I read a circular from MINDEF before, encouraging all officers
from MAJ rank and above to prefix their ranks on business cards,
etc.
But I think for GLC is abit more sensitive, they may want to
draw a line and not sound like its the govt. running the
organisation....so may not want military ranks everywhere.
Anyway, the ministers removed their ranks, cause they reached
50, not because they're ashamed of it.
I've seen insurance pple with MAJ (NS) , etc. It is still
encouraged. Just like many Chartered Industries and ST pple are LTC
(NS) and so on.....its just like Ph.D. mah...
In countries with a long history of military traditions, whether
one reaches 50 years of age or not, the military rank is proudly
announced with one's name until one holds a higher appointment.
General Collin Powell dropped his military title when he assumed
the office of Secretary of State - which is a Ministerial
appointment.
In the USA, UK, most European countries and even in some
Asian countries with military traditions - most retired senior
military officers will continue to use their rank with a suffix
(Ret) to indicate their current status.
In Singapore, the military rank was used to give a shine to PM
LHL when he entered politics with no other shining credentials
other than his status as a nerd from Cambridge; while the other
BG's that joined the Cabinet was similarly given the same
cordiality.
Since the SAF have been used as a testbed for
identifying leadership talents for PAP politics, the
biting point remains perplexing is the fact that officers
above the rank of Brigadier General have never been called into
PAP Politics.
What does this say about the Lieutenant Generals and Major
Generals in the SAF ?
Are these senior officers less capable than the Brigadier
Generals ?
