A total of 204 cadets, comprising 113 from the Singapore Army, 35 from the Republic of Singapore Navy and 56 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, were commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) on 21 March 2021. The cadets received their ceremonial swords and letters of appointment at commissioning ceremonies organised at the Formation level, in recognition of this significant milestone in their journey as new officers of the SAF.

Addressing the graduands in a recorded video message as the Reviewing Officer for the proceedings, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Mr Edwin Tong commended the SAF's resilience and adaptability in the face of COVID-19. He said, "Even as the SAF contributed to the battle against COVID-19, it acted fast to adapt its training and operations to incorporate safe management measures. This was to keep our soldiers safe whilst maintaining a high level of operational readiness. The SAF did not allow the pandemic to halt its training."

Mr Tong highlighted that the SAF must continually transform itself to tackle both conventional and non-conventional threats. He said, "[The] threats against our country also come in non-traditional domains. Climate change is another challenge that will impact our lives in the years to come. Under the ambit of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, MINDEF and the SAF will also do its part to fight this threat against our nation."

Mr Tong also urged the graduands to remember their duty and values as SAF officers. He said, "As you embrace your new responsibilities, stay anchored on your values and lead with humility. Serve with a purpose and always strive to excel. When faced with challenges, meet them confidently and overcome them with courage, with fortitude and determination. Inspire the commitment of those you will lead and commit them to the common cause of defending Singapore."

The cadets have completed 38 weeks of rigorous training at the Officer Cadet School. The realistic training conducted during the course sharpened the cadets' combat, planning and leadership skills. The newly commissioned officers will go on to assume command, instructional or staff appointments in the SAF.