SAF PERSONNEL RECOGNISED FOR OVERSEAS EFFORTS

The paradoxical nature of service is often upheld as a very true one: the more you serve, the more you gain.

We certainly see this in the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) commitment to postwar reconstruction efforts overseas. With teams stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan as well as Timor Leste overseeing a multitude of responsibilities, it appears the SAF teams are doing just that.

cyberpioneer spoke to Master Sergeant (MSG) R Loganathan, who served on the SAF's mission to Iraq.

As a crew member of the KC-135, capable of air-to-air refuelling, MSG Loganathan was proud of Singapore s participation in international reconstruction efforts.

"It's the duty of any responsible country in the international community to bring a fallen country up to its feet, and Singapore is doing the right thing and I m really proud of it," the airman said.

Major (MAJ) Kevin Tan was among the servicemen who served in Timor Leste, an experience he calls "enriching". Tasked with security assessment, MAJ Tan was one of the two officers deployed to Timor Leste.

"We have played our part in the international community, and we've contributed within our means and are a responsible member of the international community," he corroborated.

While both men were highly impressed by the SAF that they saw: the committed SAF, the SAF responding effectively to international crises, far more resonant for them were the lessons obtained from their overseas postings.

MSG Loganathan, for one, has learnt quite a few lessons from his foreign counterparts.

"I've got to exchange ideas and thoughts and operational tactics with the coalition partners. That has definitely improved my operational knowledge."

Ultimately, these missions have opened the eyes of both men. Where once they were content with their day-to-day routine, MSG Loganathan and MAJ Tan now see the SAF in a wider context.

"Whatever we do, we all have a part to play in the whole mission. Whether we're just a small country, or whether we're just one person if we do our part we'll be able to provide mission stability," said MAJ Tan.

MSG Loganathan and MAJ Tan are two out of the 46 SAF servicemen who were awarded the Overseas Service Medal on 22 Nov.

At the ceremony, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen praised the men for "demonstrating the highest standards of discipline, commitment and professionalism" in their overseas missions.