WARM WELCOME FOR SAF PERSONNEL RETURNING FROM THE GULF OF ADEN

After more than three months out at sea, the Republic of Singapore Navy frigate RSS Intrepid has returned from the Gulf of Aden (GoA) after a successful deployment. As the warship sailed into the waters of Changi Naval Base on 13 Dec, family and friends of the returning Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel waited anxiously to greet their loved ones.

After a brief but emotional reunion, the 186 servicemen and women received the SAF Overseas Service Medal (OSM) from Acting Minister for Social and Family Development and Senior Minister of State for Defence Chan Chun Sing.

Praising the crew for their contributions, Mr Chan said: "You have proven yourselves to be competent, effective and operationally-ready. This is a view that that is shared by others who observed you in-theatre. You have done us proud." He also announced that Singapore will be commanding the multinational Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 for a three-month period commencing March 2013.

The OSM recipients were part of the returning SAF Task Group that operated under the ambit of CTF 151 since September this year. This was the fourth task group that the SAF has deployed to the GoA. While there, the RSS Intrepid responded to three calls for assistance and launched more than 110 helicopter flights to provide aerial surveillance and deter suspicious vessels.

"This operation was about being vigilant and having the ability to sustain that level of alertness, as well as being able to switch to conducting higher-end operations quickly to respond (to distress calls)," said Colonel (COL) Ken Cheong, Commander SAF Task Group.

This was also the first time that the SAF has deployed a frigate, together with an embarked S-70B naval helicopter, to the GoA. Recalling a night-time incident when the helicopter was scrambled to investigate a suspicious fishing vessel, COL Cheong said: "We were able to launch the helicopter within our target time of 30 minutes and we found the vessel very quickly in the dark."

"This kind of operation is not something we can (fully) mimic in training, so it was also a good validation of what we have been doing."

Among the medal recipients was Military Expert (ME) 2 Chua Kai Jong who was deployed just two weeks after the birth of his first child. When asked why he volunteered for the deployment despite this, he said: "I have always wanted to be involved in this anti-piracy operation and to have the opportunity to serve and represent the country."

"There is also a sense of duty to sail with the crew, who are not just colleagues but also close friends," explained ME2 Chua, who is one of the pioneer RSS Intrepid crew members assigned to the warship when it first entered service. As an Electrical Control Systems Supervisor, ME2 Chua is responsible for the health of ship-board electrical systems such as power supply and lighting systems.

For Full-time National Serviceman (NSF) 3rd Sergeant (3SG) (NS) Foo Yong Xiang, the opportunity to participate in counter-piracy operations meant choosing between further studies after his Operationally-Ready Date or extending his service for seven months.

"Not many NSFs get the chance to represent the country on an actual deployment," said 3SG Foo, who served as a medic on board. In order to take up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, 3SG Foo forfeited his place in a local university but he has since re-applied.

"I will be starting school sometime next year!" said 3SG Foo with a grin. "It was a real eye-opener to be deployed and the fact that my parents were supportive also made the decision easier."

Even for experienced crew such as ME2 Ebenezer s/o Moses, who has served on two other missions to Iraq and the GoA in 2009, there were lessons to be learnt.

"While on deployment, we all had to adjust to taking on more roles. This meant learning how to better make use of our time and work with each other," said ME2 Ebenezer, a Weapons Systems Specialist. He also functions as a lookout, and is trained to operate the the huge 25mm Bushmaster automatic cannon and General Purpose Machine Gun found on the Typhoon Mk II Stabilised Naval Gun system.

"The support which my family gave me really made it easier to go away on this deployment. That assurance is a big boost for me because I know that things at home will be fine."