SPECIALIST AND WARRANT OFFICER INSTITUTE NOW A PART OF SAFTI MI

The "Home of the Officer Corps" has opened its doors to a new housemate.

On 25 Feb, the command of the Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute (SWI) was transferred from HQ 9th Division and Infantry to the SAFTI Military Institute (SAFTI MI).

The ceremony at Pasir Laba Camp was witnessed by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Ng Chee Meng. who also unveiled the Commemorative Plaque.

In his speech, LG Ng explained that the aim of the command transfer was to strengthen the Warrant Officer (WO) Corps as well as consolidate leadership development in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

He said: "The designation of SAFTI MI as the key driver to design, implement and promulgate various leadership initiatives for the three Officer Corps across the SAF will ensure that we are able to reap synergies in leadership training and develop a holistic and robust leadership framework in support of the three Officer Corps in the SAF."

While the WOs would be able to benefit from SAFTI MI's leadership development programmes, LG Ng also recognised that, in turn, "our Officers and Military Experts will gain from our Warrant Officers' wealth of proactive experiences in last-mile leadership".

During the ceremony, held in the Leaders Hall, Chief Infantry Officer and Commander 9th Division Colonel (COL) Chiang Hock Woon handed the SWI flag over to Commandant SAFTI MI Brigadier-General (BG) Benedict Lim.

BG Lim presented the SAFTI MI formation patch to Commander SWI COL Lee Yong Heng and Chief Master Trainer SWI Senior WO (SWO) Tamizh Kannan.

The ceremony included a parade by two contingents from SWI and SAFTI MI, each comprising 33 soldiers, sailors and airmen. As a symbolic gesture to show the new oneness of the two institutes, the SWI contingent affixed their new formation patches before both contingents marched towards each other and merged to form a single unified body. The number "66" symbolised the year 1966, when SAFTI was first formed to train Officers and Non-commissioned Officers (predecessors of the WO and Specialist Corps).

On the plans for the WO Corps under SAFTI MI's command, BG Lim said: "Looking ahead, what we will do is make sure that we chart out a development roadmap that focuses on three pillars: the first pillar is professional military education and training; the second pillar is leadership development; and the third pillar is continuing education. These three pillars are very important. We have done that for the Officer Corps, and we believe firmly that, with this transfer of command of SWI to SAFTI MI, we will be able to tighten and refine this development roadmap for the Warrant Officer Corps."

He also noted that the young Military Expert (ME) Corps, which attends courses at SAFTI MI, would also benefit from the merger: "SAFTI MI can value-add specifically in the area of leadership development. We can certainly look at the leadership development packages, (as well as) programmes and practices." He added that, after attending these courses, the MEs would not only be good in their domains or areas of expertise, but their leadership competencies would also be enhanced.