THRILL-SEEKER
// STORY Francis Kan / photo MARK TEO
// Styling Mei-Z / Hair & Makeup LEny Fu from Paletteinc
// OUTFIT pullover and shorts from H&M
"Adrenaline junkie" is one way of describing Military Expert (ME) 1 Clara Lim, who counts activities such as skydiving, bungee jumping and parasailing among her hobbies.
It was in the name of seeking adventure and wanting to see the world that led her to sign on with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
In her current role as a Command and Control Systems Operator aboard a frigate, she operates state-of-the-art systems to observe "dynamic, three-dimensional battle situations" and analyse threats from the air, sea surface and below the water.
"I enjoy the company on board, how we take care of each other and watch out for each other," she said. One recent highlight was her participation in a city parade, through the streets of Lombok, Indonesia representing the RSN and Singapore with other foreign navies, such as those from the US, UK, China, France, and Korea.
"Being able to witness the gun being fired from my ship during the parade was awe-inspiring. I felt my heart skip a beat with the impact when it fired."
Outside of work, she also likes to play basketball with her shipmates when time allows, a passion that started in secondary school — she represented her school team for four years! Playing the sport has taught her the importance of teamwork — something that she is able to apply in her current job.