UNITED IN CONTRIBUTING TO 3RD GENERATION SAF

Unity is arguably the most important ingredient in any successful establishment or leadership regime. As such, it is apt to hear leading officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) speak of a common purpose - to contribute to the operationalisation of the 3rd Generation SAF - and the satisfaction they derive from it.

"My career in the SAF allowed me to be part of a vital transnational collaboration," said Colonel (COL) Tan Wee Beng, Commander Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF), of his role in helping to formulate the task force from scratch.

Launched in February this year, the MSTF was set up to help combat the multi-faceted nature of today's maritime threats through enhanced inter-agency cooperation.

Despite having held certain key appointments such as Commander Coastal Command and Military Personal Secretary to the Minister for Defence, COL Tan maintained that his role as Commander MSTF was the most memorable experience in his SAF career to date.

"It is a real-time mission where people are risking their lives on the frontline 24/7. That really makes it that much more significant," he told cyberpioneer.

COL Tan is one of 464 SAF officers who were promoted to the next higher rank at the annual Officers' Promotion Ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence on 25 Jun. The officers who were promoted comprised both regulars and Operationally-Ready National Servicemen.

Five Colonels were promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General or Rear-Admiral (One-Star) this year. They are COL Ishak bin Ismail, Commander, 6th Singapore Division; COL Kwek Kok Kwong, Commander, Air Defence and Operations Command; COL Lee Shiang Long, Head, Joint Communications and Information Systems Department; COL (Dr) Seet Hun Yew Benjamin, Chief of Medical Corps; and COL Tan.

COL Ishak was unwavering in his sense of purpose and direction - regardless of the promotion.

"Year by year, whether I get promoted or not, the sense of duty remains the same. The promotion is simply a form of recognition, a showing of trust," he said.

"The focus is still on transforming our software and hardware to meet the needs of the 3rd Generation SAF."

COL Ishak displayed his prowess as a planner and leader when he successfully directed Exercise Wallaby in 2008. Though planning on such a massive scale posed certain logistical difficulties, the eventual execution did not pose much of a problem.

COL Ishak stressed that for the advancement of the SAF, it is important that commanders and men be on the same page.

"In the past, as I thought fast and made changes fast, some people would lag behind and that caused disruption. So the biggest challenge today is not how much I can engineer change but rather, how well I can facilitate it so that we can go about tasks more efficiently."

For COL Kwek Kok Kwong, Commander Air Defence and Operations Command, the SAF has helped to hone his leadership skills, giving him the opportunities to command large groups and to motivate them.

"The opportunity given to lead such numbers towards a common vision and mission is enriching and at the same time gratifying," COL Kwek shared.

"In the 3rd Generation SAF, everybody has to pull their weight...the advancing of the SAF is important to keep ourselves relevant due to the evolving threats and security situations that we face."

At the promotion ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean presented certificates of promotion to officers promoted to the rank of Colonel and above. Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek presented the certificates to those promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

All promotions take effect from 1 July.