Why SG is unable to produce real leaders...

[Confuseous]

Let’s face it, leaders and leadership material is developed when it is placed under challenging situations. For example, military commanders develop their skills from combat experience and leading men under combat situations. Military academies like West Point or Sandhurst can only teach one so much. The real learning is out in the field. The American and British armies are highly regarded because their senior leaders have seen some form of action sometime during their careers.

By contrast, the Singapore military favours book learning over actual combat experience. Yes, unlike the American and British armies we don’t go to war but we are also a nation that is obsessed with defense. We spend the largest percentage of our GDP in this region on defense. We do send people to UN Peace Keeping missions to give them a bit of exposure (technically peace keeping and war are two different things). You would imagine that we’d want our Generals to be a bit more seasoned rather than text-book soldiers. Unfortunately we don’t. When we had a general who acquired the closest thing to combat experience and was praised by the international community for his leadership, we demoted him and pushed him into retirement as fast we could. We promoted younger, less experienced but more book smart people over him.

There seems to be a cultural aversion to exposing bright people to challenges. Instead of testing out people under stress, the system seems to allow the chosen to avoid it and it gives them power over those who don’t have the luxury of avoiding hardship. Should it surprise anyone that Singapore fails to produce people with leadership qualities?

- http://desparatebeep.blogspot.sg/2013/07/can-singapore-produce-home-grown-leader.html

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

the Lee Family no want leaders or talented people.......................

less they gang up against the family................

 

[Satyr]

I respect the Brits. Charles commanded battleships on operational duties. Andrew flew Helicoptors in the Falklands. Prince Harry was in the front line in Afghanistan. These guys lead from the front. what an example.

Singapore has a leadership problem because our leaders never had fight for leadership. They can't even handle a haze problem with any distinction. They have been trained for management not leadership. It's the vision thing. Completely missing.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

the Lee Family no want leaders or talented people.......................

less they gang up against the family................

Yes. Royal family wants domesticated loyal obedient dogs....both of the toy and guard breeds.
How else can they perpetual their reign?

 

[po2wq]

sinkies oni want moni, power n glory n got no bols 4 responsibility ... u wun get any real leaders in sinkielan ...

 

[eatshitndie]

I respect the Brits. Charles commanded battleships on operational duties. Andrew flew Helicoptors in the Falklands. Prince Harry was in the front line in Afghanistan. These guys lead from the front. what an example.

warships. battleships are mothballed and no longer in service.

 

[steffychun]

Let’s face it, leaders and leadership material is developed when it is placed under challenging situations. For example, military commanders develop their skills from combat experience and leading men under combat situations. Military academies like West Point or Sandhurst can only teach one so much. The real learning is out in the field. The American and British armies are highly regarded because their senior leaders have seen some form of action sometime during their careers.

By contrast, the Singapore military favours book learning over actual combat experience. Yes, unlike the American and British armies we don’t go to war but we are also a nation that is obsessed with defense. We spend the largest percentage of our GDP in this region on defense. We do send people to UN Peace Keeping missions to give them a bit of exposure (technically peace keeping and war are two different things). You would imagine that we’d want our Generals to be a bit more seasoned rather than text-book soldiers. Unfortunately we don’t. When we had a general who acquired the closest thing to combat experience and was praised by the international community for his leadership, we demoted him and pushed him into retirement as fast we could. We promoted younger, less experienced but more book smart people over him.

There seems to be a cultural aversion to exposing bright people to challenges. Instead of testing out people under stress, the system seems to allow the chosen to avoid it and it gives them power over those who don’t have the luxury of avoiding hardship. Should it surprise anyone that Singapore fails to produce people with leadership qualities?

- http://desparatebeep.blogspot.sg/2013/07/can-singapore-produce-home-grown-leader.html

If you want Singaporean military leaders to experience defence, yes they have--East Timor, Afghanistan, UN Peacekeeping. But these are not given to the scholar generals. These are given to non-scholars promoted to general rank and then demoted when they return to Singapore and enever get the chance of being CDF, or army,navy or air force chief.

East Timor: Tan Huck Gim. Was made Major General. Returned to Singapore and reduced to BG. Never got the chance to be COA or CDF.

Gulf of Aden/Arabian Sea: Bernard Miranda. "Promoted" to Rear Admiral (1 star). Come back to Singapore, demoted to Colonel. Instead of being CNV, that when to the Ng Brothers. He was "forced" to retire.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Steffy can you elaborate on the 'demotions' you mentioned?
I feel even if SAF unwillingly to give these chaps the chief appointments also no need to take their star away.

 

[steffychun]

Steffy can you elaborate on the 'demotions' you mentioned?
I feel even if SAF unwillingly to give these chaps the chief appointments also no need to take their star away.

Well tehnically the SAF/MINDEF claimed that these officers were promoted to outrank international allies (would you want a colonel to command a task group?). But returning to Singapore, they say no, sorry, revert back to old rank. My biggest point is that these people, Tan HG and B Miranda and others, were NOT chosen to be COA or CNV. Instead, the non-combat experience scholars like Fatso Ng Yat Chung get the post.

 

[steffychun]

Same with Giam Hock Koon. Promoted to RADAM to command the CTF 151. Then return to Singapore--revert to Colonel.

 

[laksaboy]

As the saying goes:

乱世出英雄

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Same with Giam Hock Koon. Promoted to RADAM to command the CTF 151. Then return to Singapore--revert to Colonel.

Oic thanks for the explanation.
Trust pappies to do such sneaky stuff.
Even if sideline those chaps for the top jobs wouldn't kill them to leave the stars on....they did earn it IMHO...unlike those paper generals.

 

[rushifa666]

Shouldn't the no toilet paper fools get it for not knowing they will get screwed in the end? This scenario has been played out so many times across the various stat boards I've lost count

 

[steffychun]

Oic thanks for the explanation.
Trust pappies to do such sneaky stuff.
Even if sideline those chaps for the top jobs wouldn't kill them to leave the stars on....they did earn it IMHO...unlike those paper generals.

Yeah. I was at least expecting Bernard Miranda to be Head of Navy. instead went to Ng brother.

Tan Huck Gim even worse. Made Major General, kncoked down to BG, not even given command of a a division. Everyone back then expected him to be in high command. Sadly, he was only O/A Level Graduate.

 

[Qantas]

Well tehnically the SAF/MINDEF claimed that these officers were promoted to outrank international allies (would you want a colonel to command a task group?). But returning to Singapore, they say no, sorry, revert back to old rank. My biggest point is that these people, Tan HG and B Miranda and others, were NOT chosen to be COA or CNV. Instead, the non-combat experience scholars like Fatso Ng Yat Chung get the post.

So when they are overseas they are promoted to "local" general. Then revert back to full colonel when back in Sinkie?

 

[steffychun]

So when they are overseas they are promoted to "local" general. Then revert back to full colonel when back in Sinkie?

That is correct. They get the fame over there. Back home they lose out to scholar generals.

 

[lee6100]

That is correct. They get the fame over there. Back home they lose out to scholar generals.

Our army leadership is made up of scholar-soldiers, not soldier-scholars. Just good at acing exams throughout their whole lives.
And war games.

Their inexperience shows when, parachuted into a political career, flounder when faced with real issues and anger
of the electorate. The political leaders who do not come from a military career path show traits, because of years of conditioning
in the school system, believe they are entitled to govern. It is elitism at its worst. Disguised as meritocracy.

 

[steffychun]

Our army leadership is made up of scholar-soldiers, not soldier-scholars. Just good at acing exams throughout their whole lives.
And war games.

Their inexperience shows when, parachuted into a political career, flounder when faced with real issues and anger
of the electorate. The political leaders who do not come from a military career path show traits, because of years of conditioning
in the school system, believe they are entitled to govern. It is elitism at its worst. Disguised as meritocracy.

have you not listened? There are soliders/sailors who had operational experience. What do you want for the SAF? To declare war every day to get combat experience?

 

[Leongsam]

Singapore can't find real leaders because there aren't any.

It's very hard to produce leadership from a gene pool of peasant stock.

What Singapore needs to do is to improve the pedigree.

 

[winnipegjets]

have you not listened? There are soliders/sailors who had operational experience. What do you want for the SAF? To declare war every day to get combat experience?

These experienced officers should stage a coup.

Wah lau, like that also can want. Promoted means permanent. Where got temporary promotion one? No wonder Sinkapore is the number 1 con job.