SINGAPORE - The 1st Commando Battalion has chalked up its 35th win as the Best Combat Unit in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on Tuesday (June 22).
With overseas training halted during the Covid-19 pandemic, the unit had to redesign its training and ensure that the rigour was not compromised, said commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Koo Kai Siong, who took over command of the unit in July last year.
For instance, jungle survival and navigation training usually carried out in Brunei was redesigned into a seven-day exercise in Singapore, and the intensity of training and combat endurance required of every soldier was maintained, he said.
This was the 18th consecutive win for the elite commandos who are trained to conduct air- and seaborne operations, as well as reconnaissance and raid missions deep within enemy territory.
Asked how the unit copes with the expectation of winning the award year after year, LTC Koo, 33, told reporters that new soldiers joining the battalion every year build on the knowledge left behind by their seniors.
"The key thing that allows us to deal with this pressure is to transform it into a positive motivational force to be that shoulder for the next generation to stand upon. This strong sense of stewardship drives every soldier to give their best in training."
In recognition of its achievement, the 1st Commando Battalion will have the state colours presented to it during the SAF Day Parade, to be held at the Safti Military Institute on July 1.
A total of 18 active units and nine national service (NS) units were recognised for being the best in their respective formations in the annual SAF Best Unit and Best NS Unit Competitions.
The competitions recognise units which have excelled in the areas of combat readiness, operational proficiency and administrative excellence. The SAF Best Unit Competition was introduced in 1969 and the Best NS Unit Competition in 1993.
The units were assessed based on "a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process" over the past year, said Mindef on Tuesday, in announcing this year's winners.
The Best Maritime Security Unit was awarded to littoral mission vessel RSS Fortitude, which was commissioned in January last year.
Commanding officer Major Randy Peh, 32, told reporters that the most challenging part of the past year was having to cope with the measures in place to ensure the ship was fighting fit during the pandemic, such as undergoing a period of isolation on board before commencing operations.
While the award was an honour, he said the other seven ships in the flotilla have also been putting in their best effort to ensure that Singapore's sea lanes remain open, as it is crucial for supplies to continue coming in by sea.
The flotilla to which RSS Fortitude belongs has organised a support group where ship personnel not on duty help run errands for those on duty, such as buying groceries.
The air force's 143 Squadron was named Best Fighter Squadron for the second time in a row. It is its fifth win in total.
The squadron is currently on deployment to Guam. The Republic of Singapore Air Force said on May 24 that a team of airmen and women were deployed to Andersen Air Force Base on the United States island territory for a two-month training detachment.
Commanding officer Major Norman Teo, 37, said: "Receiving the news while we are deployed in Guam has made us more determined to train harder while we are here to defend our skies.
"It was indeed a challenging year amid the Covid-19 pandemic but the teamwork and sacrifices by each member of the squadron have ensured that we can continue to achieve mission success, and maintain the highest levels of operational readiness to safeguard Singapore's skies."
