NEW DIRECTOR MILITARY INTELLIGENCE/CHIEF C4I APPOINTED

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) welcomed Brigadier General (BG) Ong Tze-Ch'in as its new Director Military Intelligence (DMI)/Chief Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) at a Change of Command Parade held in Pasir Laba Camp on 1 Feb.

Witnessed by the Chief of Defence Force Major-General (MG) Perry Lim, the parade saw BG Ong receiving the Chief C4I Symbol of Command from outgoing DMI/Chief C4I BG Mervyn Tan Wei Ming.

BG Tan was appointed as DMI/Chief C4I in February 2014. Prior to this appointment, he held several key appointments such as Commanding Officer, 121 Squadron; Head Air Plans, Headquarters Republic of Singapore Air Force; and Commander, Air Defence and Operations Command.

During his tenure as DMI/Chief C4I, BG Tan played a pivotal role in the deployment of Imagery Analysis Teams to the Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters, as part of the SAF's effort to support the multinational coalition against the extremist threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS for short.

In his farewell speech, BG Tan noted that the SAF C4I Community was still in its early stages and that it was important for the community to adapt quickly to the new normal of evolving threats and technology. He also highlighted that the community must not be afraid to venture into new territories to build the SAF of the future. He thanked the community for their steadfast, tireless and quiet conviction to the mission of the SAF, 24/7 every day, 365 days a year.

In closing, BG Tan described his successor, BG Ong, as a person who is down-to-earth and who has the right heart for the man and women under his charge. BG Ong joined the SAF in 1994 and has held significant appointments in his career, such as Military Assistant to Commander, United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor; Commanding Officer, 30th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers; Head, Force Transformation Office in the Joint Plans Transformation Department; Commander, Army Combat Engineer Group; Assistant Chief of General Staff (Plans); and Commander, 3rd Singapore Division.

The Change of Command Parade was attended by senior MINDEF officials and SAF officers, as well as the Military Attache Corps. The SAF C4I Community thanked BG Tan for his strong leadership and welcomed BG Ong to the community.