SINGAPORE : The judge in the commando trial heard on Monday that
under commando school training guidelines, 2nd Sergeant Hu En Huai
and Captain Ho Wan Hou were technically not fit enough to attend
the Combat Survival Training course.
Sergeant Hu died during the water treatment phase, while Captain Ho
nearly drowned.
Lieutenant Colonel Ho Kok Look from the School of Military
Intelligence told the court it was compulsory for soldiers like
Captain Ho, a scout commander, and Sergeant Hu, a sniper, to attend
the Combat Survival Course.
But according to the training plan at the School of Commandos, only
soldiers who are PES A, which means their physical fitness is in
the top band, are allowed to undergo the course.
Both Captain Ho and Sergeant Hu are medically classified as PES
B.
Major Mohamed Rosman from the SAF's Medical Corps said this
discrepency was not highlighted to the Army's training
branch.
He also clarified that there is very little distinction between PES
A and B. The army treats both classification similarly. Soldiers
with PES B status can undergo combat training and can be deployed
to almost all vocations. - CNA