from
armynewsInteractive
A Promotion from Our
Past
At the heart of every military is its rank structure, a chain of
command that is crucial to ensure discipline, execution and
ultimately the effectiveness of the armed force. The rank structure
may also be a reflection of the armys size and sophistication,
evolving as the army transforms.
STARS OF THE PAST
In Our Army, there used to be just a few ranks. Section Commanders
at that time had a rank of Corporal, and attaining a Sergeant rank
conferred some seniority. Certain promotions could take as long as
ten years, making each promotion a long-awaited one.
Also very different in those days were the ranks worn by Officers
and Warrant Officers. Lieutenants and Captains had diamond stars on
the epaulettes, each embossed with a cross cut circle on which are
emblazoned a crescent and five stars. Majors had one crest, but
upon promotion, instead of gaining additional crests, they had
stars added to their ranks hence a Colonel would have one crest
and two stars. Generals would have different combinations of stars,
crests and a new symbol, a gold-crossed Chinese broadsword and kris
surrounded by a laurel wreath, to mark their rank.
Warrant Officers at that time wore their rank on their right wrist.
They also had a slightly different design for their rank, with
Class I Warrant officers having an additional laurel wreath
surrounding their crest.
1982: NEW UNIFORMS, NEW
BADGES
As the SAF introduced new uniforms for all three Services in 1982,
the ranks themselves were changed. Replacing the more embellished
diamonds and swords were simple bars for the Lieutenants and
Captains, and genuine stars for the Generals. It was then, also,
that female service personnel started wearing their miniature
anodised rank insignias on their collars.
1992: REVAMPING THE NCO
CORPS
In 1992, there was a revamp in the rank structure of the
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Corps. Where once the route of
advancement went from Sergeant, Staff Sergeant to Warrant Officer
Classes II and I, intermediate ranks were introduced and now there
were nine different ranks from 3rd Sergeant to Senior Warrant
Officer.
The reasons for this change was to acknowledge that NCOs formed the
backbone of the Army, and to take into account the higher
educational level of NCOs, which translated into greater job
responsibilities and higher pay. With more ranks, and with each
promotion meriting an increment, the new structure would give the
NCOs something to look forward to every three or four years,
instead of the eight to ten years previously. In the same year, a
school to run the Joint Warrant Officer Course (JWOC) was set up to
teach senior Specialists military-related subjects like military
history, military law, and computer skills. This was in recognition
of the new responsibilities of the NCO Corps in the army.
Furthermore, Warrant Officers would now display their ranks on the
epaulettes, as opposed to their sleeves.
Today we have clear routes of advancement for both the Officer and
Warrant Officer and Specialist Corps, and a simple progression in
badges of rank. Yet all the intermediate ranks have not dimmed the
significance of each promotion; each new rank comes with
responsibilities, respect, and a highly decorated past of days gone
by.
