The Singapore Army’s new recruitment campaign has gotten quite the buzz, highlighting the unique experiences army regulars go through in a tongue-in-cheek yet relatable way.
The three-part ‘Anything But Regular’ video series takes a playful jab at army stereotypes and flips them around to showcase how meaningful and fulfilling a career in the army can be.
Beyond that, the eagle-eyed may spot some cute ‘easter eggs’ in the form of surprise appearances by bigwigs, notably, current Chief of Army (COA) Major-General (MG) David Neo.
Since its launch, the ‘Anything But Regular’ series has been well received on social media — the first video in the series, featuring defence psychologist Captain Kerryn Lee, has more than two million TikTok views at the time of writing.
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In the latest and final instalment to the series, a taxi driver is seen conversing with his passenger at the backseat.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
The driver starts by asking the younger man if he’s working or schooling, before going on a lengthy rant about the job market.
He then shares how lucky his son was to get a job related to his studies and one that he’s good at.
The passenger begins to reminisce about his experiences in the army, with the scene cutting to clips of him hard at work — juxtaposed against the cabbie’s narration of his son’s comfortable office job.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
At one point, the driver talks about his son’s seemingly unrealistic hope for his sedentary job to be “more exciting”.
The passenger smiles to himself as he recalls his exhilarating experience in the moving Terrex infantry carrier vehicle.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
As they arrive at the destination, the driver asks the man what he does for work. The latter coolly replies “just the regular stuff” — a play on the word ‘regular’ used by the SAF.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
In the last few seconds of the video, the driver is again seen asking his passenger if they’re working or schooling.
This time, however, the middle-aged “passenger” is none other than MG Neo, who has been COA since 2022.
He responds to the cabby with a perplexed expression — the cause of much hilarity among netizens.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
Speaking to MS News, a Mindef spokesman described MG Neo’s ‘Easter egg’ appearance as an “IYKYK” (if you know, you know) moment.
The representative added that the surprise appearance was meant to inject an element of surprise and light-heartedness for both internal and external viewers.
The spokesperson, however, was unable to confirm if MG Neo would be making an appearance in subsequent videos.
Source: MINDEF
The 47-year-old is known for his adventurous spirit and being social media-savvy. He has a verified Instagram account and provides regular updates on what his job entails.
Source: @davidneo on Instagram
The adrenaline-loving Neo even skydived with members of the media back in 2022.
MG Neo isn’t the only prominent figure from the Singapore Army to feature in the ‘Anything But Regular’ series.
In the second video of the series, Chief Warrant Officer Sanjee Singh — current Sergeant Major of the Army — is seen making a similar surprise appearance at the end.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
Viewers can also spot Singapore’s first Chief of Defence Force Winston Choo in the final seconds of the first ‘Anything But Regular’ video.
Source: OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube
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Featured image adapted from OurSingaporeArmy on YouTube and The Singapore Army on Facebook.
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