NATIONAL DEFENCE BEGINS WITH ME
// Report by Benita Teo
// Photos by Chua Soon Lye
No one can defend our home better that we ourselves can. And National Service (NS) is key in equipping Singaporeans with the ability to do so.
This was President Halimah Yacob's message to new officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), at the Officer Cadet Course Commissioning Parade held at SAFTI Military Institute on 15 Dec.
A total of 384 cadets, comprising 300 from the Army, 34 from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and 50 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), were commissioned as officers of the SAF.
Despite the heavy downpour, the soldiers stood at attention and marched valiantly, drawing applause and cheers from their families and friends in the grandstands.
Addressing the graduands, President Halimah said: "The SAF provides us with the ballast to stand firm and respond to intimidation, and its strength lies in the generations of servicemen and women who have toiled over the years, to fight for their home and loved ones."
"Our servicemen and women are at the frontline every day to uphold Singapore's sovereignty and ensure the security of Singaporeans."
In concluding her speech, President Halimah reminded the new officers of their responsibility in protecting the nation. "Remember that the defence of Singapore's independence and sovereignty lies in your hands, and you must do your utmost to protect this."
"We must never take things for granted but have to remain vigilant at all times as threats can come unexpectedly in many forms."
These words were not lost on the new officers. Said 2LT Muhammad Haidi bin Azaman. "Singapore is a small country, and we are vulnerable to external threats. If we do not have a strong defence, other aspects will be affected, like our economy," said the 19-year-old Infantry Officer.
"I believe that NS is important because without a strong defence we wouldn't be able to survive. That makes me want to train myself and my men well, so that we will be ready when the button is pressed."
Naval Officer 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Subash s/o Satapha, 22, agreed. "To defend Singapore, we'll need strong naval officers and a strong navy."
He said that his training in Officer Cadet School (OCS) had prepared him well for his eventual role in the RSN. The training was both physically demanding and mentally strenuous with endless studying and tests, he said.
"The Navy is very operational (in that) its ships are always going out to defend our waters… Which is why we had to study rigorously, to fully understand about (how we operate)."
Army Combat Engineer 2LT Clarence Lim, 19, summed it up by saying: "As NSFs (Full-time National Servicemen), we are able to contribute in the sense that …we are part of a larger force that protects Singapore and keeps it safe."
As for his twin brother and fellow graduand 2LT Clemence Lim, he has a newfound appreciation for NS and his role in leading men.
The Receiving Only Station (ROS) Commander in the RSAF, who works with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle pilots to send the collected footage to commanders for analysis, admitted candidly: "At first I came into NS thinking, let's just make the best of these two years and not think about it again."
"But after nine months in OCS, I learnt a lot more about the bigger purpose of why we are doing this. My goal as an officer is to make NS as meaningful as I can for the men under me."
"I want them to leave NS knowing they learnt something that they can use in real life. After they leave NS and start their own families, they can then tell their children that NS is a meaningful two years."
