Speech by Minister of State for Defence and Education, Mr Lawrence Wong at the 10/11 Specialist Cadet Course Graduation Parade

Graduates of the 10/2011 Specialist Cadet Course,
Parents,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am truly honoured to join you this evening for your Graduation Parade. To the graduates on parade, let me congratulate all of you on successfully completing this Specialist Cadet Course. It was a tough and rigorous course, which tested your physical and mental abilities. All of you are here today because you have passed that test. All of you have shown the ability, drive and determination to push the limits and to excel. At the same time, I also want to recognise all the people who helped you to reach this very important milestone - your parents, brothers, sisters and loved ones who have stood behind you every step of the way throughout your training. So congratulations once again to all of you.

Today's parade marks not just the end of the course but also signifies the beginning of a new journey. As leaders, you are entrusted with the duty of leading the soldiers under your charge into battle when called upon, to protect the sovereignty of Singapore, to defend your families, your friends and your future.

It is easy to forget, after decades of peace and stability, that it is a competent and vigilant SAF that keeps us safe, and enables all of us to sleep peacefully at night. It has taken us many years to build the SAF to what it is today. So we must never become complacent and let our guard down. Instead we must continue to train our people rigorously, and upgrade our capabilities steadily, year by year.

More than anything else, it is the spirit and commitment of our soldiers that makes the SAF a potent and credible fighting force. An integral part of this fighting force is our specialists and warrant officers. You represent and demand the highest military virtues of dedication, discipline and sense of responsibility.

I still remember the first CSM I had during my active days in national service some 20 years ago. He was a Special Forces warrant officer - very tough and hard as nails; always focused on accomplishing the mission; but he was equally concerned about the welfare of his soldiers. Through his actions, he earned the respect of the people around him, not just from his men, but also the Officers in the unit.

As newly graduated Specialists, all of you will carry on this proud tradition of leadership and military service. You have to work closely with the Officers to forge a strong and cohesive unit. You have to maintain and enforce discipline in the unit. You have to manage complex systems and equipment. But most of all, you have to earn the confidence and trust of your men. This means that you have to be well-equipped in the fundamentals of your job, and technically and tactically proficient at what you do. Then you can set high standards of rigorous and realistic training for your men, while upholding safety and professionalism at all times. More than words themselves, your actions will determine the degree of trust and confidence that your soldiers have in you.

As commanders and leaders, you should also make every effort to communicate and spend time with your men. Be their guide, their friend and mentor. Do not take their respect and loyalty for granted. Engage your men regularly, and explain to them the rationale of what they are doing, so that they have the mental agility, the battlefield awareness, and the combat skills to operate as effective, adaptive and thinking soldiers. In an increasingly complex battlefield, every soldier must be constantly aware of his environment, and must know how to translate that knowledge into usable intelligence that will assist leaders up the chain of command and help us to prevail in battle.

Today's Graduation Parade is a significant milestone in your journey in National Service and the SAF. Whatever your next assignment or mission, always cherish and remember this moment, as you stand proud and ready on this parade square, also known as the Leaders Square. The rank that you are about to wear is an affirmation of the nation's trust and confidence in all of you.

I am confident that the Specialist Cadet Course has equipped you with a strong foundation of leadership and combat skills. Perform your duties to the best of your abilities and live up to the Specialists' creed of excellence, leadership by example and dedication to our country. I am proud of what you have accomplished so far, and welcome all of you as Specialists of the SAF. And I wish you all the very best as you serve our country, and keep it safe for all of us.

With that, Specialists, with PRIDE WE LEAD

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1,041 Graduate as SAF Specialists