[h=1]NSmen the cornerstone of Singapore defence: DPM Tharman[/h] <article class="node-704131 article node node-article node-promoted view-mode-highlight_article clearfix" typeof="sioc:Item foaf
ocument" about="/singapore/nsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman"><header>
</header> The newly-minted officers tossing their peak caps to mark the completion of their challenging 38-week course. Photo: MINDEF
</article><!-- /.node -->
<article class="node-704131 node node-article node-promoted view-mode-full inline clearfix" typeof="sioc:Item foafocument" about="/singapore/nsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman" data-nid="704131">
Published: 9:50 PM, July 20, 2014
SINGAPORE ­— With tensions rising in the region, and security challenges such as terrorism, natural disasters, biological pandemics and cyber threats becoming transnational issues, Singapore must never take its success and stability for granted, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam today (July 20).
And while the Singapore Armed Forces continues to invest in state-of-the-art platforms and weapons systems, at the centre of Singapore’s defences against such challenges: National Servicemen, said Mr Tharman, speaking at a commissioning parade at the SAFTI Military Institute.
<!-- inline -->
“National Servicemen, like yourselves, are the cornerstone of Singapore’s defence,” he said to the 456 Army, 50 Air Force and 47 Navy officer cadets who were today commissioned as officers.
Mr Tharman said the implementation of the Committee to Strengthen National Service’s recommendations will continue to build a stronger NS system. “At the heart of it all, the intent is to create a more positive NS experience that empowers and motivates individuals.”
He also highlighted the role that family and friends play in supporting servicemen — something that many graduands Channel NewsAsia spoke to attested to.
Said graduating infantry officer Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Rahim: “Every single day they call me and ask me how training is going, how the Officer Cadet School is treating me.”
Graduating naval officer cadet trainee Thirunavukarasu Teyagarajan spoke of how his father helped him pass his swimming proficiency test. “When I came back every weekend, my dad would ask me to go for a swim. He would actually bring me to the swimming pool, then swim with me.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA
</article>
ocument" about="/singapore/nsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman"><header>
</header> The newly-minted officers tossing their peak caps to mark the completion of their challenging 38-week course. Photo: MINDEF </article><!-- /.node -->
<article class="node-704131 node node-article node-promoted view-mode-full inline clearfix" typeof="sioc:Item foaf
ocument" about="/singapore/nsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman" data-nid="704131">- View all <fb:comments-count fb-xfbml-state="rendered" href="http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/nsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman">2</fb:comments-count> comments
- <iframe name="f34ac468053c8ce" width="1000" height="1000" title="fb:like Facebook Social Plugin" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?action=like&app_id=&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2FbLBBWlYJp_w.js%3Fversion%3D41%23cb%3Df3c7b73a9ce489%26domain%3Dwww.todayonline.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.todayonline.com%252Ff356dfdeb244034%26relation%3Dparent.parent&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com%2Fsingapore%2Fnsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&share=true&show_faces=false" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: currentColor; width: 124px; height: 20px; visibility: visible; border-image: none;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>
- <iframe name="I0_1405947784802" width="100%" tabIndex="0" title="+1" id="I0_1405947784802" src="https://apis.google.com/u/0/_/+1/fastbutton?usegapi=1&size=medium&hl=en-GB&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com%2Fsingapore%2Fnsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman&gsrc=3p&jsh=m%3B%2F_%2Fscs%2Fapps-static%2F_%2Fjs%2Fk%3Doz.gapi.en.ZndGLsKK4NY.O%2Fm%3D__features__%2Fam%3DAQ%2Frt%3Dj%2Fd%3D1%2Ft%3Dzcms%2Frs%3DAItRSTP0bc7argOvWJWGTKgK6HJCmKBb0w#_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart%2Concircled%2Cdrefresh%2Cerefresh&id=I0_1405947784802&parent=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com&pfname=&rpctoken=93026145" frameBorder="0" marginWidth="0" marginHeight="0" scrolling="no" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin: 0px; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 90px; height: 20px; visibility: visible; position: static;" data-gapiattached="true"></iframe>
- <iframe title="Twitter Tweet Button" class="twitter-share-button twitter-tweet-button twitter-share-button twitter-count-horizontal" id="twitter-widget-0" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.1404859412.html#_=1405947785308&count=horizontal&id=twitter-widget-0&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com%2Fsingapore%2Fnsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman&size=m&text=NSmen%20the%20cornerstone%20of%20Singapore%20defence%3A%20DPM%20Tharman%20%7C%20TODAYonline&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com%2Fsingapore%2Fnsmen-cornerstone-singapore-defence-dpm-tharman" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no" style="width: 107px; height: 20px;" allowTransparency="true" data-twttr-rendered="true"></iframe>
Published: 9:50 PM, July 20, 2014
SINGAPORE ­— With tensions rising in the region, and security challenges such as terrorism, natural disasters, biological pandemics and cyber threats becoming transnational issues, Singapore must never take its success and stability for granted, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam today (July 20).
And while the Singapore Armed Forces continues to invest in state-of-the-art platforms and weapons systems, at the centre of Singapore’s defences against such challenges: National Servicemen, said Mr Tharman, speaking at a commissioning parade at the SAFTI Military Institute.
<!-- inline -->
“National Servicemen, like yourselves, are the cornerstone of Singapore’s defence,” he said to the 456 Army, 50 Air Force and 47 Navy officer cadets who were today commissioned as officers.
Mr Tharman said the implementation of the Committee to Strengthen National Service’s recommendations will continue to build a stronger NS system. “At the heart of it all, the intent is to create a more positive NS experience that empowers and motivates individuals.”
He also highlighted the role that family and friends play in supporting servicemen — something that many graduands Channel NewsAsia spoke to attested to.
Said graduating infantry officer Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Rahim: “Every single day they call me and ask me how training is going, how the Officer Cadet School is treating me.”
Graduating naval officer cadet trainee Thirunavukarasu Teyagarajan spoke of how his father helped him pass his swimming proficiency test. “When I came back every weekend, my dad would ask me to go for a swim. He would actually bring me to the swimming pool, then swim with me.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA
</article>
