THE WRITE DECISION

Think the OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide-Action) Loop is only applicable in the context of military warfare tactics? According to Captain (CPT) Ong Yan Zhi, 112 Squadron, it is also a good strategy to adopt if you are writing for the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Essay Competition.

"You observe what's going on in your surroundings on a larger scale, on the strategic level, then you orientate yourself to see which direction you want to proceed," he explained.

"And after you've made your decision, you act on it by doing your research and begin writing."

Clinching top honours among 197 entries in the 2008 edition of the competition, CPT Ong's essay, entitled "On Fourth Generation Warfare: Implications to the SAF", was inspired by his experiences as a Republic of Singapore Air Force pilot, an officer and a Singaporean.

A KC-135 pilot who has been deployed to the Gulf thrice, CPT Ong said that interaction with coalition partners has showed him the importance of resolving "nut and bolts" issues, such as streamlining different operating standards and procedures, before they could work together effectively.

"Similarly, the threats in fourth generation warfare are typically transnational, and Singapore will have to collaborate with other inter- or intra- national agencies when combating these new enemies," he noted.

While CPT Ong drew upon his personal experiences to write his essay, first runner-up Major (MAJ) Alan Foo, Battalion 2IC from the 9th Signal Battalion, looked beyond his usual scope of work as a Signals personnel when he addressed the topic of terrorism in his essay, "Countering Radical Islamic Terrorism in Southeast Asia - A Case Study on Jemaah Islamiah Network".

Sharing his thoughts on clinching the second prize, MAJ Foo told cyberpioneer: "Of course I'm happy, but [winning] is more of a bonus. The most important thing is that I was able to able share my thoughts and ideas with others, and at the same time, enrich myself by learning something new."

Introduced in 1987, the CDF Essay Competition is organised annually to encourage SAF officers to undertake study and research into military-related subjects.

"It is heartening that even after 20 years of existence, this competition remains a successful channel for our officers to pursue independent thought and express their views," said Colonel (COL) Leong Choong Yew, Deputy Commandant Air Defence and Operations Command, who was a member of the judging committee.

At the prize presentation ceremony on 27 Aug, COL Leong also took the opportunity to announce the launch of a new initiative - half-day writing workshops on 16 and 23 Oct - in conjunction with the 2009 edition of the competition.

"The POINTER essay writing workshop is to help those officers who are keen to write but unsure on how to get started, and to provide tips on the fundamentals of writing a good essay," he elaborated.

"Such skills will not only benefit officers who are keen to contribute to the CDF essay competition and the POINTER journal, it will also be useful for officers who need to submit essays for their courses."

The workshops are open to all SAF Regular Officers (including Warrant Officers), Defence Executive Officers (DX8 & above) and DSTA Officers. All vaccancies for the inaugural sessions have been snapped up since registration commenced in mid-September.