TWO NEW COURSES FOR WOSPECS

The Professional Leadership Programme (PLP) and the Warfighter Course (WFC) saw their first batch of students graduate on 30 Jul in a ceremony witnessed by Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Chan Chun Sing at the Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute (SWI), Pasir Laba Camp.

The PLP and WFC were introduced to prepare specialists with the skills and knowledge for their route of advancement towards the warrant officer rank.

The PLP was conducted to nurture potential 3rd Warrant Officers (3WOs) in competencies such as leadership and profession skills to meet the skill and leadership requirements of 3WOs and Military Expert 2s (ME2s); and to impart knowledge on tri-service warfare that is relevant to 3WO/ME2 appointments. The WFC was conducted to enhance competence, confidence, and to strengthen the soldiering fundamentals of specialists in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The two inaugural courses epitomise the importance of training the SAF's warrant officers and specialists (WOSPECs). "We have the vision of the WOSPEC corps being the premium fighter, leader and trainer and being reprofiled to take on bigger responsibilities," said MG Chan in his speech at the WFC graduation ceremony.

A simple unveiling ceremony of the new SWI logo and school emblems was held before the graduation ceremonies. The SWI was recently restructured on 13 Apr to improve the professional development of WOSPECs in the SAF. The former School of Infantry Specialists was reorganised into three Specialist Cadet Schools (SCSs) and the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS) so as to provide enhanced supervision and mentorship.

The new logo and emblems represent the restructured SWI, which is home to the SAF Warrant Officer School, SWAS and the three SCSs.

The inaugural PLP was held from 7 to 30 Jul and was attended by 132 personnel from all three services of the SAF. The three-and-a-half week coaching and facilitation course included topics such as leadership development and organisational learning.

3WO Christopher Chua Chun Kiat, the PLP course leader from Headquarters Commandos, told cyberpioneer that the course curriculum encompassed topics relevant to all three services of the SAF.

He added: "PLP adopts a proactive learning approach and the course is run by the students themselves." For most of the students of PLP, it was their first tri-service course and the uniquely structured programme allowed the students to run the whole course themselves.

"The students facilitate their own learning and the staff and lecturers just give guidance," said 3WO Pandykumaran s/o Arthiappan from the Republic of Singapore Air Force 112 Squadron, a PLP graduate.

When asked how the PLP differs from other SAF courses that she has attended, 3WO Nunis Veronica Ann from Headquarters Combat Service Support said: "One thing I found different about this course is that it is based more on experiential learning. It is different from the normal set-up when you go to class and just take down notes. In this course, they ask a lot for our opinions and allow us to speak our minds."

She added: "We have our own ideas, but it is very refreshing...as everybody has a say when we do a sharing of our experiences and learn from each other."

After the PLP graduation ceremony, the WFC graduates came marching into the parade square in their full battle order and field packs for their WFC graduation parade. That was after a timed 32km road march and a series of physically and mentally-demanding test stations earlier in the day. This epitomised the gruelling WFC attended by 78 men and women from various formations of the Army from 5 to 30 Jul.

Master Sergeant (MSG) Harley Kwee, the Best Skills at Arms award winner of the WFC from Headquarters Army Combat Engineers Group, commented on the physically-demanding nature of the WFC and said he was at his fittest ever because of it.

The WFC included modules on leadership development, physical training, weapon training, navigation and skill-at-arms. These are all aimed at moulding a warfighter leader that will serve as a mentor for his men, especially in individual coaching skills in fitness, small arms and navigation.

When asked by cyberpioneer on the learning points of WFC, MSG Kwee said: "Going through this course allowed us to refresh ourselves on the most important parts of being a specialist...our core competencies, our ability to coach our peers as well as our juniors and being able to advise our officers or platoon commanders on the methods of instruction."

1st Warrant Officer (1WO) S. Moghan, a Directing Staff at SWAS and one of the instructors of the WFC, shared with cyberpioneer his opinions about the performances of the first batch of WFC graduates. 1WO Moghan said: "The course is very physically and mentally demanding but the students were very good. They know what was expected, what they were here for, so they were able to perform to our expectations."

At the WFC graduation ceremony, the Distinguished Honour Graduate award was presented to MSG Razali Bin Abdul Rahim from 1st Battalion Singapore Guards. When cyberpioneer asked about his feelings on being the distinguished honour graduate in the inaugural WFC, MSG Razali humbly said: "I was surprised as there were a lot of fitter guys in the course. I just did my best."

Among the other individual honours presented at the WFC graduation ceremony, MSG Chris Ang Kim Seah, from 36 Singapore Combat Engineers was awarded the Best Fitness graduate award.