SETTING THE STANDARDS: THE COMMANDOS' SHARP SHOOTERS

Team Champions for the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) for four years running. Next to best at the Brunei International Skills-At-Arms Meet (BISAM). And individual medals won at various other regional shooting competitions.

Time to celebrate all these achievements and rest on their laurels?

Not quite.

On the contrary, further opportunities to bring glory to Singapore spur these sharp shooters from the Commandos to train hard daily.

At this year's AARM held in September in Brunei, the Commando Pistol Shooting Team was crowned champions, with Staff Sergeant (SSG) Ferre On Shaw Ming clinching the Individual Champion Award. The pistol team was also Team Champion for the Falling Plate event at the AARM.

Coach of the team, Second Warrant William Cheng, downplayed his role in the team's stellar achievements. "The reason for our past four years of continued success is the dedicated efforts of the shooters," he said.

"Without dedicated shooters and their will to excel, we will not be able to achieve anything."

SSG On can attest to the fact that they train hard. "I'm at the range shooting every day, sometimes coming back even on weekends!" he said.

"But for the honour of being able to represent Singapore, I train hard willingly."

Together with Master Sergeant (MSG) Poh Lip Meng, he will be representing Singapore in this year's SEA Games in the Philippines.

MSG Poh was the individual champion at AARM in 1993 and the individual champion at Brunei International Skills-At-Arms Meet (BISAM) in 1994 and 1995.

This will be his second time participating in the SEA Games. While training daily can be exhausting, he takes it in his stride. "It pays off when I hit perfect scores during training."

Support from his family and his unit keeps him going as well. "I'm thankful that my family understands the need for me to train every day," he said.

"Plus the whole Commando formation is behind me and SSG On all the way!"