The 27th SAF Senior Military Experts Appointment Ceremony, officiated by Zaqy Mohamad, marked the appointment of 193 personnel, highlighting the critical role of Military Experts in national defense.
Singapore – August 5, 2024: Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad presided over the 27th Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Senior Military Experts Appointment Ceremony at the Temasek Club this evening. In a landmark event, 193 service personnel were appointed as Senior Military Experts (MEs), making it the largest cohort since the Military Experts Scheme (MDES) was inaugurated in 2010. This group comprises 17 members from the Singapore Army, 31 from the Republic of Singapore Navy, 79 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force, and 66 from the Digital and Intelligence Service.
During his speech, Mr. Zaqy Mohamad underscored the vital role that MEs play in advancing the SAF’s capabilities to address emerging threats. He highlighted the need for expertise in critical military domains such as Cybersecurity, Digital, and Intelligence, citing recent global conflicts as a reminder of the importance of developing competencies in these areas. “Our military experts play pivotal roles in the development of new capabilities to overcome emerging threats,” he said. “Integrating advanced technologies into increasingly complex systems-of-systems requires deep expertise and engineering acumen.”
Mr. Zaqy further emphasized the necessity of innovation in enhancing SAF’s operations, stressing the importance of the MEs’ specialized knowledge and expertise. “The drive to innovate and push boundaries has always been a key enabler for the SAF to overcome our constraints and achieve our mission outcomes. To tackle the challenges ahead, we must continue to strengthen our expertise core and scale the spirit of innovation,” he stated.
The ceremony marked the completion of the Military Domain Experts Course, which prepares MEs for leadership roles requiring deep expertise in areas such as engineering, intelligence, military medicine, and cybersecurity. This rigorous program hones their leadership competencies, military domain knowledge, and specialized skills. The newly appointed Senior MEs will now advance to assume leadership or staff positions in their respective professional fields.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, senior SAF officers, and the families and friends of the graduates, who celebrated the achievements of the newly appointed experts.
Source – MINDEF
