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SINGAPORE – The severity of the Covid-19 pandemic really hit Cadet Officer (OCT) Isvaran Mahendran when basic military training was suspended for two months earlier this year.
With the training hiatus that occurred during the circuit break period in April, his parents were concerned about his continued training at the Cadet Officer School, located at the Safti Military Institute in Joo Koon.
But they were reassured when they saw the efforts that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) took to ensure safe training, such as masks must be worn at all times except when cadets are in their bunks, more space when cadets march from place place and training in smaller groups.
OCT Mahendran is among 397 cadets to be commissioned as SAF officers this Saturday (December 12), the first group of cadets to undergo their full 38-week training period during the pandemic.
As a sign of the times, cadets will receive their ceremonial swords and letters of appointment at commissioning ceremonies organized at the Formation level over the next few days, rather than a traditional commissioning parade at the Safti Military Institute.
OCT Mahendran, a Sword of Honor recipient, said the security measures at the camp reassured his parents and allowed him to fully focus on his training.
“Much of the training, due to the safety rating and its nature, can’t really be emulated in the home environment, so at the end of the day, we had to go to camp,” said the 19-year-old. An old full-time Air Force (NSF) military man told reporters in an interview last week.
Four batches of official cadets are commissioned each year. As part of the Covid-19 measures, since June there have been no start-up parades with guests in the last two batches.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Halimah Yacob said the men and women of the SAF and the wider defense community have stepped up to support the nation’s fight against Covid-19 from day one.
Even as they did so, the SAF remained vigilant. Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors continued to perform critical security functions throughout the day, he said in a pre-recorded message as a procedures review officer.
Adjustments were made to training activities so that soldiers can continue to train effectively, but with the peace of mind that there are safe and robust management measures in place, he said.
“These are important achievements. With their actions, the SAF and the defense community have sent a clear message that it is agile and adaptable, and that our people have the mettle and endurance to overcome any adversity.”
With a world that has changed significantly due to Covid-19 and an uncertain external environment, the SAF must remain at the forefront to remain effective against an ever-expanding range of security threats.
The value of national service will also be even more prominent, said President Halimah.
Singapore’s recruitment policy was primarily intended to defend the homeland, but over time it has also become a cornerstone of their shared identity as a people and a key thread in their social fabric, he said.
“The ties that are forged through national service, regardless of race, language or religion, will help us stand firm against the threats of tomorrow that seek to sow discord, mistrust and division,” he added.
Another Sword of Honor recipient, 19-year-old OCT Chow Han Wei, said that throughout his OCS course, he has not had much interaction with cadets from other platoons due to the need to maintain smaller groups for training.
While he did not travel abroad for training, the local training instead was sufficient and effective to develop the skills he needed, such as in navigation and warfare in the jungle, the infantryman said.
“While Covid-19 had a negative impact, due to OCS’s ability to adapt and innovate, this has reduced the impact it has had on us,” added the regular, who enrolled during his OCS course.
OCT Khwang Li Yi, a 21-year-old from Signal Formation, felt that Covid-19 has had a positive impact because it trained her to be more adaptable and self-disciplined, adhering to safe distancing and wearing masks. measurements.
“This pushes us to the limit, because we have to be vigilant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week … Although we are tired in the gardens, we have to constantly keep these measures in the back of our mind.
“This has enabled us to be more resilient leaders,” he said.
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