SINGAPORE - It was not just at ceremonies and parades, but also online, that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Day on Tuesday was commemorated.

Thousands of servicemen, past and present, took to social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to post photos and videos paying tribute to National Service. The hashtag #SAF Day became a popular trending topic on Twitter throughout the day.

Users uploaded old photos of themselves in military fatigues, while others shared group shots with their buddies, accompanied by tongue-in-cheek captions reliving NS memories like: "Miss all the talk cock at 1 am in bunk" and "The Land Rover passenger seat was always my bed and couch during outfield".

More than 3,000 servicemen attended the official SAF Day parade on Tuesday evening, officiated by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Safti military institute.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen delivered the annual SAF Day message at a re-dedication ceremony at ITE College Central.

"We pledge ourselves individually to be committed, well trained and professional soldiers... When called upon, we will serve with pride and honour, flying our Singapore flag proudly, as we did over this past year, whether in distributing masks during the haze, searching for the misisng Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 or relieving the humanitarian crisis following Typhoon Haiyan," he said.

Some 650 NSmen also re-affirmed their allegiance at three such ceremonies across the island. These were officiated by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Second Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say and Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin.