On the evening of 13 Dec, 405 Officer Cadet School (OCS) cadets were commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) at a parade held at the SAFTI Military Institute.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah reviewed the parade and encouraged the graduands to lead by example as they step into their new roles.
Image courtesy of MINDEF
The 139th Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade marked the completion of 38 weeks of rigorous training at OCS, designed to sharpen the cadets’ combat, planning and leadership skills.
Of the 405 newly commissioned officers, 320 are from the Singapore Army, 49 from the Republic of Singapore Navy, and 36 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
During the parade, Ms Indranee also presented the Sword of Honour to the best-performing cadets in the cohort.
Among the recipients was 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Ryan Joshua Ong Sheng-En, the son of former Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong.
Source: Pioneer
According to Pioneer, 2LT Ong entered Basic Military Training with enthusiasm, but felt both excited and intimidated when he was selected for OCS due to its high standards.
He initially struggled to adjust and experienced moments of self-doubt. However, through hard work and determination, he grew into his role, with his buddy describing him as an “approachable and capable leader”.
Source: Pioneer
2LT Ong also credited the friendships he forged in OCS for helping him through the toughest days.
“I’ve also learnt so much from them about teamwork and looking after one another,” he said. “As a team, we are only as strong as our constituent parts, and so we always must look after each other.”
For 2LT Mohamad Wira Kurniawan Bin Mohamad Fahmy, 22, camaraderie likewise played a central role throughout his OCS experience.
When he was selected for Navy OCS, he immediately shared the news with his family, who have close ties to the sea. His father works as a harbour pilot, while his sister is a Third Officer on a commercial vessel.
“Seeing how happy they were made the moment even more special,” he beamed.
Image courtesy of MINDEF
Reflecting on his National Service (NS) journey, 2LT Wira said the most memorable aspect was meeting people from all walks of life.
“Everyone came in with different backgrounds, strengths, and stories, but we all ended up pushing through the same challenges together,” he said, describing the camaraderie in OCS as “absolutely pivotal”.
He recalled moments when he struggled to keep up, and how his course mates readily stepped in to help.
Source: Pioneer
One of his toughest moments came during the Leadership Development Module in the Naval Foundation Term, when he was placed in charge of operations.
“Coordinating the team and coming up with ideas under time pressure really pushed me to manage multiple responsibilities at once,” he shared.
By staying focused and leaning on his course mates for support, he learnt to adapt quickly when plans changed, an experience he said sharpened his decision-making and reinforced the value of teamwork.
Another formative experience was the Midshipman Sea Training Deployment (MSTD), where cadets worked together aboard a ship under challenging conditions.
They relied on one another to complete assignments, take on responsibilities as Officer of the Watch, and build operational knowledge despite irregular hours.
Image courtesy of MINDEF
“Everyone brings different strengths to the table, and you grow the most when you’re willing to learn from each other,” 2LT Wira said, adding that leadership is about humility and a commitment to give back.
Following his commissioning, 2LT Wira will be posted to 180 Squadron under the Naval Diving Unit (NDU) formation.
He said he looks forward to moving from training to active service, where he can apply the leadership skills developed in OCS while contributing to the safety and security of Singapore’s waters.
On commissioning day, he shared that he felt both excited and slightly nervous as he prepared to take on the responsibilities of an SAF officer, a milestone he had been working towards for months.
At the parade, Ms Indranee highlighted the importance of a strong and steadfast SAF in an increasingly turbulent global environment.
Image courtesy of MINDEF
She urged the newly commissioned officers to put the collective before self-interest, lead by example, and care for those under their command, to ensure an SAF that remains resilient, professional and high in morale.
Also read: ‘I wanted to win for Dad’: LTA Nicholas Tang honours late father as best international cadet
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Featured image adapted from Pioneer and courtesy of MINDEF.