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[h=1]THE PROBLEM WITH PAPER GENERALS[/h]
Post date:
21 Apr 2015 - 9:56pm
It's interesting how Singapore's military's top rung consists of mostly scholars. Hence the term paper generals as they are famously referred to.
Table #1: Top Military Leaders in the SAF, circa 2014
This means that how high these scholars ascend in Singapore's armed forces is predicated on them winning some big-name scholarships at age 19. Imagine... your future entirely depends on your gauged potential when you were a teenager. This, ladies and gentlemen, can only happen in Singapore, and North Korea, where the potential of the ruler is also determined at birth.
Come on, surely there must be other more capable non-scholar rank-and-file soldiers who can become 2 or 3 star generals and admirals. Education is important, but should NOT be the overriding criteria for promotion to the upper echelons of the military service or government. This is one of the biggest flaws of the PAP regime in fielding leaders. Military big-name scholars do NOT necessary translate to being competent ministers. LHL is a prime example. He, too, was a 1 star general and has a big-name father... oops scholarship.
National Slavery
*The author blogs at http://renounce-sg.blogspot.com
Post date:
21 Apr 2015 - 9:56pm
It's interesting how Singapore's military's top rung consists of mostly scholars. Hence the term paper generals as they are famously referred to.
Table #1: Top Military Leaders in the SAF, circa 2014
| Title | Rank | Incumbent | Scholastic Award(s) | University | Secondary/JC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Defence Force | Lieutenant General | Ng Chee Meng | SAF Overseas Scholarship | United States Air Force Academy | Hwa Chong |
| Chief of Army | Major General | Perry Lim Cheng Yeow | President's Scholarship, SAF Overseas Scholarship | Cambridge | Raffles Institution |
| Chief of Air Force | Major General | Hoo Cher Mou | SAF Overseas Scholarship | Cambridge, Harvard | Hwa Chong |
| Chief of Navy | Rear Admiral (2 star) | Lai Chun Han | President's Scholarship, SAF Overseas Scholarship | Cambridge, Harvard | Raffles Institution |
| Director of Military Intelligence, Chief C4I | Rear Admiral (2 star) | Joseph Leong Weng Keong | President's Scholarship, SAF Overseas Scholarship | Cambridge, MIT | Anglo-Chinese Secondary |
Come on, surely there must be other more capable non-scholar rank-and-file soldiers who can become 2 or 3 star generals and admirals. Education is important, but should NOT be the overriding criteria for promotion to the upper echelons of the military service or government. This is one of the biggest flaws of the PAP regime in fielding leaders. Military big-name scholars do NOT necessary translate to being competent ministers. LHL is a prime example. He, too, was a 1 star general and has a big-name father... oops scholarship.
National Slavery
*The author blogs at http://renounce-sg.blogspot.com
