Speech by Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs & Trade and Industry S Iswaran at the 86/12 Officer Cadet Course Commissioning Parade

Graduands of the 86/12 Officer Cadet Course,
Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

Good evening. I am glad to join all the proud parents this evening to witness this milestone in your sons' lives. My congratulations to all of the young men on parade today, for successfully completing the Officer Cadet Course. You have proven your mettle over the past 38 weeks, having undergone arduous and vigorous training.

Today, you will be commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for the tenacity and leadership qualities you have demonstrated. With this honour, you will be entrusted with the solemn responsibility of training and leading the men and women under your charge to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Singapore. This is a responsibility you must undertake with complete dedication and commitment, for the key to the strength of the armed forces, is how united, well-trained, resilient and resolute our soldiers are.

Changing Security Landscape

The security challenges we face today have grown to include non-traditional threats such as terrorism, piracy and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This requires the SAF to take on a wider set of roles to keep Singapore secure, and for our officers to step up to meet these challenges. This is the 3^rd Generation SAF that you will play a part in building - where the SAF adopts an advanced networked force that maximises the abilities of its soldiers through superior organisational structures, networked systems and battle concepts, to better meet current and future threats.

Fostering the Right Spirit

Many of you will be leading Full-Time National Servicemen in your new assignments and must, therefore, prepare them for this complex security environment. Your men will come from diverse social and educational backgrounds, bringing with them different beliefs, expectations and attitudes. As their commander and mentor, you must lead by example and make good soldiers out of them. Imbue them with a strong sense of mission and motivate them to serve a higher cause - to defend Singapore, Our Home.

As officers and leaders, you will be key in developing your soldiers' readiness, training, morale and discipline. More importantly, you carry the responsibility of ensuring their welfare and safety. Invest the time to understand their concerns, and to encourage and nurture the weaker ones. Foster mutual respect and unity in the team, for we can achieve greatness only if we stand together as one. This is a principle which strongly undergirds our national defence.

Conclusion

I know that the privilege of standing proud in this parade square today did not come easy. Let me congratulate each one of you again on your commissioning. This is a significant milestone for you and your families. I am confident that you will uphold the proud tradition of excellence and professionalism established by those who have served before you, and that you will continue to dedicate yourselves to the peace and security of Singapore. I wish you the very best in your roles as leaders in the SAF and may the OCS motto, "To Lead, To Excel, To Overcome", always guide you in all that you do. Thank you.

More Resources

• 297 Commissioned as SAF Officers