BRINGING THEIR A-GAME IN SAF BEST UNIT COMPETITION

Bringing pride to their motto, “For Honour and Glory”, the Commandos have held on to their title of Best Combat Unit. This marks their 39th since the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) introduced the Best Unit Competition in 1969!

Alongside them, the Navy’s Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Indomitable and the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF’s) 142 Squadron clinched the Best Maritime Security Unit and Best Fighter Squadron awards respectively.

A total of 18 active units and 12 National Service (NS) units were recognised for coming up tops in their respective formations this year.

This includes 391st Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers, which emerged Best NS Combat Engineers Unit.

Check out their winning ways:

Best Combat Unit

1st Commando Battalion (1 Cdo Bn)

How many wins: 39

This also marks the 22nd year in a row that 1 Cdo Bn has won!

What it takes:

According to 1 Cdo Bn’s Commanding Officer (CO), Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Kok Yi Long, the winning formula comes down to three essential elements: hard work, teamwork, and belief.

“We pride ourselves on being the best because we train the hardest and the most... The standard is high, and that is exactly where we intend to keep it,” said the 37-year-old.

As elite troopers who operate in complex environments, the commandos specialise in airborne operations, reconnaissance, and raid missions.

For 2nd Sergeant (2SG) T Naveen, a Commando Leader, adaptability is key when it comes to such missions: “Things may not always go as planned. Being able to overcome unexpected scenarios was crucial.”

The 20-year-old Full-time National Serviceman (NSF) also highlighted how rigorous training was crucial in ensuring they were physically and mentally ready.

“You need to train over a period of time to gain the combat fitness to perform well. It doesn’t just happen overnight.”

Most memorable mission:

For Lieutenant (LTA) Seah Zhang Qi, 20, his standout experience was the battalion’s Army Training Evaluation Centre (ATEC) evaluation overseas. The first mission was their most gruelling yet, involving long distances and simulated enemy engagements.

The team split up, with some carrying on to their mission objective and others carrying out casualty evacuation.

“It was sheer grit (that the evacuation team could) catch up, and that we were able to reach the objective on time,” said LTA Seah, who was the detachment commander.

2SG Naveen also pointed to their ATEC evaluation as their toughest challenge: a 20km march under heavy load and changing mission conditions. “We had to adapt and change our plans on the go.”

“What kept us going was the belief that we can't let each other down,” added Corporal First Class (CFC) Akmal Danial Rashiddin bin Abdul Latif, 20, a Commando Fighter.

"If one person gave up, the rest had to carry more. We kept motivating each other until we finished."

Unit values

CFC Akmal shared a motivational quote used during their toughest moments. "One thing we always say is: ‘There's no limit to yourself.’ You are the only one who can prove who you really are."

LTC Kok put it simply: “Hard work and belief – if these two elements are not there, it's very hard (to succeed). Even with the best training system.”

Best Maritime Security Unit

RSS Indomitable

How many wins: 2

It is the Littoral Mission Vessel’s second win in a row since she was commissioned in 2018!

What it takes:

To the ship’s CO, LTC Lin Dianxue, the process of getting there is more important than the result of winning.

“We were very focused on building our strong family spirit and cementing our fundamentals in combat and engineering skill sets,” said the 37-year-old.

During training, the crew are often put to the test in real-life scenarios they may face out at sea during their patrols. This is so that they always keep alert and can adapt quickly to dynamic situations.

The commanders also make sure to create a psychologically safe environment in which everyone’s voices and ideas are heard.

The winning recipe is “a combination of strong leadership, family spirit and a shared sense of responsibility and accountability,” added 34-year-old Marine Engineer Military Expert (ME) 4 Imran Ismail.

Most memorable mission:

To 3SG Dhayan Komanthakkal Sasi, who is a Weapon Systems Operator, his most memorable experiences are the quieter moments after the action.

The 20-year-old NSF fondly recalled a time after a live firing when the whole weapons department sat together to maintain their guns.

“We played music, sang along and had a great time. Even though it was a tiring couple of days, we enjoyed that moment together out at sea!”

Unit motto: Resolute in defence

The unit’s motto represents their determined and unwavering spirit – impossible to be subdued. LTC Lin feels that everyone on board is a personification of this.

Best Fighter Squadron

142 Squadron (SQN)

How many wins: 4

This is the squadron’s second consecutive win, and fourth win overall in its history – having won previously in 2001, 2019, and 2024.

What it takes:

Major (MAJ) Muhammad Iskandar, who took over as CO in January, credits the squadron’s success to a culture of ownership.

“That means every individual takes ownership of the mission to defend Singapore. Regardless of rank and seniority, every one of us plays that role…to make sure we succeed.”

The 37-year-old added that it is important for the squadron to maintain “a sense of agility, to ensure that we continuously adapt and be relevant for the future”, especially as conflicts in today’s world become more volatile and unpredictable. 

MAJ Iskandar also thanked the families of the crew for their unwavering support, which has enabled the squadron to give their 100 percent for every mission.

Most memorable mission:

In October last year, 142 SQN scrambled two F-15SG jets in response to an alleged bomb threat on Air India Express flight AXB684 that was bound for Singapore from Mumbai. The plane landed safely at Changi Airport under the escort of the RSAF fighters.

For pilot Captain (CPT) Hendrik Borner, 31, who was activated along with 32-year-old Weapon Systems Officer (Fighter) CPT Koh Kai Jie, it was certainly an adrenaline-filled experience.

“If we take our training seriously, which is being mentally prepared for the unexpected at all times, we are mission ready to handle these threats.”

Command Chief ME3 Shyam Rohitkumar, 43, noted that consistent training keeps them on their toes.

“Once we get the call (to scramble), we will execute what we need to do straight away, and everything works like clockwork."

Best NS Combat Engineer Unit

391st Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (391 SCE)

How many wins: 2

This is 391 SCE's second consecutive win as the Best NS Combat Engineer Unit.

What it takes:

391 SCE is unique as a unit: This “evergreen” battalion is made up of rotating companies at varying stages of their NS cycles.

As servicemen come in at different parts of their NS journey, CO MAJ (NS) Shawn Liu stresses the importance of unity and cohesion, along with clearly defined goals.

“Our training injects realism and clarity so our soldiers appreciate exactly why and what they’re training for,” said the 42-year-old.

1SG (NS) Gabriel Daniel Lewis, who serves as both Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant and Company Sergeant Major, highlighted the unit’s unity and “lead by example” culture.

“Our leaders participate alongside the soldiers, from daily exercises to major drills,” said the 31-year-old. “This inspires everyone.”

“(We can) meet a very complicated set of mission criteria effectively, because everyone – from the men to the commanders – know their roles and work (effectively) together.”

Proudest moments:

In August 2024, Alpha Company went through their seventh In-Camp Training (ICT), which involved an integrated exercise with Battalion Headquarters.

This was the first test of MAJ Liu’s “experiment” – a few years ago, he had initiated a revamp of the battalion’s training approach, to enhance training realism and improve integration.

“Seeing the efforts of our revised training model come to fruition (during the evaluation exercise) was the proudest moment for me.” 

Later this year in August, they will return for their eight ICT, which will be the company’s final evaluation exercise.

1SG Lewis expressed pride in how he has forged strong bonds with his fellow national servicemen in 391 SCE: “When I first joined (from a different bomb disposal unit), I was unknown.

“Now, when there's a problem, they say, ‘Gabriel is here, everything will be fine.’ It's truly humbling, and I'm happy to have had this impact on them”.