Officers: Scholar vs Farmer

last SG · 2008-10-22T23:59:57+00:00

It's always amusing to see such issues coming out to the fore. What's more amusing is that there are people who actually buy into the argument that being a s...

iamFunkydude SG

hey people. jus wondering if any1 of you have heard of any generals who are not SAFOS or MERIT scholars. thx.

shinkansen SG

I don't think so. Most of the generals were high flyer.

Rednano SG

Farmers vs. Scholars

As with many militaries, there exists numerous rivalries such as officer/non-officer, combat/logistics divides, Army/Navy/Air Force. Fortunately, because the members of the SAF are thoroughly integrated into society at large, there are no major military/civilian issues.

Apart from such minor divisions, a more important dichotomy is observed between officers who are polytechnic or local university graduates (Farmers), and former scholarship holders who studied overseas (Scholars). This phenomenon exists because of fast-tracked careers, quick promotions, a dual-track career in the Civil Service after mandatory retirement offered as enticement for young men to take up SAF scholarships. While this state of affairs has existed since the Singapore government started giving out scholarships, the issue was mentioned in Parliament for the first time in a speech decrying the class-consciousness and social stratification resulting from the existing policies^{from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Armed_Forces_ranks}

Gloater SG

hey people. jus wondering if any1 of you have heard of any generals who are not SAFOS or MERIT scholars. thx.

SMS is not even comparable to SAFOS.

Comparing all scholarships including those not from SAF, the SMS is not even comparable to the league of OMS. And OMS is not even comparable to the league of SAFOS. Errrm which makes SMS way way off from SAFOS. Just ask the government or literally anyone from RJC or HCJC.

For starters, SAFOS and OMS are top PSC scholarships. SMS is a nothing.

The President's Scholarship is given only to SAFOS (or SPFOS) and OMS scholars..

Gloater SG

Another important/interesting point to note is that besides being 2nd tier, SMS is a wholly SAF scholarship.

SAFOS is a top PSC scholarship. PSC itself announces that SAFOS is the best scholarship after the President's Scholarship. that SAFOS is PSC scholarship administered for SAF makes SAFOS scholars equal parts PSC, equal part SAF, a lot of exposure at ministries and Admin Service.

SMS do not have this privilege or exposure.

flash9933 SG

hey people. jus wondering if any1 of you have heard of any generals who are not SAFOS or MERIT scholars. thx.

Not sure how true is this (dun quote me) ... when I was still serving NSF, came across from someone that BG (Rtd) Patrick Choy from the Armour formation has only "O" levels ... he is now an EVP at ST Kinetics...

Obersturmfuhrer SG

LG (Ret) Winston Choo was also not a scholar I believe.

Obersturmfuhrer SG

Double post

tarutaru SG

LG (Ret) Winston Choo was also not a scholar I believe.

Nope he's not......but he's a unique case....but I believe in the later stage he got degree from some uni overseas

Gloater SG

What rank did he retire as, is the pertinent question. if i retire as a LTC at 45, by 55 I'd be a BG (RETIRED). There are actually truckloads of people with a BG (Retired) rank as their reservist rank. This person is not alone.

Gloater SG

LG (Ret) Winston Choo was also not a scholar I believe.

Yes this is correct. Winston Choo was the first LG of SAF. When he became CDF, the SAFOS has not started yet.

Since Lim Neo Chian, there has not been a non scholar (ie SAFOS) COA. Lim Neo Chian belongs to the 2nd most pioneer batch (1972) Lee Hsien Loong is the 1st batch (1971)but he did not make COA.

Gloater SG

I wonder have you all heard from middle management in the SAF about Winston Choo? I heard from many many people in SAF that he was extremely hated and had a very bad temperament. It was also why SAF didn't bother about him after he left. He went to Red Cross and took up a token non-executive appointment.

Sakuragi86 SG

gloater,just wondering howcome you know so much top managment news.

you regular?

Gloater SG

gloater,just wondering howcome you know so much top managment news.

you regular?

i'm civilian with regular friends.

Nokia-lover SG

wad are the chances that SAFO or even SMS holders are even from poly??

sad case for those in poly. even LSA also hard to get

skythewood SG

i'm civilian with regular friends.

regular friend?

what about irregular friend?

Gloater SG

wad are the chances that SAFO or even SMS holders are even from poly??

sad case for those in poly. even LSA also hard to get

SAFOS has never had from poly before in history so should be 0% unless precedence is broken.

SMS got from poly, not that unusual.

Not true. Quite a lot of poly students get ATA and LSA awards. SMS have as well.

SAFOS cannot lah.. very very hard even for top JC students. SAFOS recipients are guys who must already have an OMS offer in the bag. I'm sure some of you frm RJ or HC know this. they're basically OMS calibre people + military top up

Nokia-lover SG

ya this one i realise.

all SAFO is from JC. govt. hav the mindset that poly student are not that smart.

but i know SMS & LSA gt afew from poly ones. but also have from top JC.

hahahahah.

Rednano SG

ya this one i realise.

all SAFO is from JC. govt. hav the mindset that poly student are not that smart.

but i know SMS & LSA gt afew from poly ones. but also have from top JC.

hahahahah.

thats y the topic... farmer versus scholar... (dark horse versus white horse)...

Nokia-lover SG

we are farmers :((