Setting the bar high

Four months into his enlistment, 20-year-old Full-time National Serviceman (NSF) 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Teo Boon Kai was already going on his first sail in Exercise Kakadu, which was hosted by the Royal Australian Navy and involved 10 countries.

During the 2016 exercise, which involved sailing to and from Darwin, Australia, on board Republic of Singapore Navy missile corvettes RSS Vigour and RSS Valiant, 3SG Teo spent his time learning basic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) knowledge and skills on the job.

This was part of his training in the pioneer batch of NSF Unmanned Systems Operators at 188 Squadron. The Navy's Victory-class missile corvettes were upgraded just a few years earlier with the ScanEagle UAV System to enhance its surveillance capabilities.

"There were many times when the sea became extremely rough while we were setting up the UAV equipment on the quarterdeck. This caused the ship to sway from side to side constantly and made the process of setting up even tougher. Eventually, we managed to see the task through by helping one another with their tasks once we have completed ours while making sure everyone stayed safe."

He added: "It wasn't easy trying to learn as much as I could in a short period of time while adapting to the (ever-changing) sea state. But as part of the pioneer batch of NSF Unmanned Systems Operators, I felt a sense of responsibility to make sure I put in my best to ensure the success of this new legacy."

Today, 3SG Teo and his batch mates are qualified Unmanned Systems Operators and they have set the bar high for future NSF batches.