PRIDE MOVEMENT SAVES MINDEF OVER $200 MILLION

What great inventors like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs have in common is the desire to make things better. It was in this same spirit that Military Expert (ME) 2 Ong Chin Lin applied what he learnt about a television remote control to his job of servicing the Chinook helicopters.

A complaint from his father about a faulty remote control led him to research on how infrared signals were detected. After learning that photo-transistors are able to detect infrared signals, the assistant engineer devised a $25 contraption - comprised of a photo-transistor, a circuit board and an LED indicator - to test the infrared formation lights on the Chinook helicopter.

Previously, the infrared light emitted by the Chinook's formation lights could only be seen with the use of night vision goggles, which cost about $19,000 per set.

ME2 Ong's infrared light detector, which brought about cost avoidance of $147,800, received the Best Suggestion Award at this year's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) PRoductivity and Innovation in Daily Effort (PRIDE) Day.

According to ME2 Ong, who is from the Air Logistics Group Rotary Wing, his idea is not new. However he pointed out: "There's always something in the ordinary that we can apply in our work...and this is something that everyone can do."

ME2 Ong also received special mention by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean in his speech at the event.

Themed One Idea, Many Possibilities - Innovation Begins With You, the PRIDE event includes an exhibition held at Toa Payoh HDB Hub from 8 to 10 Jun. Speaking at the opening day on 8 Jun, Mr Teo said he was heartened by the efforts of MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel to innovate and make improvements to their daily work.

He noted that on the whole, the PRIDE movement saved MINDEF $206.7 million in financial year 2009, an increase of 48 percent from the previous year.

He said: "While productivity is about enhancing the SAF's mission effectiveness by making sure its people are better organised, trained and equipped, and resources are efficiently used, productivity improvements are possible only when there is the desire in each person to do better."

Team Rectifier from the Changi Maintenance Base echoed the minister's sentiments. The team was awarded the Best Work Improvement Teams (WITs) Project Award for their idea of using video conferencing to allow technicians in the base to rectify defects on the ships.

Group member ME3 Kee Siew Huang, a communications systems group in-charge, told cyberpioneer the motivation behind the team's idea: "It was our desire to provide the best service to our ships...to help enhance their operational readiness."

Their unit facilitator, ME3 Poh Choon Guan, Warrant Officer 1 in Electronic Warfare, added: "Innovation is important in order to provide continual improvements to our ships...and we hope to continue the culture of innovation in our unit."

Besides cost-saving projects, projects that brought about intangible benefits were also given recognition.

For example, a Programmable Pressure-activated Flotation Device created by Team Ironman from the Commandos received both the Best Work Improvement Teams (WITs) Project Award and the MINDEF Innovation Award. The device is one which automatically inflates a life jacket when it sinks below a certain depth.

On the benefits the device brings, team leader 1st Warrant Officer (1WO) Francis Toh, a company 2IC in the Special Operations Tactical Centre (SOTaC) said: "It ensures our soldiers' safety in water...and helps to reduce our instructor to trainee ratio from 1:5 to 1:10."

Ms Hedy Lim, a secretary in the civil service, was impressed by the exhibits at PRIDE Day, especially the infrared light detector.

She said: "I think it's amazing how a remote control, something I touch every day, can inspire the creation of a new gadget to test infrared lights."

"This shows that the defence ministry is very open to new ideas, which fuels the creativity of its people and enables them to come up with fantastic ideas."

The PRIDE movement began in 1981 with the aim of promoting a culture of innovation, creativity and excellence within MINDEF and the SAF.

The PRIDE 2010 exhibition at Toa Payoh HDB Hub is open to the public from 8 to 10 Jun, 11am to 7pm.