109 SAF Servicemen Honoured for Contributions to Counter-ISIS and Haze Assistance Operations

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen presented the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Overseas Service Medal (OSM) to 109 servicemen at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence this afternoon. The medals were awarded in recognition of their contributions to the multinational coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the SAF's aerial fire-fighting operations in Sumatra, Indonesia last October.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr Ng lauded the operational readiness of the servicemen for both missions, and highlighted the importance of the SAF's participation in operations such as the anti-ISIS coalition. Dr Ng said, \"We join this fight because if we do not triumph over extremist terrorism, the danger and risks to our citizens here will only grow.\" He added that such operations bear testament to the SAF's standing as a credible defence force. He said, \"The conduct and performance of our SAF personnel in these two missions have been exemplary and highly professional. It has brought credit and raised the standing of the SAF wherever they serve. Many went beyond the call of duty and volunteered for these missions. Both personally and as a unit, I am sure that you have learnt many valuable operational lessons from these deployments that you should share with others.\"

A total of 76 servicemen received their OSM medals this evening for their efforts towards the multinational anti-ISIS coalition. Over the past year, the SAF has deployed Intelligence Fusion Officers and an Imagery Analysis Team to the Middle East to provide intelligence analysis support to the Combined Joint Task Force. The SAF has also deployed an RSAF's KC-135R air-to-air refuelling tanker to the Middle East to perform refuelling operations for coalition aircraft during flight, enabling them to stay in the air longer to perform their missions. 

The remaining 33 recipients from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Army were recognised for their part in the SAF's aerial fire-fighting operations in Indonesia, last October, along with a six-man Disaster Assistance and Relief Team (DART) from the Singapore Civil Defence Force. During their two-week deployment, the RSAF's Chinook helicopter, attached with a 5,000-litre heli bucket, had discharged more than 400,000 litres of water, and extinguished over 50 hotspots in Sumatra. Two RSAF C-130 aircraft were also deployed to transport the personnel and their equipment. 

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Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Overseas Service Medal Presentation Ceremony