President Halimah Yacob hosted about 500 personnel from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to a reception at the Istana this evening. First held in 1992, the annual reception serves to recognise the commitment of MINDEF and SAF personnel, and their valuable contributions towards the defence of Singapore.

During the reception, President Halimah interacted with Full-time National Servicemen, Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen), Regulars and Defence Executive Officers. They shared their perspectives on National Service (NS) and the need for a strong defence, based on their various experiences and roles in MINDEF and the SAF. These ranged from participation in bilateral and overseas exercises to balancing NS duties with personal commitments. SAF NSman of the Year award winner Lieutenant Colonel (NS) (DR) Norhisham Bin Main, Head of Medical Operations Cell, HQ 9 DISCOM, 9th Singapore Division, said, "I have been privileged to work with NSmen and regulars whose dedication to service is most inspiring. Each time we serve together during ICT, it strengthens our bonds and builds resilience in our relationships that withstands crisis. This is important in our diverse, multi-religious, multi-racial, and multi-cultural society to achieve a strong total defence of Singapore. It is an honour to receive the award and it is a reflection of the achievement gained through those who have guided, coached, and mentored me."

Guests present at the reception included Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Senior Ministers of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How and Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong, as well as senior MINDEF and SAF officers. Members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA) and the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) also attended the reception.