SINGAPORE - Other than being the Chief of Army, Brigadier-General David Neo, 44, describes himself as somewhat of an adrenaline junkie.
Since his first skydive about 25 years ago, the commando officer has clocked another 200 jumps or so, and he is also into CrossFit and skiing.
The media got a glimpse of this side of BG Neo on Wednesday (May 25) before an interview at the F1 Pit Building ahead of the Army Open House, which will be held there this weekend for the first time in five years.
A tandem jump was organised for myself and another reporter from about 3,000m from a C-130 aircraft as BG Neo joined us to perform a solo free-fall jump.
Before the jump, he told us not to take it too seriously and to enjoy the experience, which he said would feel like having a big fan blowing beneath us rather than the sensation of jumping from a high point.
"A lot of (times) it's not about the absence of fear (but rather) the ability to understand the situation." he added.
Before the tandem jump - where an experienced skydiver is strapped to another person via a harness - the reporters were given a safety briefing and taught the right way to position our limbs to ensure a smooth jump.
BG Neo said he and some of his commando friends had been planning to go on a skydiving trip in Thailand just before the Covid-19 pandemic, but travel restrictions scuppered their plans.
The pandemic was a busy time for BG Neo as he held the role of Director of Joint Operations and oversaw the Singapore Armed Force's contributions to the national fight against Covid-19.
He had also served in various command appointments in the SAF, including Commanding Officer First Battalion Singapore Guards, Commander 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade and Commander 3rd Singapore Division, before becoming the Chief of Army in March this year.
During the interview, BG Neo revealed that he was the captain of the track and field team while he was in junior college.
He was responding to a question on whether the SAF has any plans to help sportsmen maintain the same level of training during national service.
Noting that the question was near and dear to his heart as a former sportsman, he said the army is supportive of all national sportsmen and would, within guidelines, do as much as possible to have some level of flexibility to support them without compromising critical training.
He added: "I was not just a sportsman, but I was the worst kind of sportsman... I was a hurdler. Unlike team sports where you work as a team, as a hurdler you are trained to focus on yourself, you just run your own race.
"Which is why the idea of sacrifice resonates very strongly with me, and the whole idea of national service is really about sacrifice, about the few coming together, (putting) aside what's important to us to work for the... defence of the nation."
