31 OUTSTANDING YOUTHS RECEIVE DEFENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

It was at a recruitment talk during Basic Military Training that 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Bryan Lim was introduced to the idea of being a naval officer. The vision of him being the captain of a warship captivated him so much that he decided to sign on with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Besides the nature of the job, which entailed sailing and going on missions, the 20-year-old also felt that the purpose of the SAF also resonated strongly with him because the SAF is vital for Singapore's survival.

The eldest of three siblings, who will go on to read International Relations at Tufts University in Boston, United States, is looking forward to the day when he commands his own ship.

"I want to be a commander whom everybody on the ship, regardless of rank, won't be afraid to bring up any concerns. You may be the lowest-ranking personnel on the ship, but you won t be shy to suggest changes because you know that the captain believes in you and your captain is open to new ideas."

2LT Lim was among the six recipients who received the prestigious SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS) from Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Istana on 29 Jul.

In his speech to the scholars, Dr Ng said: "As scholarship recipients, much is expected from you. There is one essential aspect that you must personally be responsible for and cannot delegate - that of personal integrity and trust. The organisation and the public will look to you to embody and uphold the highest standards of integrity and devotion to duty while serving MINDEF and the SAF."

Apart from the six SAFOS recipients, 18 were awarded the SAF Merit Scholarship (SMS) and seven received the Defence Merit Scholarship (DMS).

The SAFOS, SMS and DMS were introduced in 1971, 1983, and 2002 respectively to recruit top students into the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF.

SAFOS and SMS recipients return to the SAF after completing their studies to assume a variety of challenging appointments that will groom them for senior command and leadership positions. Similarly, DMS recipients will return as Defence Executive Officers and be groomed for senior management positions.

Fellow SAFOS recipient Officer Cadet (OCT) Richard Kwek looks forward to the day when he can fly his own fighter plane to contribute to the defence of Singapore.

A trip on a C-130 transport aircraft during an internship programme with MINDEF in his junior college days cemented his decision to sign on with the Republic of Singapore Air Force to be a pilot.

Said the 19-year-old who will go on study Law at University College London: "As I looked out of the window at the country, I thought to myself, this is home. This is home for me, and I really feel that I want to use my life to defend this country."

For SMS recipient Lieutenant (LTA) Tinaesrupan A Jagadessan, receiving the scholarship was not the easiest of all journeys as his parents separated when he was in Primary 6. As such, he was left a lot to his own devices and made a lot of mistakes.

The 22-year-old had chosen to repeat his first year of junior college when he fared less than ideally. To him, it was one of the best decisions he made in his life, as his original results could have cost him his scholarship.

"I always tell my men, if you want to do something, do it well. That's one of my principles in life," said the Armoured Infantry Officer.

LTA Tinaesrupan, who will go on to read Engineering at the University of Cambridge, also hopes to motivate his men through his childhood experiences.

"When my men come to me, one of my higher priorities is to make sure that they have a fulfilling NSF life And I think it's nice to be sort of a bigger brother to them when they need help."

Similarly, OCT Zara Toh hopes to bring her personal touch to her future appointment in the Guards formation and also, to get to know her men better and ensure that they have a positive NS experience.

The 19-year-old chose a career with the SAF because she did not want a desk-bound job and loved that the SAF environment was both physically challenging and mentally demanding. She will be leaving for her studies in Liberal Arts at New York University after completing her Guards Conversion Course and Officer Cadet Commissioning in early 2015.

While most people have the impression that one has to be in uniform to contribute to MINDEF and the SAF, Ms Jessie Lim thinks otherwise. The DMS recipient, who will specialise in Psychology at University College London, hopes to contribute to the Defence Psychology Department when she returns from her studies. One of her aspirations is to use psychology to maximise the potential of every individual in the SAF.

The award ceremony was also attended by senior officials from MINDEF and the SAF, members of the Public Service Commission, in-service scholars and parents of the recipients.