Cadets commissioned as SAF officers take Covid-19 challenges in their stride

SINGAPORE - The gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic truly hit home for Officer Cadet (OCT) Isvaran Mahendran when basic military training was suspended for two months earlier this year.

With the pause on training that happened during the circuit breaker period in April, his parents were concerned about his ongoing training at the Officer Cadet School, located at the Safti Military Institute in Joo Koon.

But they were reassured when they saw the lengths that the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) took to ensure safe training, such as that masks are to be worn at all times except when the cadets are in their bunks, more spacing when cadets march from place to place, and smaller group training.

OCT Mahendran is among the 397 cadets to be commissioned as SAF officers this Saturday (Dec 12), the first batch of cadets to have undergone their entire 38-week training stint during the pandemic.

As a sign of the times, the cadets will receive their ceremonial swords and letters of appointment at commissioning ceremonies organised at the Formation level over the next few days, in lieu of a traditional commissioning parade at Safti Military Institute.

OCT Mahendran, a Sword of Honour recipient, said the in-camp safety measures put his parents at ease, and allowed him to focus fully on his training.

"A lot of the training, due to the security classification and their nature, can't really be emulated in the home-based environment, so at the end of the day, we had to go to camp," the 19-year-old full-time air force national serviceman (NSF) told reporters in an interview last week.

Four batches of officer cadets are commissioned yearly. As part of Covid-19 measures, commissioning parades with invited guests have not been held for the last two batches, since June.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Halimah Yacob said the men and women of the SAF and the wider defence community have stepped forward to support the nation's fight against Covid-19 since day one.

Even as they did so, the SAF remained vigilant. Soldiers, airmen and sailors continued to perform critical security functions round the clock, she said in a pre-recorded message as the reviewing officer for the proceedings.

Adjustments were made to training activities so that soldiers can continue to train effectively, but with peace of mind knowing that robust safe management measures are in place, she said.

"These are important achievements. By its actions, the SAF and the defence community has sent a clear message that it is nimble and adaptable, and that our people have the mettle and resilience in them to overcome any adversity."

With a world that has changed significantly because of Covid-19, and an uncertain external environment, the SAF must continue to stay ahead of the curve to remain effective against an ever-expanding array of security threats.

The value of national service, too, will become even more salient, said President Halimah.

Singapore's conscription policy was meant first and foremost to defend the homeland, but it has over time also become a cornerstone of its shared identity as a people and a key thread in its social fabric, she said.

"The bonds that are forged through national service - regardless of race, language or religion - will help us stand firm against the threats of tomorrow that seek to sow discord, distrust, and division," she added.

Another Sword of Honour recipient, OCT Chow Han Wei, 19, said that throughout his OCS course, he has not had much interaction with cadets from other platoons due to the need to keep to smaller groups for training.

While he did not go overseas for training, the local training in its place was sufficient and effective in building up the skills he needed, such as in navigation and jungle warfare, said the infantryman.

"While Covid-19 had a negative impact, because of OCS' ability to adapt and innovate, this has reduced the impact it has had on us," added the regular, who signed on during his OCS course.

OCT Khwang Li Yi, a 21-year-old regular from the Signal Formation, felt Covid-19 has had a positive impact because it trained her to be more adaptable and be more self-disciplined, in adhering to safe distancing and mask-wearing measures.

"This pushes us to our limits, because we have to be on the ball 24/7... Even though we're tired outfield, we have to constantly keep these measures at the back of our mind.

"This has trained us to be more resilient leaders," she said.