OVER 400 NEW SAF OFFICERS READY TO SERVE

Midway through his training at the Officer Cadet School (OCS), Officer Cadet (OCT) Mohamad Isa Bin Saman suffered a retina tear in his eye, and had to undergo surgery. The injury put him out of action for six months.

But with the support of his instructors, he resumed training after his recovery. "As a full-time national serviceman (NSF), I have two years to serve the nation. Why not make these two years the most memorable?" he said.

OCT Isa was one of the 425 officer cadets who were commissioned as officers in a parade held at the SAFTI Military Institute on 17 Dec.

His National Service (NS) so far has been a transformational experience. OCT Isa was an obese recruit, but eventually shed over 10 kg, and scored a Gold for his Individual Physical Proficiency Test.

The 22-year-old Infantry officer will be posted to the Basic Military Training Centre as an instructor to help groom the next generation of soldiers.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who reviewed the commissioning parade, noted in his address that next year marks the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore during the Second World War.

He said this was a timely reminder of the importance of having a strong Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). So the graduands, as future officers, had to train their soldiers well.

"As officers of the SAF, you are responsible for the training, morale, and discipline of your soldiers. Through your leadership, your men will find the courage and strength to rise up to the challenges they will face in future."

Lead by example

Dr Tan's message resonated with Midshipman (MID) Ho Hol Yin from the Navy.

One night during a six-week training out at sea, he had to man the ship from 12am to 4am, then study for tests till 6am, before continuing the next day's routine.

"There were many other times like this where we didn't get a chance to touch our bed," he said. "That really taught me how, as officers, even when we are sleep deprived, we have to command the ship properly. It is our responsibility to do so."

The 19-year-old NSF will serve as a platoon commander in the fast craft and training unit.

Family tradition

For OCT Sujandren S/O Alaghimanvalan, he will be continuing a family tradition. His father and sister work for the Singapore Airlines, while his late grandfather was a technician with the Royal Air Force until the British pulled out of Singapore in 1971.

"I was drawn to the Air Force because of my family," said OCT Sujandren. "Being in an 'aviation' family has allowed me to understand how the Air Force works."

His dad, an aircraft engineer, often helped him with his studies on aircraft matters in OCS.

The 19-year-old is the first in his family to go through NS -- dad and uncle were exempted from military service due to injuries. Not knowing what to expect from NS, he had a culture shock.

During a three-day capstone exercise, he had to lead his team to deal with unexpected and challenging scenarios, despite having only an hour or two of sleep each day.

Asked what motivated him to push on, the Ground-Based Air Defence Officer simply said: "If being an officer is the best way (for me) to serve my country and protect my loved ones, this is what I must do."