425 cadets commissioned as officers at the Safti Military Institute

Altogether 425 officer cadets were commissioned on Dec 17, 2016, at a parade reviewed by President Tony Tan. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
President Tony Tan was the Reviewing Officer at the 103/16 Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade on Dec 17, 2016. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
2LT Sean Eio gets his officer epaulettes affixed by his parents, Simon Eio and Ng Soo Ching at the Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade on Dec 17, 2016. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

SINGAPORE - Freshly minted officers celebrating the culmination of 38 weeks of rigorous training at the Officer Cadet School on Saturday (Dec 17).

A total of 425 cadets: 337 from the Army, 48 from the Navy and 40 from the Air Force, were commissioned as Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who reviewed the commissioning parade at the SAFTI Military Institute, highlighted in his speech the unconventional security challenges of today, such as extremist ideologies, piracy, pandemics and terrorism.

"In particular, terrorism as a menace is clear and present in Singapore. Perpetrators have proven capable of executing attacks anywhere, anytime, and even under heightened security," he said.

He added: "We must remain vigilant and alert so as to protect our loved ones."

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.