Just came across your channel and videos, and wow this is going to bring back some old memories. I was drafted into the Singapore Armed Forces in 1985, and served as an Infantry Officer after recruit training and OCS, so I'll bring some perspective on what's changed in the SAF since then, as well as differences I can spot between the SAF and US military having lived in the US for most of my life. The OCS training seen in these videos represent the third iteration of formalized officer training in the SAF. The original course was called the Standard Military Course (SMC) which ran from 1974 to 1980. The second iteration was the Infantry Officer Cadet Course (IOCC). I think at that time, almost all officers-to-be in SAF got an infantry training junior term (3 months) before going off to their respective branch schools for their 6 month senior term. Infantry cadets (the bulk of each batch of cadet class) remained in OCS for their senior term. Women (all of them were career military since Singapore does not draft females) got their own Women's Officer Cadet Course (WOCC). In 1990, with an emphasis on combined arms doctrine, the training was revamped into the current-day trimester, tri-service Officer Cadet Course (OCC). Because men are conscripted normally at 18, there is no other route to commissioning (like ROTC, or a service academy) other than OCS. While in OCS, their rank is Officer Cadet Trainee (OCT), and addressed as cadet. On their uniforms, the rank insignia is one to three full-length (of the epaulette), horizontal white bars, depending on which term the cadet is in. Incidentally, junior officers rank insignias in Singapore differ slightly from the US insignias. A Second Lieutenant (2LT) gets a single black bar; a Full Lieutenant (LTA, and not a 1st Lieutenant; also called a full-lef because Singapore often uses British pronunciation, so our lieutentants are leftenants) gets two black bars; Captains (CPT) get three black bars. There's no butter bars. 10:20 I think the Matador is a backronym to get a "cool" name out of it, and expands to Man-portable, Anti-Tank, Anti-Door. The "door" comes of the selectable stand-off distance for the explosive main charge to either detonate a short distance from the target in HEAT mode for anti-tank applications, or to explode in HESH mode against brick walls in order to create a "door". 11:00 The GPMG employed is an FN-MAG, kind of similar to a M-240; it's a crew-served weapon firing 7.62mm. For SAW, SAF uses the ST Kinetics' locally manufactured Ultimax-100 shooting 5.56mm rounds, which is puts it in the same class as the M-249. 12:25 Sub-caliber rounds are smaller sized ammunition with similar ballistics performance as the real-thing, making live-fire training a lot cheaper. So instead of firing off several dozen real Matadors, using a sub-caliber round lets you simulate shooting a Matador for the cost of a few dozen small-arms/rifle tracer rounds. 18:20 This is an outdoor baffled range. Because land area is so scarce in Singapore, the military can't devote too much downrange safety area for errant, overshot rounds to fall. As a result, overhead walls (baffles) are constructed to trap or catch the overheight shots. The baffles are what the white lane numbers are painted on. So I don't know why they are zeroing their weapons. When the SAR-21 first came out with its integrated 1.5x optical sight, it was advertised as being factory zeroed, and no range zeroing was necessary. 18:30 A colloquial SAF term: WOWO shooter. Someone who has missed all his shots is called a WOWO. I don't think anyone really knows what it stands for, but it is surmised to be wash-out, wash-out. Because so many men in Singapore have had to go through military training, many army terms have leaked out into the larger civilian community. "Own time, own target" is one of them. In civilian usage, it means to do something on your own schedule, at your leisure
The OCS training is roughly a 3-trimester... like pregnancy lol... the last phase will be specialisation... i used to support the cadets in one of their specialisations (final trimester)...
this is a conscript army. there is no heroism in getting injured while trying to do things you think you cannot do and end up worse after it. I have a son who would be going into the SAF in the future. I want him to be safe at the end of the day. Too many accidents, injuries and deaths have occured. I know this as part of my job during my service involved processing service injury claims. The Singaporean public gives scant respect to the people in uniform, unlike in America. Alot of conscripts are just there to clock their time and get out - just do the bare minimum and get out unscathed.
@@lightspeeder thank you so much for taking the time to provide your insight….and when it comes the American public, you are thinking of Vietnam. Much of the public did not support the military or Vietnam Veterans when they first came home decades ago. Since Desert Storm and 11 Sep, the American public has been SUPER supportive of its military. Many restaurants and stores give you military discounts. Strangers buy you a coffee or lunch and the airlines will bump up your seats to 1st class. People see your uniform (or hear you are a veteran) and they thank you for your service. Schools have Veterans Day celebrations and invite veterans and military members to speak and to be honored. Sports teams such as the professional baseball or football teams have Military Appreciation Nights. The US military has probably the Top 5 most supportive publics in the world. 🤗❤️
@@JustAnotherArmyVet Wow I didn't expect a reply from you for a video posted a year ago! It's sad really. People in Singapore will snap photos of servicemen in uniform taking a seat on public transport and post it on social media. It is almost expected that uniformed servicemen should stand for the entirety of their public transport journeys. I enjoyed watching your reaction series, keep it up!
Interesting. Are these career officers, or reserve ones? In Greece we have four types of officers: 1. Officers from the Officers Military Academy (like West Point), who are career officers starting as 2LTs, going all the way to becoming Generals (including the head of the joint chiefs of staff, the only four star general in Greece - Usually, but not necessarily, the position goes 2 times in Army Generals, 1 time in a Navy Admiral and one time in an Air Force General). 2. Officers from the NCO Military Academy, who are also career military personnel starting as SGTs and retiring as Lt. Cols (by seniority). 3. Officers from Enlisted Professional Soldiers, they start as privates and may reach the rank of Cpt (by seniority). 4. Reserve Officers (like me). These are conscripts who volunteer and are selected for Reserve Officer Training during their service time, that is six months longer than the other conscripts. Once the officer training is completed, they are named Officer Candidates and about three months before the end of their military service are named Reserve 2Lts. Usually every time they are recalled for military exercises or refresher training (not very often), they are promoted so the next time they will be recalled, they will have a higher rank. I took part in a military exercise during 1998, so if I am ever recalled (highly unlikely because of my age and the fact that I got openly involved in Greek politics after 2000) I will be a 1Lt. My current mobilization instructions are to a mobilization center, for assignment where needed, usual for reservists over 45. Before this, I had instructions on where to report, within 12 hours, upon receiving my mobilization codes and how I was going to be transported to my assigned unit.
These officers could be career officers or conscript officers. Both go through the officer cadet school route. Singapore doesn't have a military academy, although we do send our officers to USMA/USNA/USAFA etc from time to time.
Just came across your channel and videos, and wow this is going to bring back some old memories.
I was drafted into the Singapore Armed Forces in 1985, and served as an Infantry Officer after recruit training and OCS, so I'll bring some perspective on what's changed in the SAF since then, as well as differences I can spot between the SAF and US military having lived in the US for most of my life.
The OCS training seen in these videos represent the third iteration of formalized officer training in the SAF. The original course was called the Standard Military Course (SMC) which ran from 1974 to 1980. The second iteration was the Infantry Officer Cadet Course (IOCC). I think at that time, almost all officers-to-be in SAF got an infantry training junior term (3 months) before going off to their respective branch schools for their 6 month senior term. Infantry cadets (the bulk of each batch of cadet class) remained in OCS for their senior term. Women (all of them were career military since Singapore does not draft females) got their own Women's Officer Cadet Course (WOCC). In 1990, with an emphasis on combined arms doctrine, the training was revamped into the current-day trimester, tri-service Officer Cadet Course (OCC).
Because men are conscripted normally at 18, there is no other route to commissioning (like ROTC, or a service academy) other than OCS. While in OCS, their rank is Officer Cadet Trainee (OCT), and addressed as cadet. On their uniforms, the rank insignia is one to three full-length (of the epaulette), horizontal white bars, depending on which term the cadet is in. Incidentally, junior officers rank insignias in Singapore differ slightly from the US insignias. A Second Lieutenant (2LT) gets a single black bar; a Full Lieutenant (LTA, and not a 1st Lieutenant; also called a full-lef because Singapore often uses British pronunciation, so our lieutentants are leftenants) gets two black bars; Captains (CPT) get three black bars. There's no butter bars.
10:20 I think the Matador is a backronym to get a "cool" name out of it, and expands to Man-portable, Anti-Tank, Anti-Door. The "door" comes of the selectable stand-off distance for the explosive main charge to either detonate a short distance from the target in HEAT mode for anti-tank applications, or to explode in HESH mode against brick walls in order to create a "door".
11:00 The GPMG employed is an FN-MAG, kind of similar to a M-240; it's a crew-served weapon firing 7.62mm. For SAW, SAF uses the ST Kinetics' locally manufactured Ultimax-100 shooting 5.56mm rounds, which is puts it in the same class as the M-249.
12:25 Sub-caliber rounds are smaller sized ammunition with similar ballistics performance as the real-thing, making live-fire training a lot cheaper. So instead of firing off several dozen real Matadors, using a sub-caliber round lets you simulate shooting a Matador for the cost of a few dozen small-arms/rifle tracer rounds.
18:20 This is an outdoor baffled range. Because land area is so scarce in Singapore, the military can't devote too much downrange safety area for errant, overshot rounds to fall. As a result, overhead walls (baffles) are constructed to trap or catch the overheight shots. The baffles are what the white lane numbers are painted on.
So I don't know why they are zeroing their weapons. When the SAR-21 first came out with its integrated 1.5x optical sight, it was advertised as being factory zeroed, and no range zeroing was necessary.
18:30 A colloquial SAF term: WOWO shooter. Someone who has missed all his shots is called a WOWO. I don't think anyone really knows what it stands for, but it is surmised to be wash-out, wash-out.
Because so many men in Singapore have had to go through military training, many army terms have leaked out into the larger civilian community. "Own time, own target" is one of them. In civilian usage, it means to do something on your own schedule, at your leisure
Thank you for taking the time to answer all of my questions and to provide all valuable insight. I really do appreciate that. Happy holidays!! 🙂
Thanks for covering Singapore Army again. Much appreciated
My pleasure! I always enjoy the videos about Singapore 🙂
Thanks for covering the Singapore Army again :)
You are welcome! I always love these series 😀. Thanks for watching!
the GPMG is the FnMag, similar to the M240
Ah great! Thank you!!! 👍
The OCS training is roughly a 3-trimester... like pregnancy lol... the last phase will be specialisation... i used to support the cadets in one of their specialisations (final trimester)...
Which specialization?
@@JustAnotherArmyVet Them red legs lol
@@mrtransmogrify artillery?
@@JustAnotherArmyVet ... that's right 🙂
@@mrtransmogrify the only reason why I know that is because Fort Sill was my first duty station and that’s at home of the US Army FA 🙂
very interesting video for me My Dear Female American Friend and Soldier.🥰😍🤗❤🤍💙🙏💪👍🎉🎊
Thanks for the support my friend 💙🙏❤️
19:20 ... Down 2, left 2
😀
this is a conscript army. there is no heroism in getting injured while trying to do things you think you cannot do and end up worse after it.
I have a son who would be going into the SAF in the future. I want him to be safe at the end of the day. Too many accidents, injuries and deaths have occured. I know this as part of my job during my service involved processing service injury claims.
The Singaporean public gives scant respect to the people in uniform, unlike in America. Alot of conscripts are just there to clock their time and get out - just do the bare minimum and get out unscathed.
@@lightspeeder thank you so much for taking the time to provide your insight….and when it comes the American public, you are thinking of Vietnam. Much of the public did not support the military or Vietnam Veterans when they first came home decades ago.
Since Desert Storm and 11 Sep, the American public has been SUPER supportive of its military. Many restaurants and stores give you military discounts. Strangers buy you a coffee or lunch and the airlines will bump up your seats to 1st class.
People see your uniform (or hear you are a veteran) and they thank you for your service. Schools have Veterans Day celebrations and invite veterans and military members to speak and to be honored. Sports teams such as the professional baseball or football teams have Military Appreciation Nights. The US military has probably the Top 5 most supportive publics in the world. 🤗❤️
@@JustAnotherArmyVet Wow I didn't expect a reply from you for a video posted a year ago!
It's sad really. People in Singapore will snap photos of servicemen in uniform taking a seat on public transport and post it on social media.
It is almost expected that uniformed servicemen should stand for the entirety of their public transport journeys.
I enjoyed watching your reaction series, keep it up!
@@lightspeeder you are so sweet! Thanks 🤗. (And please fee free to recommend content and video ideas )
Interesting.
Are these career officers, or reserve ones?
In Greece we have four types of officers:
1. Officers from the Officers Military Academy (like West Point), who are career officers starting as 2LTs, going all the way to becoming Generals (including the head of the joint chiefs of staff, the only four star general in Greece - Usually, but not necessarily, the position goes 2 times in Army Generals, 1 time in a Navy Admiral and one time in an Air Force General).
2. Officers from the NCO Military Academy, who are also career military personnel starting as SGTs and retiring as Lt. Cols (by seniority).
3. Officers from Enlisted Professional Soldiers, they start as privates and may reach the rank of Cpt (by seniority).
4. Reserve Officers (like me).
These are conscripts who volunteer and are selected for Reserve Officer Training during their service time, that is six months longer than the other conscripts.
Once the officer training is completed, they are named Officer Candidates and about three months before the end of their military service are named Reserve 2Lts.
Usually every time they are recalled for military exercises or refresher training (not very often), they are promoted so the next time they will be recalled, they will have a higher rank.
I took part in a military exercise during 1998, so if I am ever recalled (highly unlikely because of my age and the fact that I got openly involved in Greek politics after 2000) I will be a 1Lt.
My current mobilization instructions are to a mobilization center, for assignment where needed, usual for reservists over 45.
Before this, I had instructions on where to report, within 12 hours, upon receiving my mobilization codes and how I was going to be transported to my assigned unit.
I’m pretty sure that these are conscripts, but I’m not entirely sure… 🤔
At what age will you stop being eligible for mobilization or recall?
These officers could be career officers or conscript officers. Both go through the officer cadet school route.
Singapore doesn't have a military academy, although we do send our officers to USMA/USNA/USAFA etc from time to time.
@@JustAnotherArmyVetIn Singapore, reservist obligations cease at age 50 for officers and age 40 for other ranks.
@@sagi271190 50? Why so much longer than the other ranks?