FIRST NSMEN BATCH APPOINTED AS SENIOR MILITARY EXPERTS

At age 40, Military Expert (ME) 4A Melvinder Singh had completed his National Service cycle. But he not only chose to extend it, he went for a course to take up a command appointment. Indeed, he jumped at the opportunity when it was offered to him.

"For me, whether I had attained the Senior ME rank or not, my role would have been the same - to give back what I've received, and to teach the guys how to attain (mission) readiness when the button is pressed on board merchant ships."

As a harbour pilot with PSA Marine (Pte) Ltd, ME4A Singh is well-versed in the area of merchant marina. When called back for In-Camp Training (ICT), he performed the role of chief mate on board a civil resource ship in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s 192/193 Squadron (SQN) - getting his men to work as a team, and showing them how to operate on board the ship to achieve mission success.

Explaining his desire to continue doing NS, ME4A Singh said: "If you are going to bring in NSmen (Operationally-Ready National Servicemen) on board merchant ships, who else is going to teach them, if not us, when we are already here?

"Our merchant marine community in Singapore is very small and (the Navy needs to) tap our expertise. We have limited resources, and it will be difficult to run a squadron (if all of us only serve NS up to age 40)." This motivated him to extend his NS so that he could share his merchant marina expertise. "We need to defend our own country," he said.

ME4A Singh was one of 20 NSmen who were appointed Senior MEs under the Expertise Conversion Scheme at the SAFTI Military Institute on 27 Nov. He will take on the role of Commanding Officer of a merchant ship within the RSN whenever he goes back for ICT.

The scheme allows eligible NSmen to convert to military experts and provides more opportunities for those with deep civilian professional expertise to voluntarily continue contributing to the nation's defence. This is done through enhancing operational capabilities in areas identified by the SAF.

Among the NSmen who were appointed, eight were from the Army and 12 from the Navy. They were among the 105 servicemen and women who received their senior ME ranks this evening.

Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, who officiated at the appointment ceremony, said: "(The ECS) empowers our NSmen possessing specialisation in critical domains to assume leadership appointments within the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). NSmen joining this corps bring with them valuable civilian expertise that can enhance the SAF's operational capabilities."

Commenting that the SAF had become a stronger and more potent fighting force because of the diverse experiences, knowledge and skills that each ME possessed, Dr Maliki said that the MEs were important in leading innovation with the SAF to meet the challenges posed by global and regional developments.

"To ensure that the SAF's fighting edge remains sharp, we depend on you, the Military Experts, to drive continuous innovations, develop and deliver expert solutions. As leaders, the task falls upon you to model and lead in creating and sustaining innovative culture within the communities and teams that you are part of."

For ME4A Allen Ong, it was this leadership shown by his commanders which inspired him to become a Senior ME.

As a then-ground control station specialist in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)'s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command, he saw how his commanding officer worked closely with the ground crew whenever problems arose, to come up with solutions. Work processes became much more effective and efficient. This increased the morale of the men under the commander's charge, and they also became more committed to their work.

"I saw how these leaders made an impact on those under their charge, and I was very inspired to have an opportunity to be a positive influence to others," said the 28-year-old.

With that, he took up a part-time degree in UniSim and requested an emplacement to become a Senior ME upon completion of his degree. He was also grateful that the Senior ME course equipped him with the necessary skills to take up leadership positions within the Air Force.

ME4A Ong said the course gave him exposure, "in terms of widening and deepening my knowledge in the respective RSAF systems that we have. This really helped me to understand in-depth how the RSAF systems integrate and contribute to the defence of Singapore".

He is currently taking on the role of an officer-in-charge (designate) in 809 SQN, maintaining the Air-Land Tactical Control Centre.

Moving from a Defence Executive Officer (DXO) to a Regular is not common, but ME4A Jelyn Lee was inspired by her then-formation commander to convert to the military scheme.

While working as an analyst in the Imagery Support Group (ISG), ME4A Lee was inspired by her commander who shared his experiences as a soldier. She felt that there were many opportunities for personal development and unique experiences that being a soldier could bring. The 25-year-old was also attracted by the symbolism of the uniform, the responsibilities that came with it, and the esprit-de-corps among military personnel.

ME4A Lee, who will be appointed a staff officer in ISG, said: "We bring different expertise to the table I see it more as a partnership (between DXOs and military personnel). But being a uniformed personnel in a military organisation definitely has its benefits because of the flexibility in deployments. We will be more exposed to different experiences, and this will allow me to perform my job better."

The ceremony was also attended by Chief of Defence Force Major-General Perry Lim, senior SAF officers as well as families and friends of the newly-appointed Senior MEs.