National Cadet Corps (Singapore)

Last updated

National Cadet Corps
Pasukan Kor Kadet Kebangsaan (Malay)
全国学生军团 Quán Guó Xué Shēng Jūn Tuán (Chinese)
தேசிய மாணவர் படை Tēciya Māṇavar Paṭai (Tamil)
Logo of National Cadet Corps (Singapore).png
Crest of the National Cadet Corps
Active1901
CountryFlag of Singapore.svg  Singapore
Branch
  • NCC (Land)
  • NCC (Air)
  • NCC (Sea)
HeadquarterAmoy Quee Camp [1]
Nickname(s)NCC
Motto(s)To Serve with Pride and Dedication
Commanders
Commandant NCCLTC Ong Siong Beng
Regimental Sergeant Major1WO Susan Lee
Head TrainingMAJ (NCC) Suppiah Veerasingam
Head AdministrationMAJ (NCC) Chiang Kip Tuck
Head LogisticsEunice Tay
Head Partnership & EngagementSharon Kwok
District Commanders
  • CPT (NCC) Aqilah Binte Juma’in (CENTRAL)
  • MAJ (NCC) Ivan Lee Thim Soon (EAST)
  • CPT (NCC) Chong Zi Yi (WEST)
  • ME6 (NCC) Wang Choon Kiat (SEA)
  • MAJ (NCC) Robin Tham (AIR)

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is a military cadet corps youth organisation supported by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.

Contents

As of 2020, it had a total strength of more than 11,000 members, consisting of officers, cadet officers, and cadets, amongst others. The Corps is represented in 125 secondary schools with a total of 146 units – 108 Land units, 20 Air units and 18 Sea units.

It is one of the country's oldest youth organisations, formed in 1901.

History

The NCC traces its origins to the Cadet Corps of the Raffles Institution, the first Singaporean military cadet schools organization established in 1901 during its days as a British colony. Originally affiliated to British Armed Forces units stationed in the island and later on the Malaysian Armed Forces, the current tri-service character of the Corps dates from 1969, when the NCC was formalized as the country's sole military cadet organization when the then separate cadet forces affiliated to the young SAF were merged into one singular national organization.

On May 30, 2001, the NCC HQ was opened at Amoy Quee Camp in an effort to move Headquarters NCC and its Land District Headquarters from Haig Road, Springleaf and Jalan Teck Whye Camps as part of the Corps Centennial. [2]

In 2021, the NCC celebrated its 120th anniversary. [3]

Activities

Training Days

Every unit conducts training at least once a week. Training days begin by the calling in of all cadets into their respective platoon by either the Unit Sergeant Major or Assistant Sergeant Major. Upon falling in, the Platoon Commander or Platoon Sergeants will conduct attendance taking. After all platoons have completed both attendance taking, a typical training day includes drills and physical training.

Technical Handling

All cadets have to go through Technical Handling (Trainfire) lessons as part of the NCC Basic Trainfire Package in order to learn the proper procedures of handling the SAR 21. Lessons are conducted by SAF soldiers and NCC cadet officers. The Basic Trainfire Package includes stripping and assembly, marksmanship fundamentals, stoppages and remedies, and weapon reloading.

A Cadet Officer teaching cadets about Technical Handling. NCC Trainfire.jpg
A Cadet Officer teaching cadets about Technical Handling.

Cadets have the opportunity of firing a SAR 21 rifle on firing ranges. Cadets first train on a computerised simulation before progressing on to shoot at live firing ranges.

Cadets and the three services marching in the 67th Cadet Officers Course Parade. COC Parade.jpg
Cadets and the three services marching in the 67th Cadet Officers Course Parade.

Drills

All NCC units practice drills.

Teacher Officer Course

The Teacher Officer Course is a 2-week course, designed for newly appointed NCC teachers-in-charge. The course provides the teachers with an understanding of the NCC curriculum and training sessions. Upon graduation, the teachers will graduate as NCC Second Lieutenants, or a higher rank depending on their military rank, and are thereafter appointed as teacher officers.

Unit

Every NCC Unit has four platoons: junior cadet, senior cadet, cadet leader and senior cadet leader.

Every cadet that joins NCC is placed in the junior cadet platoon. Junior cadets have no rank when first joining, only receiving their first rank, Lance Corporal, after completing the Junior Cadet Proficiency Test. When a cadet reaches Secondary 2, they join the senior cadet platoon. Senior Cadets are able to attain the rank of Corporal by completing the Senior Cadet Proficiency Test which. In Secondary 3, cadets join the cadet leader platoon, and may attain the rank of Third Sergeant by completing the Specialist Assessment. Four cadets from each unit are selected each year to attend the Senior Specialist Leadership Course, being promoted to the rank of First Sergeant upon course completion. In Secondary 4, cadets join the senior cadet leader platoon.

One cadet from each NCC unit is selected each year to become a Cadet Officer, with the rank of Unit Sergeant Major, Assistant Sergeant Major or Staff Sergeant. Cadet officers are addressed by cadets as "Sir" or "Ma'am".

Adventure Training

Cadets taking part in a Rappelling training. NCC Rappelling .jpg
Cadets taking part in a Rappelling training.

Cadets have opportunities to attend adventure courses locally and overseas. NCC cadets are also able to attend courses such as the Basic Diving Course conducted by the RSN Naval Diving Unit, as well as the Basic Airborne Course conducted by the Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation

International Cadet Exchange Programmes

Every year selected cadets are given the opportunity to participate in various international exchanges with cadets from countries such as Australia, Brunei, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Hong Kong, India and China.

The Singapore National Cadet Corps Command Band

The Singapore NCC Command Band is the musical unit of the National Cadet Corps. Serving the Corps since 1999, the Command Band's mission is to provide musical support for HQ NCC's military occasions such as the Teacher Officer Course Graduation Parade, Cadet Officer Course Graduation Parade, and Affirmation Ceremonies.

In addition to serving HQ NCC, the Command Band has also provided musical support for the Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Civil Defence Force. Other military-related ceremonies which the Command Band is also involved in would include the Remembrance Day and War Memorial Services organised by the SAF Veterans League and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Since 2010, the Singapore NCC Command Band has been part of the Combined Band, providing the parade music for the Parade and Ceremony Segment of the National Day Parade.

The Director of Music is MAJ (NCC) Anthony Chew.

People

Commandants

Regimental Sergeant Major

Director of Music

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-commissioned officer</span> Type of military officer

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Military Academy Sandhurst</span> British Army officer initial training centre

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of Sandhurst, Berkshire, though its ceremonial entrance is in Camberley, Surrey, southwest of London. The academy's stated aim is to be "the national centre of excellence for leadership". All British Army officers, including late-entry officers who were previously Warrant Officers, as well as other men and women from overseas, are trained at the academy. Sandhurst is the British Army equivalent of the Britannia Royal Naval College and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.

Sergeant is a rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, serjeant, is used in The Rifles and other units that draw their heritage from the British light infantry. Its origin is the Latin serviens, 'one who serves', through the Old French term serjant.

Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corresponds to commanding a section or squad of soldiers.

Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.

A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.

Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal.

Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air Squadron; however, these are not trainee officers with many not choosing a career in the armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets</span> Military unit

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) is the military component of the student body at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Cadets live together in residence halls, attend morning formation, wear a distinctive uniform, and receive an intensive military and leadership educational experience similar to that available at the United States service academies. The Corps of Cadets has existed from the founding of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872 to the present-day institution of Virginia Tech, which is designated a senior military college by federal law. As of August 2021, about 1,200 cadets are currently enrolled in the program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cadet Corps (India)</span> Military youth organization

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces with its headquarters in New Delhi, India. It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis as a Tri-Services Organisation, comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Cadets are given basic military training in small arms and drill. Officers and cadets have no liability for active military service once they complete their course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAF Military Police Command</span> Military police of Singapore

The SAF Military Police Command is the military police formation of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Established as the Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit (SAFPU) in 1966, its primary role is to police duties to uphold standards of discipline within the SAF, and to provide security coverage for key SAF military installations and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) headquarters at Bukit Gombak.

The Specialist Cadet School (SCS) is the military training centre for the Singapore Armed Forces' specialists, the equivalent of non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in other countries' armed forces. Made up of twelve companies divided into three schools, it is located in Pasir Laba Camp in the Western Water Catchment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Armed Forces Band</span> Military band from Singapore

The Singapore Armed Forces Band form the musical arm of the Singapore Armed Forces. Consisting of the SAF Central Band and the SAF Ceremonial Band, the SAF Band provides musical support for key events such as the National Day Parade, SAF Day Parade, Passing Out Parades, Change of Command Parades and other military duties. Other than discharging ceremonial duties, the SAF Band also presents public concerts that aim to bring a wide range of music to the populace. They also seek to build up the band's music repertoire into an extensive array of styles and variety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Officer Cadet School (Singapore)</span> Military training centre for officers in Singapore

The Officer Cadet School (OCS) is a military training centre that trains commissioned officers for the four branches of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF): the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Digital and Intelligence Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Cadet Corps</span> Paramilitary youth organization in California, US

The California Cadet Corps (CACC), originally called the California High School Cadets, is a component of the California Youth and Community Programs Task, Task Force Torch. The California Cadet Corps is a paramilitary youth organization in California open to students in the college, high school, middle school and elementary school grades.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has five rank schemes for active and reservist personnel, with a sixth for the auxiliaries of the SAF Volunteer Corps. The SAF has a unique rank structure as an integrated force, ranks are the same in the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).

In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), specialists are the group of ranks equivalent to non-commissioned officers in other armed forces. The term was introduced in 1993, for a more "positive" rank classification and shorter waiting time for Warrant Officers and Specialists (WOSPEC) career rank advancements. In the SAF, warrant officers are not considered specialists.

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is a youth organisation in Sri Lanka, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Navy and Air Force sections. The corp is open for secondary school students on voluntary basis and its officers are government teachers and educational administrators, who serve as instructors. The Cadets are given basic military training in small arms and parades, as well as leadership training.

The SAF Scholarship, formerly known as the SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS), is a scholarship conferred by the Public Service Commission (PSC). The scholarship is second in prestige to the President's Scholarship.

The Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute (SWI) is the military training centre for warrant officers, specialists and military experts of the Singapore Armed Forces. Located at Pasir Laba Camp in the Western Water Catchment, it is made up of five schools: the SAFWOS Leadership School (SAFWOS), the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS), and three Specialist Cadet Schools.

References

  1. "Refreshed Total Defence Badge Programme for Uniformed Groups as Part of Total Defence Day 2022".
  2. https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/MINDEF_20010530381.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  3. "NCC Celebrates 120th Anniversary".