Speech by President, Tony Tan Keng Yam, at the 83/11 Officer Cadet Course Commissioning Parade

Graduates of the 83/11 Officer Cadet Course,
Parents,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

To all of you on parade today, I join your families and friends in congratulating you for successfully completing the Officer Cadet Course. It is a demanding and rigorous course that makes leaders out of young men and women. For 38 weeks, you persevered through the toughest of military training, and are now ready to be entrusted with the solemn responsibility of leading men and women under your charge to safeguard our nation.

A strong SAF underpins the peace and security of our country. Forty-six years after independence, the mission of the SAF remains no less valid - to deter aggression, and should deterrence fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor. We must never take this peace and stability that Singaporeans enjoy for granted. We live in a tumultuous world, where new and more complex challenges have arisen in the security landscape.

The SAF therefore has been broadening and deepening its capabilities, to not just ensure our survival from conventional security threats, but also to overcome the spectrum of non-conventional challenges ranging from terrorism and piracy to pandemics and natural disasters. In recent years, the SAF has acquired and developed new equipment, networked systems, operating concepts and doctrines. But while the best equipment and the latest technology can enhance the SAF's fighting capabilities, it is ultimately the men and women of the SAF who will determine its ability to defend Singapore.

The SAF is a National Service force. As Singapore’s population grows and becomes increasingly diverse, the role that National Service plays in nation building becomes even more crucial. Your men will come from all walks of life, with different levels of education. They will also possess different beliefs, outlooks and perspectives. You must lead them to live, train and fight together. After their two years of National Service, your men should not only have a better understanding of the importance of national defence, but also form lasting bonds with one another that will strengthen our nation.

As their commander, you have to imbue in your men a deep sense of mission and purpose, and mould them into a cohesive and effective fighting unit. Help them understand the significance of their contributions to the defence of Singapore. Your men must know that they all have something worth defending and want to play a part in shaping the future of our country. Only then will they share the common goal of defending our home and our way of life.

As leaders, you also answer for their readiness, training, morale and discipline. Train them well and push them hard. But even as you demand high standards from your men, look after them well and always have their safety at heart. Lead by example. Your men will watch what you do closely, more so during times when you are undergoing rigorous, strenuous and stressful training together. Uphold high personal standards and discipline, match your words with action, and show care and conviction.

One of the officers being commissioned today is from the Malaysian Armed Forces. Your graduation from the SAF Officer Cadet School bears testament to the close ties and friendship between our armed forces and our two nations. I wish you all the best in your career when you return home.

This is indeed a proud moment for you, your parents, and all of us here today. The task now falls squarely upon your shoulders, as newly commissioned officers of the SAF, to take on the new challenges confronting the SAF and our nation. I am confident that with the skills, knowledge and qualities imparted to you, you will be able to uphold the proud tradition of excellence and professionalism established by those who have served before you.

As you depart from these grounds today, do not forget the training you have received, and the values that have been instilled in you in OCS. Impart these values to the men under your charge. Serve with professionalism in every job that you undertake. Display fighting spirit and tenacity in overcoming obstacles. Be committed leaders of men and dedicated officers of the SAF. I congratulate each and every one of you on your commissioning, and may you always uphold the OCS Creed, "To Lead, To Excel, To Overcome". Thank you.

More Resources

• 472 Commissioned as SAF Officers