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"Out of these 3,000, about 1,000 of them will be non-uniformed service personnel…that is the scale of just one cohort of people whom we bring in,” Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing commented at a recent scholarship awards ceremony.
This year, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has announced that about 3,000 uniformed and non-uniformed personnel will be recruited into MINDEF or The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
In his speech at the Defence Scholarship Awards Ceremony on 13 August, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said a third of those recruited will be non-uniformed service personnel, signifying just a fraction of the cohort of people brought in.
In addition, 15,000 to 20,000 Full-Time National Servicemen (NSFs) will be brought in each year to "lead, inspire and to serve."
"Our mission is to lead people from across all walks of life with different capabilities and different challenges, and to build them into a cohesive and effective fighting force in service for our nation for us to keep defying the odds of history."
"We want our best, our brightest, our most committed – to serve in the armed forces, in the defence establishment, because it is one of the most challenging and yet most vital aspect for our survival and success, and that mission continues," he added.
Minister Chan presented 83 scholarships — The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship to six recipients, Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship (Engineering) – Defence and Security to two recipients, SAF Merit Scholarship to 16 recipients, SAF Engineering Scholarship to four recipients, Defence Merit Scholarship to 13 recipients, SAF Medicine Scholarship to eight recipients and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) Scholarship to 33 recipients — at a scholarship awards ceremony held at the Temasek Club on 13 August.
This year's scholarship recipients will be pursuing their undergraduate studies at reputable local and overseas universities. Upon completion of their tertiary education, recipients of the uniformed scholarships – The SAF Scholarship, the SAF Merit Scholarship, and the SAF Engineering Scholarship – will return to the organisation to assume a variety of challenging appointments that will groom them for senior command and leadership positions in MINDEF and the SAF.
Recipients of the SAF Medicine Scholarship will return as Medical Officers and be groomed for senior medical positions in the SAF Medical Corps. Meanwhile, the Defence Merit Scholarship recipients will return as Defence Executive Officers and be groomed for senior management positions in MINDEF by taking on varied job challenges to hone their skills in critical defence areas.
Finally, the PSC Scholarship (Engineering) – Defence and Security, and DSTA Scholarship recipients will be groomed through multiple career pathways for engineering and technological leadership positions in the defence technology community.
Concluding his speech, Minsiter Chan addressed the scholarship receipients and shared a few pointers to remind themselves with as they embark on their next phase of life:
- Lead and work as a team – In MINDEF, SAF, and the DTC, success is never achieved alone. Collaborate across teams and generations, recognising that every role and contribution matters in overcoming challenges.
- Start small, care first – Focus on looking after the men and women under your charge. When people are cared for, they will deliver the mission.
- Value every individual – MINDEF and SAF draw talent from all parts of society, from NSF to NSman. Each person, regardless of background or ability, plays a vital role in the mission.
READ MORE: MINDEF revises Premium Plan to support career progression and retirement for SAF personnel
Lead image / MINDEF Singapore
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