Graduands of the 58/2023 Specialist Cadet Course,

Parents and loved ones,

Ladies and gentlemen

Good evening!

INTRODUCTION

It is with immense pride and honour that I stand before you today, as we celebrate the achievements of our graduands of the 58/2023 Specialist Cadet Course. It is always extremely heart-warming to see our young Singaporean boys and girls transformed into capable leaders prepared to lead their fellow soldiers in the defence of our country.

TOTAL DEFENCE DAY

Today marks Singapore's 40^th Total Defence Day. We are reminded on this day, that Singaporeans must stay united and remain vigilant, never for a moment taking our security for granted. The ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Hamas and Israel, show clearly that any peace we enjoy is fragile and can vaporise in an instant if we do not have a strong defence force. Closer to home, the incidence of youth radicalism in recent years tell us that terrorism and extremism remain threats to our multi-racial, multi-cultural society.

58 years into our nationhood, Total Defence continues to be relevant for Singapore's future. As a small country that relies on open trade and commerce for its survival, Singapore is exposed to a myriad of threats across all dimensions. We therefore need a holistic defence strategy, one that encompasses not only military strength, but also economic stability, social resilience, psychological fortitude, preparedness for civil emergencies and robust safeguards for our digital space.

IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP

But Total Defence cannot be possible without Singaporeans working together as a collective community. And in line with that, we need good leaders with strength, vision and ability to rally and inspire people to navigate complexities and challenges.

The SAF has always recognised the importance of leadership, and invested in the development of its leaders. The Specialist Cadet Course is amongst the top leadership courses at the junior level, for the cohorts of young men and women enlisting into the SAF.

Graduands, you have completed 22 weeks of intensive, and I dare say, transformative training. You have pushed the boundaries of your physical and mental endurance to meet the demands of the course, and honed warfighting and technical skills through a rigorous curriculum that emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical application. But your responsibilities as leaders in the SAF will need you to go beyond mastery of technical expertise. More importantly, you must be prepared to lead with resilience, empathy and unwavering dedication.

As you go forward and discharge your duties henceforth, have faith and draw upon the skills and experiences you have gained to lead in a volatile, uncertain and complex environment. Even as you lead and command your fellow soldiers from the front, remember that you must continue to remain agile and adapt swiftly to ever-changing situations.

FAMILY SUPPORT AND GRATITUDE

Allow me now to take some time to recognise a very important of group of people here with us today, for we know that every individual standing on the parade square today did not make it through the course alone, but did so with unwavering support from their family members and loved ones. So as much as we celebrate the achievements of our graduands today, we will also like to honour the families and loved ones who have made these achievements possible. To all of you sitting in the stands today – thank you for your unwavering support. Your sacrifices, understanding and encouragement have been pivotal to the successes of the graduands. Thank you for standing by in the toughest of times, so that they can focus on their training and duties!

CONCLUSION

Graduands, congratulations once again on completing the Specialist Cadet Course. Your presence today is a testament to your resilience and unwavering commitment. As you step into positions of leadership, bring with you the lessons that you have learned here, and continue to lead with integrity, purpose and honour. Your leadership journey has just begun, and I have no doubt that you will make our nation proud.

With Pride We Lead!

Thank you.