260 Commissioned as SAF Officers

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan reviewing the contingents at the 138th Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade this evening.

Dr Balakrishnan presenting the Sword of Honour to Lieutenant (LTA) Wong Ja Cynn from the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

Dr Balakrishnan delivering his speech at the parade.

The newly commissioned officers tossing their headdresses to mark the completion of their 38-week course.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan reviewed the Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade at the SAFTI Military Institute earlier this evening. A total of 260 cadets, comprising 193 from the Singapore Army, 2 from the Republic of Singapore Navy and 65 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, were commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Speaking at the parade, Dr Balakrishnan highlighted the importance of building defence partnerships to advance constructive dialogue, enhance cooperation, and foster trust and confidence. He said, “…keeping the peace also involves diplomacy and partnerships. This starts in our immediate neighbourhood. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), we have the annual ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus, through which the SAF has played a credible role, established the reputation for trust and competence, working well with other regional military forces in order to advance a constructive dialogue, practical cooperation and more importantly, foster trust and mutual confidence.”

Closing his speech, Dr Balakrishnan emphasised that National Service is the cornerstone of Singapore’s defence. He said, "We approach 60 years of National Service in 2027, and our full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) and National Servicemen (NSmen) are trained to and will fight alongside each other if it ever came to pass. This is absolute unwavering commitment to each other, it means maintaining the sharpness of your skills and the beginning of a long-term journey.”

The parade marked the completion of 38 weeks of rigorous training at the Officer Cadet School. 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. Also present at the parade were Chief of Army (COA) Major-General (MG) Cai Dexian, senior Ministry of Defence officials and SAF officers, as well as families and friends of the newly commissioned officers.

More Resources

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, at the 138/24 Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade, 13 Sep 2025