Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen presented the Overseas Service Medal to 66 SAF personnel for their exceptional contributions to humanitarian aid, maritime security, and counter-terrorism operations.
This morning, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen presented the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Overseas Service Medal (OSM) to 66 SAF personnel at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence. The medals were awarded in recognition of their significant contributions to humanitarian assistance in Gaza, maritime security operations in the Red Sea, and counter-terrorism efforts in the Middle East.
During the ceremony, Dr Ng praised the recipients for their professionalism and dedication, emphasizing that their service had brought pride to the SAF and Singapore. He highlighted the complexity and urgency of the humanitarian aid mission in Gaza and commended the SAF’s operational readiness and capabilities in executing the mission successfully. He also acknowledged the strong support from ST Engineering’s Defence Aerospace. “You have done us proud with your sterling efforts and accomplishments and also alleviated the suffering of affected communities in Gaza on behalf of Singapore. Through this mission, we demonstrated that the SAF can respond quickly and effectively to contingencies,” Dr Ng said.
Recipients of the OSM included personnel involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian, part of the multinational efforts to keep the Red Sea safe for maritime trade. These SAF personnel supported information sharing and operations planning under the Combined Maritime Forces and Combined Task Force 153, which includes over 20 participating nations. Dr Ng emphasized Singapore’s reliance on the global maritime system for its survival and security, thanking the servicemen and women for demonstrating Singapore’s commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in key sea lines of communication.
The medals were also awarded to personnel supporting counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East. Dr Ng stressed that the SAF will continue to prioritize the threat of terrorism, which remains a significant concern both in Singapore and globally.
The ceremony was attended by Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, Chief of Army Major-General David Neo, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Sean Wat, Chief of Digital and Intelligence Service Major-General Lee Yi-Jin, Chief of Air Force Brigadier-General Kelvin Fan, senior SAF officers, and family members of the OSM recipients.
Source – MINDEF
