5 days ago
Commandos are Best Combat Unit for the 39th time
(From left) LTA Seah Zhang Qi; 2SG T Naveen, commando leader; LTC Kok Yi Long, commanding officer; and CFC Akmal Danial Rashiddin Abdul Latif, a commando fighter, from the 1st Commando Battalion, pictured on June 24. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Commandos are Best Combat Unit for the 39th time
SINGAPORE – The 1st Commando Battalion is the Best Combat Unit in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) again, and it has no intention of slowing down.
In a statement from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on June 28 announcing the win, the unit's commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kok Yi Long, said: 'The standard is high, and that is exactly where we intend to keep it.'
Winning 22 times in a row did not happen by chance, he said.
He said: 'It happened because every commando believed in the mission, pushed beyond limits in a calculated manner, and refused to settle for less.
'It is about a culture built over time, sustained by teamwork, discipline, and an unyielding commitment to excellence.'
The unit does not strive for awards but to be better and ready to defend Singapore, he added.
The special forces unit, which wears the distinctive red berets, is trained for various missions including airborne operations, reconnaissance and raids.
In all, this is their 39th win since the competition was introduced in 1969.
On July 1, the SAF will honour its best units with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Defence Minister Mr Chan Chun Sing presenting the awards to the winners at the SAF Day Parade at the SAFTI Military Institute.
A total of 18 active units and 12 National Service (NS) units across the SAF are being recognised for their achievements.
Awards include Best Combat Support Unit – won by the 17th Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Battalion, and the Best Air Engineering Unit, won by 811 Squadron .
Some NS units that will be honoured include the 114th Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Battalion which is the Best NS C4I Unit and 489th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, the Best NS Armour Unit.
This year's Best Fighter Squadron is 142 Squadron, for the second consecutive time.
It is the unit's fourth win since it was founded in 1974.
The squadron conducts a wide spectrum of missions and notably, was the one that responded to a bomb threat on Air India Express flight AXB684 in October 2024, said Mindef.
Then, two F-15SG fighter jets intercepted and escorted the flight to a safe landing at Changi Airport . No bomb was found on board.
The squadron's commanding officer, Major Muhammad Iskandar, said the win was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and team spirit of each of its members.
He said: 'Celebrating our win on SG60, a significant milestone in our journey as a nation, makes the award even more meaningful for us.
'142 Squadron stands ready to face an increasingly unpredictable world, staying committed to excellence, anchored in purpose, and taking full ownership of our mission to defend Singapore.'
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