Navy man Vaengadis Waran is taking his seafaring vessel into unusual territory today - dry land.
As the vehicle commander of a remotely piloted inflatable boat - officially, the Republic of Singapore Navy's Protector Unmanned Surface Vessel - he will take it to neighbourhoods such as Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang.
The vessel will join tanks, military trucks, fire engines and police cars in today's National Day Parade (NDP). A total of 66 vehicles, vessels and other types of equipment are being showcased in this year's mobile column segment, which is returning to the heartland for the second year in a row.
"It will be a rare chance for the public to view the naval platforms up close since they are usually displayed at sea, and I'm proud to be able to bring it closer to them," says Military Expert 2 (ME2) Vaengadis, 40. As the vehicle commander, he will be responsible for ensuring the vessel is loaded properly onto the transporter.
He will be assisting the driver of the transporter as they navigate the streets of western Singapore. He says the vessel, which is almost 10m long, is one of the longest military "assets" in this year's mobile column, and will be challenging to manoeuvre.
The route will take him past Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where participants will perform a salute to pay tribute to front-line workers and healthcare staff battling the Covid-19 pandemic. "I'm very glad to be able to pay tribute to the front-line fighters. I may not be able to show my appreciation in person, but I can do it through this mobile column," he says.
This year will mark the third time ME2 Vaengadis is participating in the NDP. In 2014 and 2017, he was a participant in the Dynamic Defence Display segment of the show at Marina Bay.
He has been a navy regular for almost 19 years.
ME2 Vaengadis adds that his family, including his wife, his 12-year-old daughter Vashmitha, and his brother, who is also a navy man, will be cheering him on as they watch the parade from home.
"My daughter was involved in NDP 2018 as a stage performer with the schools. I remember taking her to rehearsals every weekend," says ME2 Vaengadis. "Towards the last part of the show, President Halimah Yacob talked to my daughter and hugged her. That was a proud moment for me."
He adds: "This year, I will do my very best to make her proud of me. As a Singaporean, I'm honoured to be able to participate in the NDP. This is a special moment for us to come together and celebrate the nation's birthday."
