395 Commissioned as SAF Officers

Commander 9th Division/Chief Infantry Officer, Colonel Xu Youfeng (right), presenting the ceremonial sword to 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Avdhoot Nilesh Fuke (left) at the 123/21 Officer Cadet Commissioning Ceremony (OCCC).

A total of 395 cadets, comprising 296 from the Singapore Army, 48 from the Republic of Singapore Navy and 51 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, will be commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The cadets will receive their ceremonial swords and letters of appointment at decentralised small-scale commissioning ceremonies organised at the Formation level from 8 to 10 December 2021, in recognition of this significant milestone in their journey as new officers of the SAF.

Addressing the graduands in a recorded video message as the Reviewing Officer for the proceedings, President Halimah Yacob commended the nation's united response in the shift towards living amidst an endemic COVID-19, and the contributions of various public agencies, including the SAF. She said, "Our nation has taken great strides towards living amidst an endemic COVID-19, made possible through our united response. Singaporeans have remained socially conscious and adjusted our daily lives in abidance of new guidelines. Various public agencies including the SAF stepped up to ease the strain on our healthcare system, through supporting the COVID-19 Treatment Facilities and Home Recovery Programme. Our collective effort has enabled us all to gather here physically, witnessing your sons' and daughters' commissioning. This is a step towards the resumption of large-scale physical events as the national situation stabilises."

President Halimah highlighted how the cadets have adapted well in the midst of COVID-19. "Life in Officer Cadet School (OCS) has also carried on within this new normal. Instructors and trainees have adjusted well to operating in smaller groups. Training previously done abroad have been completed locally. For the graduands in particular, you have been challenged on various fronts, from managing training at functional group level, to continuously adapting to the changing COVID-19 situation… Most importantly, it has taught you to remain resilient in the face of adversity," she said.

The cadets have completed 38 weeks of rigorous training at OCS. The realistic training conducted during the course sharpened the cadets' combat, planning and leadership skills. The newly commissioned officers will go on to assume command, instructional or staff appointments in the SAF.

The ceremonies are attended in-person by family members of the cadets. All guests have to be fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 as part of pre-event testing protocols. The ceremonies have also been staggered to minimise cross interactions between servicemen and guests, and common areas are also sanitised between each session.

President Halimah Yacob (on-screen), who is the Reviewing Officer for the 123/21 OCCC, delivering her speech in a recorded video to the graduands.

The graduands reciting the Officer's Creed as newly commissioned officers of the Singapore Armed Forces.

2LT Avdhoot from the Singapore Army having his rank affixed by his father in Warriors' Hall at SAFTI Military Institute.

More Resources

Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the 123/21 Officer Cadet Commissioning Ceremony