702 GUARDS MARK END OF NS CYCLE AT EXERCISE GOLDEN SAND

What better way to go out than with a bang?

Some 450 Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) from 702nd Battalion, Singapore Guards (702 Guards) completed their 10th and final in-camp training (ICT) participating in Exercise Golden Sand (Ex GS).

Conducted from 14 to 28 Apr, Ex GS is a tri-service exercise that involves support elements from the Republic of Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Republic of Singapore Navy. The purpose of the exercise is to test the integration and operational readiness of the three services.

One of the exercise highlights was a battalion coastal hook led by 702 Guards, during which troops and M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers disembarked from fast crafts with support from AH-64D Apache helicopters.

This was the first time in recent years that a battalion of NSmen were involved in the large-scale exercise.

During his visit to Pulau Sudong on 24 Apr to view the exercise, Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen visited and spoke to the NSmen, telling them that this "goodbye gift" was "a good way to end" their NS cycle.

Speaking to the media at the end of his visit, Dr Ng commended the NSmen for their dedication to their national service (NS) commitments:

"This battalion said, 'I want to go out with a bang', so we said, 'Okay, you want to go out with a bang, we ll give you a difficult exercise and you can execute it.'

"I would say they did very well. They are professionals (and) some have finished their cycles and volunteered (to serve even) longer. That has been very positive, and very much in keeping with feedback that we received for our Committee to Strengthen NS that people believe in NS and defence and actually want to contribute more."

Accompanied by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Ng Chee Meng and Chief of Army Brigadier-General Perry Lim, Dr Ng also witnessed an RSAF C-130 aircraft air-dropping logistics supplies from a height of 600 feet (183m).

Major (MAJ) (NS) Melvin Kwek, Commanding Officer of 702 Guards, praised his unit for a job well done.

"At the end of the day, no matter how sophisticated our systems are, it is the men behind the machine that makes it work. And I think today, as evidenced by the exercise and the high morale of my guys, it's very clear that their will to fight is very strong," said the 39-year-old Executive Director at UBS.

"A lot of them are in their 30s, they re married (with) kids. They (know) that it's very important, very relevant and, to a certain extent, critical that they have the ability to defend their country for their children, for their family, and for their lifestyle."

3rd Sergeant (3SG) Muhammad Fadly bin Asis, a 36-year-old art teacher at Odyssey the Global Preschool, noted the importance of balancing his ICT and work commitments. "I do read my emails (while in camp), but I try to keep my mind focussed on in-camp training, so that I don't get any distractions."

The 702 Guards Section Commander added that becoming part of the MINDEF Reserve would not change his perception of national defence: "I don't think our fighting spirit has changed, although with age our fitness levels have decreased a little. As a Guardsman, I feel that my fighting spirit will still be there, (like it was) 13 years ago."