Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Mr Desmond Tan inspected the 52nd Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade at Pasir Laba Camp this evening. A total of 1,082 cadets, comprising 884 from the Singapore Army, 94 from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), 33 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and 71 from Joint, graduated as Specialists and Military Experts of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Addressing the graduands at the parade, Mr Tan emphasised the importance of having a strong and credible SAF to defend Singapore in a world that is becoming increasingly complex and uncertain. He said, "The world we live in today is increasingly complex and uncertain. Even as Singapore and the world come through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing dark clouds gathering in the horizon…The on-going Russia-Ukraine conflict has profound impact on the world and Singapore. The conflict is a stern reminder that small countries like Singapore, cannot rely on others to defend ourselves. This is why we need a strong SAF, capable and ready to defend our island and protect our people."

Mr Tan also emphasised the importance of continued support for National Service as the backbone of Singapore's military defence. He said, "This year, we commemorate 55 years of National Service. Since 1967, more than one million of national servicemen and women have stepped forward to serve our nation…the best way to show our gratitude is for each generation to continue to uphold this mission – protect the sovereignty and security of Singapore…Your steady support for national service is vital to sustain our collective commitment to defence and to national service."

The graduation parade marked the completion of the 22-week Specialist Cadet Course, where the graduands trained under rigorous and realistic conditions to deepen their respective vocation expertise and further developed their leadership and combat skills. The newly graduated Specialists and Military Experts will go on to assume command, training and staff appointments respectively in the SAF. Present at the parade were senior SAF officers, and families and friends of the graduands.