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ELITE FORCE: The 1st Commando Batallion outjumped, outscored and outperformed other army units to defend the coveted title. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
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THE afternoon calm of the jungle was shattered as some 12 commandos moved in to wrest control of the enemy's fortified territory.
Within five minutes, the men from the 1st Commando Battalion overran the enemy, pummelling them with heavy machine-gun fire.
This may have just been a test scenario, but the commandos have proved yet again why they are the elite fighting unit in the military. The 1st Commandos Battalion was crowned the Singapore Armed Forces' Best Combat Unit for the fifth consecutive year.
The commandos, who don the distinctive red berets, outjumped, outscored and outperformed other army units to win the trophy - for a record 22nd time since the award started in 1969.
But defending the coveted title is not the be-all and end-all for his men, said the battalion's commanding officer, Major Edwin Goh.
'We don't wake up every morning thinking of how to win best combat unit. Instead, we think of how to outpace ourselves...how we can do better at every mission and do it safely,' said the 34-year-old, who has won eight Best Combat Unit titles since joining the commandos in 1994.
The annual assessment grades units on their combat proficiency, physical fitness, marksmanship, training safety, security and logistic readiness.
But the format has evolved to become more realistic. For instance, a 'reaction shoot' assessment was included last year to test how nimble the men are when facing moving targets.
So the Red Berets cannot just mug model exam questions like a '10-year-series' to snag top honours.
Major Goh said: 'We ensure we think out of the box and we come up with new ideas to do things...that's a core value of the commandos.'
Often described as the 'silent warriors', they are trained to operate behind enemy lines.
Their skills include parachuting, demolition and jungle survival.
The battalion, based in Hendon Camp in Changi, is made up mainly of full-time national servicemen.
Besides the fighting spirit, key to the commandos' success is also the strong bond forged among the men.
'It's the very special bond that we share, the esprit de corp among everyone to meet higher expectations,' said Corporal Joshua William, who will complete his tour of duty in November.
As Major Goh puts it, such a spirit shines through most during tough training: 'It is when you know that when you fall, you are sure there would be someone behind you to hold on to you.'
jermync@sph.com.sg
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