ARMY MARKS 55TH ANNIVERSARY, HOLDS FIRST EVER VIRTUAL EXHIBITION
//Story by KOH ENG BENG //Photos by CHUA SOON LYE
To mark its 55th anniversary this year, the Singapore Army has organised its first ever virtual exhibition, themed #OurArmyFamily.
Held from 1 to 13 Dec, the virtual exhibition recognises the contributions of soldiers, past and present. It also shows appreciation to Singaporeans and their families for their continued support of servicemen and women in the Army.
Visit the virtual exhibition to learn more about the evolution of the Army, its operational capabilities and platforms, as well as the professionalism of Singapore soldiers. Visitors can also take part in games and activities with their family members! Here's what to expect:
Honouring soldiers
Addressing Singaporeans in a pre-recorded video as the Guest of Honour for the virtual launch on 1 Dec, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How said: "Our Army is strong because of the commitment of our soldiers, and the public support for national service and our national defence.
"Army 55 is a time for us to celebrate and appreciate the soldier in every family, and the strength we draw from our Army family. This virtual exhibition will honour our soldiers and those who support them."
In his address, Mr Heng also expressed his appreciation for the Army's contributions to the national fight against COVID-19.
He noted that over 5,000 personnel - both active and National Service (NS) - had stepped forward to contribute in various areas such as supporting the healthcare system, contact tracing, and caring for migrant workers.
Virtual but interactive
At a media preview on 27 Nov, Colonel (COL) Dean Yik, Chairman of the Army 55 Virtual Exhibition Organising Committee, said the virtual exhibition will showcase the progress of the Army over the past 55 years through the stories of its people.
"We also want this to be a platform where soldiers can bring their family members and loved ones to visit and share their own unique army experiences," he added.
"This will be a family centric exhibition - there will be engaging interactive games and activities, such as our first virtual run event that we're organising as part of this exhibition."
Noting that the static display of platforms and weapon systems had been a crowd-puller in past Army Open Houses, the organisers had designed the virtual exhibition to be as interactive as possible for families and kids, said COL Yik.
Through the virtual exhibition, visitors can look at the platforms and weapon systems, read up their tech specs, and watch videos of them in action.
"Even though you cannot physically touch it, you can experience it in a different way. We also have a 'photo booth' where you can take photos with some of our platforms," said COL Yik.
The online format of this year's exhibition, he added, also allows visitors to see and experience more. It would not be possible to hold a static display for the 44 platforms and weapon systems due to space constraints in a physical exhibition, he explained.
Another advantage of the virtual format is that visitors need not queue up for games and simulators, he added.
Check out the virtual exhibition at www.go.gov.sg/OurArmyFamily For more information on the virtual exhibition, visit the Singapore Army Facebook page.
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