Training safety is responsibility of commanders, says army chief

Training safety is the responsibility of commanders in the army, and there will be a review of protocol at all levels to reinforce the element of safety.

Speaking to the media at Sungei Gedong Camp yesterday, Chief of Army Goh Si Hou said that any training death is one too many.

An armywide safety timeout on training was called last Saturday, following the death of full-time national serviceman Corporal First Class (CFC) Liu Kai, 22.

It was the second Bionix-related incident in just over year, in which a soldier was killed.

When asked by The Straits Times how the latest incident could have happened despite tightened measures following the incident last year, Brigadier-General Goh said: "We will need to let the investigation run its course. Training safety is not only important in one formation. It is important across all parts of our army. We will take this opportunity to really relook and make sure that all safety systems are in place, and not just for Bionix training."

BG Goh said that during this timeout, safety protocol will be relooked at three levels: soldiers, commanders and the system. "Ultimately, safety is a commander's responsibility in our army."

BG Goh visited CFC Liu's wake earlier in the day to express his condolences to the family, telling them that he was "a good soldier who served with pride".

He added that the army would help CFC Liu's family as best as it could in this time of grief. "We want to give our soldier a dignified send-off, to honour his service to our nation and honour his memory."