215 Cadets Commissioned as SAF Officers

Commander 9th Division/Chief Infantry Officer, Colonel Xu Youfeng (right), presenting the ceremonial sword to 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Steve Chia Min Xu (left) at the 124/21 Officer Cadet Commissioning Ceremony (OCCC).

A total of 215 cadets, comprising 137 from the Singapore Army, 29 from the Republic of Singapore Navy and 49 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, are commissioning as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). In recognition of this significant milestone in their journey as new officers of the SAF, the cadets will receive their ceremonial swords and letters of appointment at decentralised small-scale commissioning ceremonies organised at the Formation level from 9 to 10 Mar 2022.

Addressing the graduands in a recorded video message as the Reviewing Officer for the proceedings, Minister for Manpower, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng highlighted Singapore's progress in the transition towards an endemic COVID-19 world, but cautioned against complacency. He said, "The collective effort of Singaporeans and the heart-warming support for our nation's response to COVID-19 throughout the pandemic has put us in good stead…The SAF has also seen a calibrated resumption of training for larger groups, bilateral and multilateral exercises, and can look forward to a gradual resumption of overseas training; As we transit into living with COVID-19, let us not forget the valuable lessons…We could work together because of the high level of trust, built up over decades, amongst Singaporeans and the government."

Dr Tan also showed appreciation for the SAF's significant contributions in the national fight against COVID-19, while maintaining operational readiness. He said, "I was especially grateful for the SAF's support in containing the spread of COVID-19...More recently, the SAF deployed about 100 soldiers to assist the Ministry of Health's call centre to provide guidance and reassure patients. At the same time, the SAF maintained its operational readiness to ensure that critical security operations are uninterrupted...The SAF also keeps its eyes on and constantly prepares itself for the ever-expanding spectrum of security threats. In December 2020, the SAF stood up the Cyber Security Task Force to shore up MINDEF/SAF's cyber defence capabilities."

Dr Tan also urged the graduands to remember their duty and continue honing their leadership skills as newly-minted SAF officers. "As you become officers today, you must, as future leaders of the SAF, guard dearly the trust established within the SAF and the trust that the public has placed in the SAF… the leadership skills will stay with you for life, and it would be your responsibility to do good with it, even after your ORD," he said.

The cadets have completed 38 weeks of rigorous training at the Officer Cadet School. The tough 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 are fully vaccinated and have tested 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.

Minister for Manpower, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng (on-screen), who is the Reviewing Officer for the 124/21 OCCC, delivering his 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 Steve Chia Min Xu from the Singapore Army having his rank affixed by his father in Warriors' Hall at SAFTI Military Institute.

More Resources

Speech by Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Tan See Leng, at the 124/21 Officer Cadet Commissioning Ceremony at SAFTI Military Institute