NEW CHIEF FOR THE SAF MEDICAL CORPS

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Medical Corps welcomed its new chief Colonel (COL) (Dr) Kang Wee Lee as he took over from Brigadier-General (BG) (Dr) Benjamin Seet at a change of command ceremony at Nee Soon Camp on 19 Jul.

Articulating his vision as the new Chief of Medical Corps (CMC) in an interview with cyberpioneer, COL (Dr) Kang said he would continue to support the SAF's full-spectrum operations and develop niche areas of leadership in military medicine, such as aviation medicine, underwater medicine and combat casualty care, as well as the medical aspects of chemical, radiological and biological defence.

He added: "We will also continue to develop the peacetime healthcare system in the SAF, so that we can provide better quality and more robust medical care to NSFs (Full-time National Servicemen), Regulars and NSmen (Operationally-Ready National Servicemen)."

At the ceremony, outgoing CMC BG (Dr) Seet thanked the servicemen and staff members of the Corps that he worked with for their candid opinions and supportive assistance.

In his farewell speech, he shared his experiences in making difficult career decisions to pursue his aspirations as a military doctor and in peacekeeping missions.

These include giving up practising ophthalmology and risking being bypassed as a potential candidate for CMC when he applied and eventually took the position of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the United Nations' (UN's) Department of Peacekeeping Operations from 2004 to 2008. As CMO, he was tasked to provide medical support for about 90,000 UN peacekeepers in more than 20 missions around the world.

Summing up his experience in the SAF, BG (Dr) Seet said: "I joined the SAF to go on missions, to do something different with my life and to be more than just a clinic or hospital doctor... I have seen my share of war-torn countries, and have planned medical responses to numerous contingencies and disasters.

"I have a deep personal satisfaction of having achieved what I set out to do when I first joined the army."

Enlisted in 1983, BG (Dr) Seet has held appointments such as Commanding Officer of the Medical Classification Centre, Deputy Commander of the Military Medicine Institute, Chief Army Medical Officer and Commander of the SAF Medical Training Institute.

Besides serving in the UN first as a medical support officer in 1998 and subsequently as CMO for peacekeeping operations, he was also deployed to Timor Leste with the SAF peacekeeping contingent in 2002 and led a UN Technical Advisory Group to Darfur, Sudan this year.

Under BG (Dr) Seet's leadership since May 2009, the Medical Corps has seen significant initiatives in medical support operations, health care services and organisational development, such as the modernisation of the Army Medical Support System, accreditation of paramedic training and the implementation of the Military Medical Experts career scheme.

BG (Dr) Seet will embark on a new career in a senior management position in the Biomedical Research Council at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) on 1 Aug.

Previously Chief Naval Medical Officer and Commander of the Force Medical Protection Command before assuming the appointment of CMC, COL (Dr) Kang joined the Republic of Navy (RSN) in 1996 and has held several appointments in the RSN. These include Head of Medical Operations, Doctrine and Training Branch and Head of the Naval Underwater Medicine Centre.

In 2006, COL (Dr) Kang also led the SAF medical team in a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation to provide medical treatment to victims of the Central Java earthquake.

The ceremony was witnessed by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong and attended by senior SAF officers, servicemen and staff members of the Corps.