to carry out reliability tests. The team significantly reduced the man-hours needed to conduct such checks.

For his dedication to duty and service, ME3 Kumaran received the Efficiency Medal at the National Day Awards Investiture from Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on 18 Nov. He joined 635 others from the Ministry of Defence and the SAF who received National Day Awards this year.

Operationally Ready National Servicemen, too, were recognised for their contributions. One of them was Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) Terence Chen, Commanding Officer (CO) of the 720th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment. He said: "While I'm delighted to receive the award, this medal actually belongs to every one in the unit."

He has served as CO of the unit since 2010, leading his men to win three Best NS Unit awards in the annual Best Units Competition. "As CO, I want my men to receive efficient training. Awards are secondary," said the 42-year-old who runs a regional manufacturing company in his civilian life.

"Being an NSman, to be recognised and acknowledged encourages me to do better. It also reinforces what I have observed over the years; that the SAF looks after its people," said LTC (NS) Chen, who has served for close to 20 years.

"For example, I've seen MINDEF and the SAF push out significant improvements, from the online booking systems for the annual physical fitness test, to improved equipment. All these changes make me more confident of the SAF," he said.

It is a similar story on the ground, said LTC (NS) Chen, as he shared stories of his own soldiers going out of their way to help each other during training by shouldering more load and taking on more responsibilities.

"At the end of the day, we are all NSmen, and it is the bonds that matter," said LTC (NS) Chen, who received the Commendation Medal.

Non-military personnel were also honoured with National Day Awards. One such recipient this year was Ms Berlinda Chua, an Assistant Director with the Manpower Policy Department.

With 14 years of experience in Human Resource work in MINDEF and the SAF, Ms Chua has helped to push out policies that benefit servicemen and enable them to do their jobs with more ease and peace of mind.

One of her projects was the introduction of portable medical insurance policies for servicemen that provided coverage even after they leave the SAF. "I have always been interested in HR and how the policies we formulate benefit people in the organisation," said the 36-year-old.

She was also involved in the development of the Military Domain Experts Scheme that allows soldiers to become experts in technical areas of their choosing.

"Along the way, I have also been fortunate to have bosses who are very enlightened and provide good leadership," said Ms Chua.

So what keeps her motivated at work? "I am part of a close-knit team; it is literally a home away from home, and we are all working towards a common mission. The sense of satisfaction is hard to beat!"

A total of 87 Commendation Medals, 119 Efficiency Medals and 437 Long Service Medals were awarded to both military and non-military personnel.

At an earlier National Day Awards ceremony officiated by President Tony Tan Keng Yam on 6 Nov, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Perry Lim, Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Lai Chung Han and Chief of Staff Joint Staff Brigadier-General Chia Choon Hoong were awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) (Military).