One of a Kind (2nd Edition)

SETTING UP SAFTI

FOUR

been a Volunteer officer had been appointed Director, SAFTI. At no time in the history of

the local military forces, under local leadership, had there been such a hectic pace of work.

But all had to be in working order, more or less, by 1

June, 1966, at Pasir Laba when the

first contingent of trainees arrived.

VIII. TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

The name ‘Singapore Armed Force Training Institute’ had not been coined while the bare

essentials of the camp were being put in place. The original proposal had been Jurong

Military School (as though there could also have been, in the future, a Siglap Military School

or a Tanah Merah Military School). But, that may have been a codename. Other formal

proposals were ‘Singapore Army Training Institute,’ ‘Singapore Army School,’ and ‘National

Defence School.’

Finally, on 6

June, 1966, General Staff announced that the name selected

was the ‘Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute.’

and the acronym SAFTI was born.

Together with the name came the famous formation sign of the crossed scimitar and torch

enclosed by two laurels. The theme of a torch to signify education and a weapon to signify

military training was proposed by Dr. Goh at a brainstorming session with Mr. George

Bogaars, Mr. Tan Teck Khim, Director, General Staff and LTC Vij, now formally Director,

SAFTI.

Though the scimitar and torch caused much spoofing initially because of their

resemblance to the logos of, respectively, a well-known brand of cooking oil (Lam Soon) and

a biscuit manufacturer (Thye Hong) who may or may not have contributed to a military fund,

those assigned to SAFTI, led by the graduates of the First Instructors’ Preparatory Course,

developed an inordinate pride in wearing the formation sign on their sleeves together with

the trademark bright yellow double-braided lanyard.