ONCE BOYS, NOW LEADERS

It is not always easy picking yourself up after suffering a setback. Officer Cadet Muhammad (OCT) Afiq Bin Mohamad Fairuz knows this well.

"I broke my toe when I was rushing from my bunk to somewhere else in Officer Cadet School (OCS). I was sent to the hospital and the doctor told me that I would not be able to participate in the next two weeks of training," the 23-year-old explained.

The accident meant that he would miss out on a crucial overseas training component and had to pull out of his Officer Cadet Course (OCC). Disappointment overwhelmed OCT Afiq when he learnt of the unfortunate news.

"I was posted to OCS Headquarters for four months as an Administration Specialist to carry out duties as a clerk. On the fourthmonth, I saw my former batch mates graduate and this re-ignited my desire to finish OCS."

With the encouragement of his family, OCT Afiq joined a later OCC batch. He said that his main source of motivation came from his late grandfather.

"He was there for me through two months of the course before he passed away. This spurred me to complete my OCS course as I wanted to do it for him."

For OCT Marcus Chia, family support also played a big part in getting through 38 weeks of tough training. With a father and two elder brothers all Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers, the 20-year-old had no lack of advice when it came to tackling challenges that he faced in OCS.

"My father and brothers are able to empathise with what I'm going through and provide valuable advice. They were always there to encourage me whenever I had any setbacks."

He added: "After enlisting, I've learnt a lot about how things work behind the scenes - what the different SAF units do and the various roles that people take up."

"I've always known of the importance of NS (National Service) in Singapore's defence. And, over time, I've witnessed (other) NSFs (Full-time National Servicemen) come to realise this fact, too, and develop a greater sense of responsibility towards the defence of the nation."

Speaking at the OCC Commissioning Parade held at the SAFTI Military Institute on 9 Apr, reviewing officer Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad highlighted the heightened threat of terrorism today and the importance of maintaining a strong and vigilant SAF.

"A strong defence, a vigilant society and a resilient people will make terrorists think twice about causing harm here. Generations of national servicemen have stepped forward to respond to the call of duty, honour, country. Henceforth, you will bear the same responsibility of defending our country."

"So when heads are down or spirits are flagging, draw strength from the knowledge that as leaders in the SAF, you have a direct and important role to play in deterring the threats that face our nation today."

Among those who took this message to heart was OCT Sarath, 21, who signed on as a Regular and took up the Joint Polytechnic SAF Diploma Scheme (JPSDS) in 2012. He aspired to become an officer, but was posted to Specialist Cadet School (SCS) after his Basic Military Training (BMT).

Bouncing back from his initial disappointment, OCT Sarath persevered and excelled in SCS. He went on to OCS and did exceptionally well, even clinching the prestigious Sword of Honour.

"I've always held this quote close to my heart: 'The temptation to give up is the strongest when you're just about to succeed.' It gave me the strength to persevere and continue my journey in OCS."

This evening's parade marked the end of 38 weeks of grueling training at OCS and saw 335 cadets being commissioned as officers of the SAF.