READY TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES AS SENIOR MILITARY EXPERTS

Starting out at the lowest level in the military, Ignatius Wang, 25, rose to become Director of Music of the SAF Ceremonial Band, and is one of the youngest band directors in the history of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

For someone who was dealt a poor hand - he grew up in a single-parent family with no means to give him an education in music - he has done extremely well.

In 2012, Military Expert 4 (ME4) Wang, a tourism diploma holder, received an SAF scholarship to study music at the famed Royal Marines School of Music in the United Kingdom.

His course mates were accomplished musicians and degree holders in their late 30s. But he held his own, and became the first foreigner to obtain a music degree from the institute, graduating with First Class Honours in Bachelor of Music in Professional Music Studies.

"It was a big eye-opener, and a fantastic opportunity to study. But at the same time, it was stressful because I was not just representing the SAF, but the country as well," recalled ME4 Wang, who now leads about 30 musicians in the Band.

ME4 Wang was among the 125 SAF personnel - 15 from the Army, 24 from the Navy, 72 from the Air Force, and 14 from Joint - who were appointed as Senior Military Experts in a ceremony at SAFTI Military Institute on 28 Jul.

This was the largest graduating cohort since the first appointment ceremony in 2011.

The ceremony marked the completion of the Military Domain Experts Course (MDEC) which trains military experts in areas such as engineering, nursing, intelligence and military music.

ME4 Wang has performed in several high-profile events this year, such as the opening of the SEA Games, and the SAF Day Parade. He will also be performing in the upcoming National Day Parade.

On his role as a military musician, ME4 Wang said: "The SAF has seen the importance of garnering support (for) National Service and the Armed Forces. The Band can be an important bridge between the military and the people."

In his speech, Minister of State for Defence Dr Maliki Bin Osman highlighted the importance of the deep expertise of military experts in readying the SAF to tackle security threats.

For instance, to overcome an impending manpower crunch the SAF is facing due to a declining birth rate, the Navy's military experts designed the new Littoral Mission Vessel such that it can be operated by a lean crew of only 23. Similar ships in other navies require twice the number of crew.

Dr Maliki urged the graduands to "never stop learning, to continue to innovate and adapt for your missions."

Continuous learning

ME4 Pang Kee Hwee, 42, who received the Sword of Honour for topping the cohort, is one such serviceman.

He joined the Air Force as a senior technician in 1993 after obtaining his diploma. Little did he know that his career would lead him to don the ME4 rank - the equivalent of a newly-commissioned officer.

Such a career path did not exist then. Nevertheless he gave his best, and studied part-time to obtain an advanced diploma, and later a degree, juggling his studies with his day job.

"When I joined as a senior technician, I (knew) I would never be an officer," he recalled. "But after the conversion to the Military Domain Expert Scheme, it actually gave me the opportunity to go (on) to (become) a senior military expert."

Now a Command Chief of 805 Squadron (SQN), he leads about 250 engineers to maintain the F-16 fighter jets, and G-550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft.

"Being a senior military expert comes with greater responsibility, and I am looking forward to the challenges," he said.

Different path

ME4 David Mohan S/O Arumugan, 47, took a slightly different path, honing his skills through military and leadership courses in the SAF.

He joined the Navy with N-levels, but his combat abilities were top-notch, allowing him to rise through the ranks and take on higher appointments - from a gunner to a weapon system operator, then from a coxswain of a ship to a coxswain of a squadron today.

Going through a professional military course like the MDEC, he said, had allowed him to gain a better understanding of how his counterparts in the Army and Air Force work.

The knowledge will be useful when he assumes a bigger management role as a senior military expert in the future.

"We might not be aware of how the three Services come together. Coming to this type of course, we could share and discuss some of (our own) doctrines at a deeper level," he said.

The newly-appointed Senior Military Experts will move on to assume command or staff appointments in their professional areas in the SAF.