GIANT LEAPS INTO NEW BOOTS

A special needs educator and a clinical nurse walk into Temasek Club, and walk out as Senior Military Experts, graduating with 200 others on 29 Jul at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Senior Military Expert Appointment Ceremony (SMEAC).

ME4 V. Yoginita and ME4 Jessica Ho both took the leap of faith into military life after successful careers in the civilian world.

Driven by the desire to step out of their comfort zone, both women have found not just a new profession, but a renewed sense of purpose and personal growth.

White coats and whiteboards

Before donning the military fatigues, ME4 Ho, 31, spent three years as a clinical nurse.

Eager to take on a new challenge, she joined the Ministry of Defence as a Defence Executive Officer (DXO) in 2019, conducting clinical skills training for servicemen as a medic trainer.

Being a DXO was challenging and dynamic, but she was hungry for more. “After four years as a DXO, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself further,” said ME4 Ho. She enlisted in January 2024 as part of that year’s first batch of recruits.

ME4 V. Yoginita, 28, was a special education teacher,  teaching adults with special needs to live independently.

Growing up with an autistic brother, she wanted to better understand his life experiences, and dove into the subject of psychology. In 2023, she earned her degree in Psychology with a minor in Special Education from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

While studying part-time for her degree, she  realised she wanted to explore new ways to contribute to society with her skills and experiences.

In September 2023, she enlisted into the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).

The move may seem to come from out of left field, but it was perfectly logical, she explained.

“It was different from what I was used to, but parts of it – like knowing the unknown, making sense of the world around me and providing actionable intelligence, those made sense to me.”

Stepping outside their comfort zones

At the beginning, ME4 Yoginita, who knew almost nothing about the SAF, struggled to adapt to the military structure and lifestyle.

“The way I think, the way I speak, even the way I carry myself — everything had to change,” she recounted.

“But I’ve come to see it as space for personal growth.”

Like ME4 Yoginita, ME4 Ho needed to get used to the new military environment. To her, the growing pains were an essential part of the character development process.

New experiences and friends

Despite the steep learning curve, both women found strength in their peers.

ME4 Yoginita recalled the Summative Exercise (SUMEX) she underwent during the second phase of her Military Intelligence Expertise Course (MIEC). The SUMEX saw the most difficult series of tasks she and her fellow cadets had to overcome in the MIEC.

Said ME4 Yoginita: “We all came from different backgrounds.”

“But when one person struggled, we all pitched in to help. That sense of togetherness was what got us through.”

As for ME4 Ho, she had the opportunity to train with 3rd Battalion, Singapore Guards for three months as part of her training to gain field experience. She underwent several outfield exercises with the guardsmen, including their Army Training Evaluation Centre (ATEC) evaluation.

ME4 Ho fondly remembered the support her buddies gave her during Basic Military Training (BMT): “I remember (my early days) in BMT – if not for my section mates encouraging and pushing me along, time would have passed very slowly for me.”

To this day, she carries with her a mindset of helping and motivating those around her, as a way of paying forward for the support she received, which helped her adjust to military life.

“Now, people will say I’m too positive,” she joked.

Becoming leaders

ME4 Ho credits her time in the Military Domain Experts Course (MDEC) with refining her planning and leadership skills.

“As a DXO I taught technical skills, but MDEC taught me to think more systematically — how to plan and adapt, and mentor others by developing their mindset and mental processes.”

ME4 Yoginita also found herself having the confidence to step up — especially during exercises like MODEX and SUMEX where teams had to solve complex problems together.

“We would stop our own work to help the team make sense of one task. It taught me that leadership is about helping others grow too.”

Looking ahead

Today, ME4 Ho is serving as a Senior Medic in the SAFTI Military Institute while ME4 Yoginita is a Senior Military Intelligence Expert in the DIS’s Open-Source Intelligence eXplotation Group (OSIX).

Both women continue to mentor, support, and grow alongside their teams in their respective units.

ME4 Yoginita is looking forward to her first posting in OSIX. She knows she has more to learn but is confident that her skills and knowledge will allow her to contribute meaningfully to her team.

“I’m still learning the ropes, but I want to be an asset – for the sake of my men, my team, and myself.”

ME4 Ho, who currently has 15 Full-time National Servicemen under her charge, hopes to help them develop valuable skills beyond the technical, such as strengthening their mental processes in problem-solving.

“I really want to help make their time in National Service meaningful,” she said.