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Few days before a battalion mission exercise three years ago, Major (MAJ) Dylan Lee faced a challenge that would test his command.
Months of training had accounted for every variable, every contingency. But no amount of planning could have prepared him for losing a fifth of his company because of Covid-related complications at that time.
Seeing how disheartened his soldiers were, the then-officer commanding of the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards knew he had to rally his full-time national servicemen (NSFs), steady their morale and lead them forward.
Standing in the parade square, he said to them: “This is the one opportunity we have to prove that we are just as competent and committed as a professional army.
“It’s whether we are willing to rise up to the challenge, and to ask ourselves whether the two years of sacrifice we have put in are really worthwhile or not.”
Against all odds, his men rose to the occasion, executed their mission well and performed above expectations during the 26th edition of Exercise Semangat Bersatu (XSB). XSB is an annual bilateral exercise between the Singapore Army and the Malaysian Army.
This exercise still serves as the 30-year-old’s most vivid reminder as to why he chose to take up The SAF Scholarship in the first place. It taught him that true leadership is not about having all the answers but about having the courage to step forward while helping others navigate their own moments of doubt.
“About half the country is conscripted, and national service (NS) is not an easy experience for everyone,” explains MAJ Lee.
“A good ground commander can make that time even more worthwhile, which might make a huge difference in an individual’s life.”
Among the NSFs he has met, there are “talented and good people who will rise to the challenge in ways that they don’t know they are capable of”, he says.
“Besides direct leadership in field operations, I also want to contribute to the SAF through broad-based policy design and plans.”
– Major Dylan Lee, recipient of The SAF Scholarship
This is true not just of NSFs, continues MAJ Lee, but also commanders and regulars alike, whose leadership capabilities are honed and put to the test.
SAF officers like MAJ Lee are given ample support they need to prepare them for their leadership positions, such as mentorship and overseas training trips.
While MAJ Lee enjoys having his boots on the ground and standing shoulder to shoulder with his men, he also looks forward to opportunities to carry out policy work in equal measure – the other key part of what attracted him to The SAF Scholarship.
Through the scholarship, he majored in history at University College London for his bachelor’s degree before completing a master of arts in war studies at King’s College London.
“Besides direct leadership in field operations, I also wanted to contribute towards the SAF through broad-based policy design and plans because this impacts our soldiers’ experience and what they can take away from NS,” he says.
SAF officers have the chance to rotate between unit and staff postings once every few years – a system that MAJ Lee appreciates.
“When you get your hands dirty on the ground and interact with people, you get to make a direct impact on their lives,” he notes. “However, just as importantly, being on the ground gives policymakers insights into what the pain points are at a more micro level.”
His deep understanding of training realities and direct feedback from his men proved invaluable when he worked across ministries studying mental health challenges among NSFs.
Working alongside representatives from education and social service sectors during his time with the National Service Policy Department, he helped translate front-line insights into long-term policies that would better support servicemen’s well-being.
“Beyond making a larger-scale impact through the design of sound and realistic plans and policies, it is the difference we make at an individual level that makes our men’s sacrifice more worthwhile,” says MAJ Lee.
| About MINDEF/SAF Scholarships The mission of MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is to enhance Singapore’s peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor. MINDEF/SAF continually seeks talent who are willing to take up the challenge of defending our nation. Taking up a MINDEF/SAF scholarship is a lifelong mission to contribute to the peace and security of Singapore. Answer the higher calling. Defend what matters. |
This article is brought to you by the Ministry of Defence.
