Thoughts - Deep, Down, Inside…

We have finally reached the end of our pro term of OFFICER CADET SCHOOL. I once believed that it would be of utmost honour for one to enter OFFICER CADET SCHOOL as part of the training during national service. I once believed that it would make my parents real proud of me to march into and out of the parade square of SAFTI MI, as a full-fledged SECOND LIEUTENANT, an OFFICER of the internationally acclaimed defence force, THE SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES. I used to think that it could be a once-in-a-lifetime jouney for anyone to go through the rites of passage of OFFICER CADET SCHOOL. I used to have so much passion and desire to enter OFFICER CADET SCHOOL…..
I think otherwise now. Yes, it is true that I have not been putting effort into making an impact with the course. I have failed to make a stand, make a voice over many issues which were deemed un-officerlike, deemed outrageous as an officer-to-be, deemed unfit to be an officer’s behavior to me. I am totally disgusted with the actions of many of my platoon mates in SIGNAL OFFICER CADET COURSE. I have failed my part as a fellow platoon mate of the course to voice out over the situation, to let them realised how bad the course to officership has grown.
I have failed.
But some of us may not have felt likewise, or may not have even realised it. They were merrily enjoying the fruits of success, for which they have felt they have succeeded to have gone through all the training meant for us. We have indeed gone through all of them. We have indeed come a long way. We have even done many other things out of the scope of the training towards a signal vocation, like leadership project and OOTW. Some of us have even got many honorary awards like the SWORD-OF-HONOUR, SWORD-OF-MERITS, BEST KNOWLEDGE, BEST PT.
Foxtrot Wing is one place deeply etched in my mind. The camaraderie of the wing, the cohesion of the wing, and the ‘little tricks’ up the Wing Comd’s sleeves to boost the morale of cadets are part of the things I remember. But of all the teachings the Wing Comd and his team of instructors have taught us, there is one important thing that is deeply etched in my mind, values.
With the high level of education given to the 3rd generation citizens of Singapore, there can be many people who can be trained to draw radio net diagrams, to stand in front of the platoon to give orders, to draw talcs, to calculate path profiles, and to do all the technical things that a signal officer needs to do. But it is the values of an officer that makes the difference between a rifleman and an officer of the SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES. The integrity, the ethics, the decisiveness, the leadership by example, and most importantly, the Man Above Self Sacrifice that are unique to commanders.
I was particularly inspired by the outstanding values embedded in every training and every so-called ‘talk cock’ sessions given to us by our platoon commanders, platoon sergeants, and section commanders during my time in Mohawk Company in BMT. Though traing was tough, and we were in for a lot of ‘tekan’ sessions in many occasions, every punishments meted out came with total conviction among us. I am not talking about doing 200 jumping jacks nor 100 push ups when i said ‘tekan’ sessions. I meant about 10 repetitions of 50 jumping jacks, 40 pushups, and many other exercises, including the famous change parade. Basically all the ‘forbidden’ corporal punishments were meted out. But I do not recount of any incident in which i were scolding vulgarities in mind mind towards any commanders whom awarded us the ‘tekan’ sessions. This is because they made us realise the reason for being punished, but not by explaining. It was done somehow in the process of punishing us, but in a convincing way where they were no way to argue. Also, the self sacrifice they have all made for the welfare of their recruits impacted me greatly. The sleepless nights they had, and the number of meals skipped just in preparation for the conducting and safety of the following days’ exercises.
And the most important of all, they taught us discipline.
To me, discipline is not about how one could stand still in the parade without moving or one could march from place to place with utmost standard. All this are superficial, done in fear of punishment, and I treat this kind of ‘discipline’ hypocritical. Discipline is about being able to uphold the image of the organisation one belongs to, the status one holds, and to act in a way reflecting the values that comes hand in hand with the status one holds. Just like some of us in the course, who cannot even keep their PSP during the lectures. OFFICERS-TO-BE….
I have not seen any one of the award winners to have been able to instill that kind of discipline. They have not stood out to stop any incorrect actions from being done. We have done many things behind the commanders’ back without their knowledge, many times, but where are they? They are supposed to represent best of the values officers uphold…That is not how officers-to-be are supposed to act, especially even when sword winners are not doing anything. Values.

I am an Officer of the Singapore Armed Forces.
My duty is to Lead, to Excel, and to Overcome.
I lead my men by example.
I answer for their training, morale and discipline.
I must excel in everything I do.
I serve with Pride, Honour, and Integrity.
I will overcome adversity with Courage, Fortitude and Determination.
I DEDICATE MY LIFE TO SINGAPORE.

But really, how many people are willing to do that?

I am really happy that we are given the opportunity to go through the officership course today. It has made me reflect a lot on what truly makes an officer different from others, different from the other ranks, like warrant officers, specialist and the private soldiers. It made many people realised that it is the ethics and values present in an officer that makes him an officer, different from the rest of the other ranks.
But Santosh also made a statement which was very true. ‘It is personal beliefs which values are based upon.’ I have to agree with this, and now I believe that it is not because they do have the values, but it is their beliefs, which is very subjective, that affects their values.
It is because I believe, I commit, therefore I am.
Apparently and disappointingly I feel that many of my fellow cadets in the platoon do not have very good beliefs. ‘You have to be cautious of your beliefs, because your beliefs affects your speech. You have to be cautious of your speech, because your speech affects your actions. You have to be cautious of your actions, because your actions reflects of your values.’ said Chief Instructor, OCS, 231106.
I am also appalled by many cadets’ actions during a video screening during a lecture teaching about the Malayan Campaign of the Japanese during WWII. The video depicts of Japanese soldiers cheering when a territory was being announced to be conquered by the Japanese, and the cheering scene was repeated again and again as one territory was being announced conquered one by one by the narrator. To my shock, many cadets started to cheered subsequently as the scene of cheering was being played over and over again. Is this a joking matter? Is this a funny scene to laugh about? Officers-to-be…
Values.
THE OFFICERS CREED
I am an Officer of the Singapore Armed Forces.
My duty is to Lead, to Excel, and to Overcome.
I lead my men by example.
I answer for their training, morale and discipline.
I must excel in everything I do.
I serve with Pride, Honour, and Integrity.
I will overcome adversity with Courage, Fortitude and Determination.
I DEDICATE MY LIFE TO SINGAPORE.
We were told that the Officers’ Creed encompasses the role of an SAF officer. With many of the behavior I observed of the present day cadets, who are supposed to be leaders in the nation’s defence, I am seriously worried about the future of Singapore. I lead my men by example? I answer for their training, morale and discipline? Without this attributes of a good leader, how do we excel in everything we do, serve with Pride, Honour, and Integrity, and overcome adversity with Courage, Fortitude and Determination? Just like how many dynasties in the Golden Age in ancient China fell because of the incompetencies and complacency of the 3rd generation leaders, will Singapore also be one of the examples of this repetition of history?
Values.