Guardsmen are proud of their esprit de corps and fighting
capabilities. Adopting the motto "Ready to Strike", they operate on
the principles of lightning fast speed to capture objectives or
intercept enemy incursions into Singapore.
To understand the Guards Specialist vocation better, Army News
spoke to SSG Ow Boon Hong who is currently an Operations Warrant
Officer in 7 Singapore Infantry Brigade.
What is the job scope of a Guards
Specialist?
Basically a Guards Specialist handles operations in three
dimensions namely in air, land and sea. For example, we
heli-rappel, patrol on Light Strike Vehicles and conduct coastal
operations.
What training does a Guards Specialist
undergo?
All Guards Specialists undergo a five-week Guards Conversion Course
(GCC). Besides the intense physical training including a coastal
swim test, a Guards Specialist will learn skills specific to the
Guards formation in the course. Some of these skills include
weapons proficiency, heli-rappelling and jungle survival.
Guards form the frontline troops. What mental preparation
is needed to assume this role?
I think the important thing is the attitude that our Guardsmen
have. We know that we are prepared and that we will be able to
deliver results. This gives us the confidence to carry out our
operations.
And the Guards training is conducted in small groups; this builds
up the cohesiveness between the Guardsmen. This is how we become a
closely knitted family where the commanders and the men share a
quality relationship. There is mutual respect and everyone supports
one another.
What makes a good Guards Specialist?
We like to use the word Guards as an acronym for the values that
a Guardsman is known for. The values are Gungho, United,
Always ready, Respected, Determined and Strong. These are
the qualities that make a good Guards Specialist.
Guardsmen proudly wear their Guards Tab on their shoulders. What
makes a Guards Specialist proud? When our Guardsmen graduate from
the GCC, there is this huge sense of accomplishment. We know that
we have gone through rigorous training and we know that we are now
part of the elite. So when we put on our distinctive khaki beret
and the Guards tab, we feel a certain pride.
You have been in Guards for close to 20 years. How is
Guards changing from here?
Guards are moving towards Empowerment To Specialists with Warrant
Officers and Specialists taking on more roles. Like, during certain
activities, the Company Sergeant Majors can be the Conducting
Officers. This is part of the Warrant Officers, Specialists and
Enlistees (WOSES) Training Roadmap that is internal to
Guards.
