THAT'S MY BOY

What do you do when Dad's a Sword-of-Honour (SOH) winner in Officer Cadet School (OCS)? Get one of your own to match his, of course!

"I don't think you guys can get another Sword of Honour like your dad" was a running joke in the Ng household. Mrs Ng issued this soft challenge for the boys to replicate their father Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC) (NS) Ng Tian Chong's achievement in 1985.

But the joke became a reality when, 28 years later, Lieutenant (LTA) Russell Ng graduated from OCS with top honours on 20 Jul 2014 and received his very own SOH too.

All in the genes

The eldest of five, LTA Ng certainly has a lot to live up to. Since receiving the SOH from President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who was then the Education Minister, SLTC (NS) Ng has risen through the ranks to become Commander of 26th Singapore Infantry Brigade in the 2nd People's Defence Force.

The 50-year-old Managing Director of Hewlett-Packard South East Asia, Taiwan & Hong Kong, has always been interested in all things military. He has even gone the extra mile to serve beyond his statutory age ceiling as a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Volunteer.

"As you grow older and more mature, NS takes on a different meaning. It becomes more significant and meaningful, especially after you begin to have kids, run a business and travel overseas a lot. You begin to appreciate what Singapore has," explained SLTC (NS) Ng of his commitment to NS.

An early start

SLTC (NS) Ng's passion for national defence has certainly shaped LTA Ng's NS experience, as well as their relationship.

LTA Ng revealed that Dad was the reason he joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) in secondary school. "The funny thing was that I didn't choose to go "

"He was extremely chubby before he joined NCC!" SLTC (NS) Ng chipped in excitedly.

"Yes, I was extremely chubby, and my dad wanted me to lose weight," LTA Ng conceded. "So he thought, what better way than to join NCC, and put my name down. And all of a sudden, I'm in NCC!"

But the 23-year-old is by no means living in his father's shadow, and is holding his own as a Platoon Commander in the 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment.

"In OCS, I was one of the few selected to join the motorised infantry batch. It was a new outfit and very unfamiliar to me - my dad and friends were all in infantry. But I maintained a positive outlook and enjoyed my time there," he said earnestly.

Witnessing LTA Ng's commissioning was definitely one of the proudest moments for SLTC (NS) Ng, who attended the parade in his No.1 uniform. On donning his uniform, SLTC Ng explained that "it's very symbolic and meaningful since I'm still in service".

He added happily: "Of course I was very proud. To see Russell graduating from OCS and to have encouraged him through the nine months and finally (getting to) pin on the epaulette, it's a very memorable process."

What do you do when Dad's a Sword-of-Honour (SOH) winner in Officer Cadet School (OCS)? Get one of your own to match his, of course!

My famous father

But having a prominent dad can have its "inconveniences" - just ask the kids of footballer David Beckham, who are reportedly embarrassed about being seen at school with their famous father.

"It was quite awkward when my dad came to OCS," said LTA Ng.

SLTC (NS) Ng is a member of the OCS NS Advisory Board and gives talks to graduating cadets about their NS obligations beyond the two years.

"I called out to him 'Hey, Dad!' and Colonel Seet (Uei Lim, Commander OCS) turned around and asked: 'Are you supposed to be calling him 'Dad', or 'Sir'?'" he recalled with a chuckle.

With two younger brothers aged 19 and 13 who will serve NS when the time comes, what advice does he have for them?

"I would share with them what my dad imparted to me; he always told me that it doesn't matter whether you take on a leadership role or not, the most important thing is to be positive," said LTA Ng.

His father added: "Any role is fine as long as you're contributing. There's no pressure and I don't expect them to have similar leadership roles. I just want them to participate and play a role in NS."