LG (Ret) Choo: SAF military traditions must be passed on

"Traditions are the transmission of culture and beliefs from one generation to another... We emphasise our traditions in times of peace because the memory of traditions can inspire us to carry out our missions with courage and pride in times of crisis and war."

This was the point that Lieutenant-General (LG) (Ret) Winston Choo made during his keynote address at the 3rd SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) Leadership Dining-In held at Pasir Laba Camp on 26 Aug.

In his speech, LG (Ret) Choo, who served as the SAF's first Chief of Defence Force (CDF), highlighted that two key principles of the military profession have remained the same even as the SAF has transformed into a 3rd Generation fighting force.


First, he noted that the military service is a profession that is "identified by its commitment to values and a sense of purpose that transcends individual self-interest in favour of a higher good - the security and defence of the nation".

Second, being military professionals, servicemen must take pride in their individual competencies, be it in their knowledge of military related subjects or their technical expertise.

On the aspect of leadership, LG (Ret) Choo said: "True leadership lies in harnessing the power of our people, our key enabler, towards mission success.

"Despite the welter of change, I truly believe that certain principles of military leadership are evergreen - treating people with respect, knowing them as people rather than as impersonal digits, considering their strengths and weaknesses, and inspiring them to contribute wholeheartedly towards mission success."

He added: "(However), a leader must be prepared to make tough decisions... As commanders, we have to maintain military discipline, even if it means making unpopular or difficult decisions."

First inaugurated in 2011, the SAF Leadership Dining-In is held annually and attended by high-ranking officers, warrant officers and military experts.

During the ceremony, CDF Lieutenant-General (LG) Ng Chee Meng presented the CDF Coin to senior SAF officers in recognition of their outstanding achievements and significant contributions to their respective services or organisations.

Award recipient Military Expert (ME) 7 Low Yong Joo felt honoured to receive the coin. "Looking back, it was the spirit of the people in the Navy that enabled me to complete my job successfully. In essence, this coin belongs to everyone in the Navy family who has helped me through this journey in one way or another. Without them, success would not have come so easily."

As Commander of Naval Logistics Command, ME7 Low led the command in delivering effective and swift support to operations such as the Republic of Singapore Navy's counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, as well as exercises involving the firing of missiles and weapons.

He was also instrumental in spearheading two of the Navy's key outreach efforts this year - Navy@Vivo and the Navy Open House 2013, which drew crowds of over 120,000 visitors.

Other recipients of the award included Head Core, General Staff (Operations) Senior Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ko; Commander of Air Operations Control Group Colonel Francis Ngooi; and Head of SAF Mapping Unit ME6 Chan Wai Kong.