Chief of Defence Force to be first naval officer promoted to vice-admiral

SINGAPORE - Chief of Defence Force

 Aaron Beng, who was appointed to the role in March,

will be promoted to vice-admiral, becoming the first naval officer to hold the rank.

The 42-year-old Rear-Admiral (RADM) heads the list of 1,196 uniformed and non-uniformed personnel, including defence executive officers and civilians, who are moving up the ranks in the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

All promotions will take effect from July 1.

Others on the annual promotion list include Brigadier-General Lee Yi-Jin – the first chief of the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), and director of Military Intelligence – who will hold the rank of major-general.

In addition, six colonels will be promoted to the ranks of brigadier-general and rear-admiral, while three Senior Warrant Officers will move up to become chief warrant officers.

At the promotion ceremonies held at Mindef on Wednesday, Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen presented certificates to RADM Beng and to those promoted to ranks including major-general, brigadier-general, rear-admiral, Military Expert 7 and chief warrant officer.

RADM Beng handed out certificates to personnel promoted to the ranks of senior lieutenant-colonel, lieutenant-colonel, Military Expert 6 and master warrant officer.

Also present at the event were spouses and guests of those who were promoted, senior Mindef officials and SAF officers.

Colonel Narayanan Letchumanan, 41, Commander of the Joint Intelligence Command under the DIS, said that being promoted to brigadier-general is not only about recognition for the work that he has done; it also reflects the expectations and responsibilities of strengthening a new service in the military.

The DIS is the SAF’s fourth service after the army, navy and air force, and was established in October 2022.

Col Letchumanan, who has been with the SAF since he enlisted in 2001, said: “I have to double down and develop our people better for different missions. Just as I have benefited from feedback and opportunities, I want to mentor our future generation of leaders.”

“The people are far more dynamic and capable than I was at their age. My preoccupation (in my role) is how to do more to change the culture, so they feel more empowered and engaged,” he added.

Major (Dr) Nazirul Hannan Abdul Aziz, who will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, looks forward to heading the operations at the Military Medicine Institute when he returns to the army in July.

The emergency specialist doctor, who signed on in 2008, has been working at different public hospitals for the past two years. The 34-year-old is finishing his posting as a senior resident with Singapore General Hospital.

He said it has been challenging juggling his roles as a doctor and a military officer, but he relishes the opportunity to hone both skills sets. For example, at the start of the pandemic, his division was tasked to help the Ministry of Health with contact tracing.

“The military was not built to do this, so we needed to upskill quickly (during the pandemic),” said Maj (Dr) Nazirul.

“I was previously an Officer Commanding of a medical company, so that skill helped me with people management and how to train others, who do not know the context quickly, and provide medical advice. My medical training and military training really came together.”

One of the women promoted this year is Major Tan Xinhui who heads the navy’s Training Development Branch.

The 35-year-old, who will rise to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, thanked her female mentors in the navy and other women in the armed forces who set an example for women aspiring to have a career in the military, while balancing family commitments.

The mother of two boys aged four and six said: “I see myself as being, hopefully, a role model and a mentor for future female generations to inspire them to continue their SAF journey, regardless of how challenging it might be.”