PIONEER alumnus, lawyer and best-selling author Adrian Tan writes about how the magazine has evolved over the years.
PIONEER exists as the voice and memory of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The evergreen magazine was born on Singapore's fourth birthday as the National Pioneer, a tabloid newsletter. In launching it, then-Minister for Defence Lim Kim San said in his foreword: "There are now a few thousand young men and women in our Armed Forces. There is, therefore, a need for a medium through which our men and women in the Armed Forces can be enlightened and entertained."
Over the next five decades, month by month, the magazine has grown and transformed, in pursuit of that original mission.
The original National Pioneer was heavy on editorial and light on its black-and-white pictures. The tone was serious and the language, formal. The 1960s' editions featured articles befitting of a young nation, discussing the big issues of the day, such as the need for National Service (NS), or our geopolitical environment. Over the years, that style gave way to a full-colour glossy magazine, friendlier and more casual, with an increased emphasis on pictures and graphics.
In the early days, national austerity demands meant that one copy of the magazine would have to be shared among 10 servicemen. Today, the magazine is sent to the homes of Full-Time National Servicemen, Operationally Ready National Servicemen and Regulars.
n the 1970s, PIONEER offered subscription at 20 cents a copy. Today, it is a princely 40 cents.
For a time, advertisements were found in the pages of PIONEER for consumer electronics, computer courses, mosquito repellent and many varieties of beer. All advertising has ceased.
PIONEER has always been among the first to adopt new technology. In 1996, it launched cyberpioneer, its internet edition. In 2010, it was one of the first Singapore publications to be offered on a newfangled contraption called an iPad. Today, cyberpioneer stories, pictures and videos are widely viewed, shared and commented on Facebook, Flickr and Youtube. Its content often sparks off discussions about NS experiences. It continues to be recognised internationally as one of the best magazines in its field.
What has also not changed is PIONEER's dedication to its prime directive - to be the voice of the SAF. For five decades, it has documented our collective achievements and common experiences. It has faithfully recorded our journey as we march in uniform. It continues to narrate the grand adventure that is our SAF.
PIONEER alumni
Many famous Singaporeans underwent their NS in PIONEER. Actor, director and playwright Ivan Heng was a PIONEER writer. Of his PIONEER days, he said: "One week, I would be on board a ship, or on some jetty ready to go somewhere, another week I'd be sitting in a helicopter taking aerial pictures with my photographer. And we were interviewing ministers, and we got quite a big bite of the journalistic cherry. It was a great opportunity for a young man; I don't think many people get to experience these things at 20."
Celebrity photographer Russel Wong was a PIONEER photographer. He is famed for his pictures of stars such as Jackie Chan, Richard Gere and Tom Cruise. Aptly, his first PIONEER assignment was a portrait of Lieutenant-General (Ret) Winston Choo, then-Chief of General Staff. Russel said that his PIONEER experience was "an eye-opener", and that it sharpened his senses. "Doing photo-journalism, I had to be more alert, as there was only one chance to take my shot. Most of the time, I didn't quite know what to expect, and I had to get it right the first time. I also learnt to work with people to get the pictures I wanted. In PIONEER, I met all kinds of people, from privates to generals."
Award-winning musician, songwriter and poet Dr Liang Wern Fook was another PIONEER writer. He wrote for the Chinese edition of the magazine. He said: "My writing was about self-expression. But at PIONEER, I realised I needed another kind of writing skill. It was no longer about personal feelings, but about being objective.
It's important to have an opinion, but self-expression must be within your setting and environment. And then, in my second year, I realised that even if no personal feelings are expressed, the story can still have a personal angle: how you write the story, whom you interview and what you highlight about them."
Former Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon, food critic K F Seetoh, and former NMP Associate Professor Simon Tay are just some others who served their NS in PIONEER.
Today editor Walter Fernandez, The Straits Times editor Warren Fernandez and former The New Paper Editor Ivan Fernandez have something less obvious in common. All cut their teeth as PIONEER writers.
Warren Fernandez said of his time in PIONEER: "What I had to learn was how to fit into the production cycle: conceptualising stories, working with the artists and photographers, designing the pages. That taught me a lot about the visual aspect of journalism - it's not just about words, you've got to be able to connect with your readers through images, pictures and design." Recalling the publication of his first story in PIONEER, he said: "It was great to see my byline. There's always a buzz, a sense of achievement for your first story. I think that was what got me thinking about journalism. I wasn't born wanting to be a journalist. PIONEER showed me that this was something I could do in the long term."
Ivan Fernandez said of his PIONEER stint, where he was also resident cartoonist: "We felt our task was to go behind the scenes and make the activities on the ground, the people behind the units and the operating culture come alive. We wanted to show that there was more to the Armed Forces than the steely, highly-disciplined and perfectly-timed performances seen at the National Day Parade."
