SAF DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS RETURN HOME FROM INDONESIA

It was a scene of quiet anticipation that turned into a sea of smiles as friends and families of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) earthquake relief contingent arrived at the Air Force Museum on 18 Oct. Loved ones of the SAF personnel embraced their sons, daughters, parents and spouses as they streamed into the museum shortly after their arrival at the nearby Paya Lebar Air Base in two Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 transport aircraft.

The SAF contingent comprised a 54-strong medical team which had been deployed to Pariaman, Indonesia on 3 Oct to treat earthquake victims, and a 30-member engineering team, deployed on 10 Oct to build two medical clinics, one in Pariaman, and another in Padang.

Receiving the teams on their arrival was Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Neo Kian Hong who said the SAF's people and resources were able to mobilise at such short notice was a testament to the SAF's readiness for humanitarian assistance operations. He added: "To our returning teams from the SAF, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singaporeans are proud of what all of you have achieved in the past two weeks."

"Both teams performed outstandingly. We completed all our tasks and on top of that, we reached out to the Indonesians, both on the ground and with the authorities. The level of trust that was built is invaluable," echoed Colonel (COL) Steven Seng, Mission Commander of the SAF relief efforts in Pariaman and Padang.

Expressing his gratitude to the families of the SAF teams, MG Neo said, "Thank you for holding the fort at home, so that our servicemen and women can go out and help others."

This was especially true for Major (MAJ) (Dr) Pang Hee Nee, one of two orthopaedic surgeons with the SAF medical team, who had to leave his six-month-pregnant wife at home to go for the mission. Said his wife, Ms Mary Sim, who also works in the medical profession: "Of course I am happy that he is safely home. But his being away was never a cause for worry as I was sure that the SAF would have planned everything well and my husband would be safe. I am very proud of him, knowing that he helped a lot of people there."

Others who made personal sacrifices included recently-wed First Sergeant (1SG) Kumaravel of the Singapore Combat Engineers who related how he spent Deepavali - which fell on 17 Oct - away from his wife and family. He spent the time packing his unit's stores in preparation for the return flight. "Although I missed my wife, I was not upset to be spending Deepavali away from home. We all knew that we were there for an important mission, and we accomplished it," said 1SG Kumaravel.

For Third Sergeant (3SG) Liew Shanzhi, a combat medic at the Headquarters Army Medical Services, the bond forged between him and his patients was most memorable. He said: "Although I could not speak their language, we communicated through hand gestures. One of the patients even offered to share her hospital food with me as I walked past her bed!"

Even though 3SG Liew has just arrived in Singapore, he is already thinking of his patients back in Pariaman. "I wonder how all of them are doing now," he mused.

During their two weeks of operations in Pariaman, the SAF medical team, which included seven doctors and nurses from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, treated more than 1,100 Accident and Emergency cases as well as performed over a hundred surgeries. The SAF engineering team constructed two modular buildings which the Indonesian authorities are using to replace medical clinics damaged in the earthquake that struck the country on 30 Sep. The completed buildings measuring 6 metres by 12 metres were handed over to the Indonesian authorities on 16 Oct.

For related content, visit the SAF's Humanitarian Assistance for Sumatra Earthquake website, cyberpioneer Flickr gallery and cyberpioneerTV YouTube channel.