He had wanted to follow in his officer dad's footsteps to serve in a combat unit during National Service (NS). But Lance Corporal (LCP) Lau Kah Onn's dream was dashed when he was deemed to be medically unfit – his knee was prone to dislocation due to past injuries.
A childhood infection caused him to lose his right arm. But CPL Tan Kok Yew went against the grain by choosing to enlist, and has emerged an outstanding and respected soldier in his unit.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has set up a new dedicated training school for service-fit recruits.
“His journey in life is starting, and he is looking forward to it. It will not be filled with daily rainbows, and that is not what I wish for him. It is the acceptance by the SAF that has enabled him to correspondingly accept himself and strive on in life."
