LEADING IN ORDER TO SERVE

For Lieutenant (LTA) Vincent Goh Cheng Feng from the Army, a career in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was just what he had set his heart on during his National Service (NS) days.

"Not many careers would allow me to lead and inspire, which is what attracted me to taking up the scholarship in the first place," said LTA Goh.

LTA Goh was one of seven Singapore Armed Forces Merit Scholarship (SMS) recipients who received their certificates of award from Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at a ceremony held at the Temasek Club on 20 Aug. Dr Ng also presented certificates of award to four Defence Merit Scholarship (DMS) recipients.

Present at the awards ceremony were the parents of the 11 scholars, as well as senior officials from Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF.

Temasek Junior College alumnus LTA Goh, who will read Economics at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom (UK), said that he derived great satisfaction from his career in the military.

"I would love to be in a position where I can lead and inspire my men in order to serve the country and its people," said LTA Goh, who cites good role models in the form of his platoon commander and wing commander at Officer Cadet School.

Fellow SMS recipient, LTA Sim Bao Chen from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, also told cyberpioneer that a positive National Service (NS) stint in the Ground Based Air Defence unit played a large part in influencing him to take up a career in the SAF.

"I was fortunate enough to have had an NS experience which helped me to define what I wanted out of my life. Choosing a career in the SAF helps me to combine my two loves of flying and serving my country," LTA Sim said.

LTA Sim ,who comes from Hwa Chong Institution, will be heading to read Electrical Engineering in Imperial College London, UK.

Not all of the 11 recipients of the SMS and DMS, however, had the chance to get their feet wet with NS before diving straight into a military-related career.

Ms Tiffany Tay, one of the four recipients of this year's DMS, said she wanted a job which would enable her to make a direct difference in the lives of her fellow Singaporeans.

"I know that not many females will jump at the chance of working in MINDEF but I feel that a career here will help to make a direct difference through the work that I will do on a day-to-day basis," explained Ms Tay, who hopes to work in MINDEF's Defence Policy Office upon graduation from the University of Warwick, where she will study Politics with International Studies.

The SMS and DMS was first introduced in 1983 and 2002 respectively. Since then, both scholarships have attracted the best and brightest talent from every cohort of school-leavers.

This year's recipients of the scholarships will be pursuing their undergraduate studies in renowned universities overseas. After completing their tertiary education, they will assume various appointments that will groom them for senior command and leadership positions in MINDEF and the SAF.