STRENGTHS THAT BIND

As the SAF celebrates its 50th year of defending the nation, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Ng Chee Meng reflects on what the milestone means to him.

Most Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen and women who have worked with LG Ng might know him as the three-star general with a trademark smile, who is ready for some friendly banter. But when it comes to work, he is firm and serious.

"I exact the highest standards of my officers and men when it comes to issues of the SAF," he said in a stern tone.

To understand why he adopts such a no-nonsense approach, one has to go back to his younger days as a fighter pilot. On occasions when the SAF was put on high alert in response to possible threats, he flew combat patrols on his F-5 jet, putting himself in possible danger.

"If you think about it, you'll understand why I hold this responsibility so seriously," he said. "What is the ultimate guarantee that Singapore will continue with life as we know it now? Or will we become a satellite of another state?"

"What we have today is really an exceptional story. For a man of my age, I don't take any of it for granted," added the 47-year-old father of two. "I've lived through some of the difficulties that Singapore faced, as a child and as a fighter pilot, to Chief of Air Force and now Chief of Defence Force."

Unparalleled growth

For LG Ng, the SAF's success is a reflection of how far Singapore has come since independence. He spoke about how the SAF had only two infantry battalions and two wooden ships in 1965. But the SAF of today, he said, is well-respected by foreign military powers who count them as their equal.

The SAF - comprising a largely citizen Army, as well as a Navy and Air Force - has not only secured peace for Singapore, but also contributed globally in peace-keeping missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, as well as campaigns against terrorism.

Describing the rapid transformation of the SAF in the last 50 years as "unparalleled", he attributed the SAF's continuous success to the dedication and selflessness of its people.

"Our pioneers and our people in service have done their job very well," he said. "They have forged an armed forces that is far-sighted, with the ability to deal with operational issues day to day, but (also) the foresight to plan for the future and for the unknown."

He pointed out that, for example, current officers are already looking into how to deal with an impending manpower crunch, even though it will only happen 10 to 20 years down the road. The SAF is expecting a 20 percent drop in the number of conscripts by 2030.

"The time will come when we have less resources That's why we must think in the long term and exploit emerging technologies that will give us the necessary firepower to do our job of maintaining peace and security for Singapore."

"I am proud of the SAF for its stellar work over the last 50 years, with our people serving with conviction, commitment and dedication. " - LG NG

Strength of our nation

When asked which pioneer or serviceman inspired him the most, LG Ng declined to single out anyone. "There are just too many people who are inspirational," he said.

Seeing Singaporeans with their families going about their daily lives reminds him of why he serves, and even small acts of kindness or hard work by rank and file soldiers - such as a group of full-time national servicemen (NSFs) helping an old lady to board the bus, or officers pulling an all-nighter to complete their tasks - are heartening to him.

In particular, LG Ng vividly recalled the state funeral of Singapore's founding Prime Minister, where his officers and men as well as ordinary Singaporeans, including school children, adults and grandparents, came together to send Mr Lee Kuan Yew off.

"One of the key things that really got into my consciousness, that brought a lot of satisfaction, was when I saw the nexus of Singapore - ordinary Singaporeans and the SAF - drawing strength from, and giving strength, to each other," he said.

"I saw my officers and men doing their part beyond the call of duty, and the strength that ordinary Singaporeans gave them through their encouragement and support."

He added: "You really saw the binding strength of Singapore. Our slogan this year for SAF50 is Giving Strength to the Nation. Indeed, in many ways, it's a very good representation of what we have done.

"I am proud of the SAF for its stellar work over the last 50 years, with our people serving with conviction, commitment and dedication. Our SAF will continue to remain strong for Singapore, for Singaporeans."