Speeches
Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean at the Inauguration of the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College & Opening of the 42nd Command and Staff Course & 12th NS Command and Staff Course
1 February 2011
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Mr Chiang Chie Foo, Permanent Secretary for Defence,
Chief of Defence Force,
Distinguished Guests,
Officers of the 42nd Command and Staff Course and the 12th NS Command and Staff Course,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening.
It is a pleasure and an honour for me to inaugurate the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College. The 42nd Command and Staff Course, and the 12th National Service Command and Staff Course also commence today as the first courses to be conducted under the auspices of the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College, renamed in honour of Singapore's first Minister for Defence, the late Dr Goh Keng Swee. Dr Goh served two terms as Minister for Defence, from 1965 to 1967 and again from 1970 to 1979, a total of 11 years.
Dr Goh will always be remembered for the significant role he played in Singapore's development in those crucial first years after we became independent. Among his many contributions, Dr Goh's most significant contribution, and one which he will always be associated with, was the build-up of the Singapore Armed Forces from scratch. He laid the foundations of the modern SAF that we have today. Dr Goh believed firmly that Singapore needed to be self-reliant in defence, and should not have to depend on others for our own security. With this goal in mind, Dr Goh set about establishing a strong defence force for Singapore. There was much to be done, precious little to start with, and not much time to do it in.
He expanded the strength of the Army through the implementation of National Service, and also established the Navy and Air Force to provide protection for Singapore's surrounding waters and airspace. Dr Goh also believed in the application of technology as a force multiplier, especially in helping a small country like Singapore overcome natural constraints. Apart from acquiring hardware from more technologically advanced countries, Dr Goh saw the value in developing an indigenous capability to support the SAF's defence needs. He set up Singapore's defence industries, starting with the Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) which produced ammunition and small arms for the SAF. These have now evolved to become today's ST Engineering which produces a range of innovative products for both civil and military customers in Singapore and overseas.
Dr Goh also foresaw the importance of investing in defence Research & Development to give the SAF an edge - that extra something which could make the crucial difference. He established the Electronics Test Centre (ETC), which eventually evolved into the DSO National Laboratories, to develop our own secret-edge technologies. Dr Goh's "seeds" have since developed into a robust defence technology eco-system that complements and supports the SAF.
However, Dr Goh's legacy lives on not just in the institutions he created, but more importantly in the principles and military values he espoused for the SAF. Dr Goh understood the critical importance of leadership in the SAF. He saw from history - from what he read and what he experienced - that victorious armies were founded on capable commanders. He thus placed great emphasis on developing the right type of officers in the SAF. Dr Goh recognised that we needed thinking commanders and soldiers to build and operate a modern, high-tech defence force. This far-sighted vision preceded by several decades our conceptualisation of the type of commanders we need for the Third Generation SAF. Dr Goh took a personal interest in the careers of his officers, and developed an institutional system for identifying and grooming promising young officers for key command and staff appointments. He was prepared to find talent and ability everywhere, and also implemented a programme for older officers to obtain Master's degrees at Duke University in military history and strategy.
Dr Goh himself read widely and critically. He was well versed in classics on military strategy such as Sun Tzu's Art of War, Clausewitz's On War and Liddell Hart's Strategy: The Indirect Approach. He subscribed to military reviews to keep abreast with the latest developments in military technology and weaponry. He believed that "only officers who had achieved a mastery of principles and techniques could be expected to take the right decisions at the right time". Dr Goh also valued innovation, and constantly challenged officers to "strive to discover new and more practical methods of doing things", rather than blindly adopting military systems or doctrines from other countries. Dr Goh's emphasis on developing talent and on a thinking SAF set a strong basis for the SAF's subsequent transformation into the Third Generation SAF.
Dr Goh also saw the importance of instilling fighting spirit and a strong sense of purpose in our soldiers. In particular, Dr Goh believed that, without "steel in their soul", officers would falter when making hard decisions in the heat of war, endangering not only the lives of their men, but the safety of the entire SAF and of Singapore itself. Dr Goh therefore urged SAF officers to develop qualities such as the ability to make tough decisions and a strong fighting spirit. These qualities remain important to the SAF, particularly in today's complex and uncertain security landscape where our men and women have to stand ready to face a wide spectrum of threats.
As the beneficiaries of the institutions that Dr Goh established, it behoves us to live by the clear principles and military values that Dr Goh laid down as the foundations for the fledgling SAF. These principles and military values are as salient and relevant today as we strive to build an SAF that will continue to be the guarantor of our independence and sovereignty for the future.
Given Dr Goh's contributions to the SAF, there is no better way to pay tribute to his legacy than by naming the Singapore Command and Staff College, the highest institution for training of senior officers in the SAF, in his honour. It is our hope that all those who pass through the halls of this prestigious college will take guidance from the principles and military values that Dr Goh espoused, and endeavour to become exemplary leaders as you take on higher responsibilities in your military careers.
My best wishes to the officers of the 42nd Command and Staff Course and the 12th NS Command and Staff Course. I am also pleased to welcome 15 International Officers, from Australia, Brunei, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, UAE, USA and Vietnam, as well as an officer from the Singapore Police Force. I hope you will find this course fulfilling on both the professional and personal fronts. Thank you.
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