INFANTRY SWORD OF HONOUR WINNER KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS

Joining the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was never a matter of doubt for Officer Cadet (OCT) Sng Hong Shen: the 20-year-old had already decided to sign on with the SAF during his basic military training (BMT) days.

Crediting his brothers largely for his decision, OCT Sng shared a crucial lesson he gleaned off them: "Being an officer is more than just leading in the field - it's about making a difference in your men's lives".

OCT Sng's older brother, 22, is currently a Commando officer. Another older brother was a combat engineer during his full-time National Service (NS) days.

And it is evident how thoroughly entrenched the military is in OCT Sng's life. "Commandos are about attack while combat engineers are about defence, so we have some very interesting conversations at home."

The Raffles Junior College alumnus characterises his Officer Cadet School (OCS) experience as a "fantastic one, filled with both ups and downs".

"In the jungle confidence course, we were placed in the most primitive of environments, without the advantages of technology and nothing to fall back on," he shared.

"It was a tough experience but we emerged stronger, more appreciative of what we've got, and we learnt to hold our friends dearer."

The Infantry Sword of Honour winner expressed humility as achieving this honour, electing instead to credit those around him.

"Winning the Sword of Honour is not about me; it's the people around me," he said.

"Their trust, as well as the responsibility given to me by my instructors to lead the platoon for missions as well as everyday tasks, and their belief in me helped me to win the Sword of Honour."

OCT Sng spoke to cyberpioneer on 15 Mar at his commissioning, together with 362 other officer cadets - 325 from the Army and 37 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

Also commissioned were officer cadets from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Looking ahead, OCT Sng's responses reveal the young man's deep insights into the future of the SAF.

"In the future, we're going to be pioneers of the fourth-generation army. The third-generation concept is going to expire in 2025, so we have to begin to develop the fourth-generation concept."

Referring General David H. Petraeus of the US Army, currently Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, OCT Sng echoed his belief that the soldier of the future must be an "armed social worker".

"Military conflict and the role of military personnel has evolved," he said. "And therefore the onus is on us to keep up with these changing times."