20TH MINDEF PRIDE DAY AWARDS FACTSHEET

(A) MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AWARD (MDA)

2007 WINNER – AIR LOGISTICS SQUADRON - SEMBAWANG AIR BASE
(ALS-SBAB)

1. The Minister for Defence Award was introduced in 1992. This prestigious award provides recognition to units or organisations that have excelled in the MINDEF PRIDE movement.

2. Units and organisations are judged on their achievements and initiatives in productivity. In the selection criteria, emphasis is given to people development, teamwork, participation in making improvements, organisational excellence (OE), training, as well as the optimisation of resources, safety and welfare.

3. The Minister for Defence Award this year goes to Air Logistics Squadron of Sembawang Airbase (ALS-SBAB). The unit had won the award twice over the last three years.

4. After being the first SAF Unit to win both MDA and the MINDEF Excellence Award (MEA) in 2005, ALS-SBAB became the first Unit in RSAF to be certified by the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series last year.

5. ALS-SBAB is structured as a matrix organisation where its core values form the guiding framework for the squadron’s continuing journey towards organisational excellence. Five Value Offices were set up to oversee efforts towards each core value. Everyone in the squadron is “double-hatting”, which means that in addition to holding a primary operational appointment, personnel are also tasked to promote one or more of the values. ALS-SBAB’s success is attributable to the 3 ‘C’s which they firmly uphold and support:

Commitment: The first “C” is an investment in the future, which the squadron sealed by ensuring Total Commitment towards Organisational Excellence.

Clarity of Purpose: ALS-SBAB ensures that its Unit Values and Mission are clearly understood by all — by aligning the elements of Organisational Excellence to the Unit Values, so as to establish a common approach to secure Mission Success. Understanding the intent and requirements of work processes enables the staff to search for the best solution and hence create capacity and add value.

Communication: The unit engages the hearts and minds of its staff innovatively through a policy of “One Knows All Know”. This “One Knows All Know” policy is based on the belief in knowledge-sharing - that the entire squadron needs to have a common understanding of the situation in order to meet their shared objectives.

6. ALS-SBAB's foundation built on organisational excellence and an integrated approach has well positioned them for the challenges ahead in the 3rd Generation SAF.

(B) MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AWARD (MDA) – COMMENDATION (COMBAT)

2007 WINNERS – HQ 9^TH DIVISION / INFANTRY (ARMY),
121 SQUADRON – CHANGI AIR BASE (RSAF) AND 171 SQUADRON (NAVY)

7. This year marks the inaugural year for the Minister for Defence (MDA)- Commendation (Combat) award. The MDA – Commendation (Combat) Award was introduced this year to recognise and encourage combat units, with their high operations and training tempo, to be more involved in the MINDEF Productivity movement. The ultimate intent of the MINDEF Productivity movement is to translate these efforts into operational excellence for the combat units.

8. The selection criteria is based on performance in the Unit Suggestions Management System/Unit WITs Management System (USMS/UWMS), economy drive, OE efforts, welfare, staff training and safety efforts of the combat units involved in the past one year.

9. The three winners this year are Headquarters (HQ) 9^th Division / Infantry (Army), 121 Squadron-Changi Air Base (RSAF) and 171 Squadron (Navy).

HQ 9^th Division / Infantry

10. This is the first time HQ 9^th Division / Infantry (HQ 9 Div/Inf) has participated in the MDA category. For combat units, organisational excellence is even more crucial when the security and well being of the nation depends on it.

11. HQ 9 Div/Inf, a combined arms division headquarter responsible for the efficient generation and training of infantry units firmly believes in PRIDE as a way of life.

121 Squadron

12. Operating the Fokker 50 aircraft and being the only flying Squadron comprising both RSAF and RSN personnel, 121 Squadron covers a wide spectrum of operations round the clock. These include Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts such as Operations Flying Eagle in the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami in December 2004, regular patrols of Singapore’s Sea Lines of Communication as well as participation in the Malacca Straits “Eyes-in-the-Sky” Joint Air Patrol with Indonesia and Malaysia. The Squadron presently maintains an impressive safety record of over 124,000 accident-free flying hours, spanning a period of 34 years since her inception in 1973.

13. Though from different vocations, the synergies of the 121 Squadron family is evident to each and every member. The MDA Commendation (Combat) award comes as a pleasant surprise and will encourage everyone to further innovate and enhance their working environment.

171 Squadron (Navy)

14. 171 Squadron, is a submarine force that embraces the values of fighting spirit, integrity and teamwork. While it has a relatively short history, they have been actively participating in the PRIDE movement from their inception.

15. All in the squadron have a keen sense of shared responsibility and a strong work ethic that imbues a spirit of excellence in every person. The unit aims to constantly improve and streamline their work processes in order to create capacity and efficiency in their daily work.

(C) MINDEF EXCELLENCE AWARD (MEA)

2007 WINNERS – AIR LOGISTICS SQUADRON- PAYA LEBAR AIR BASE
(ALS-PLAB) AND CHANGI MAINTENANCE BASE (CMB)

16. The MINDEF Excellence Award (MEA), modeled after the Singapore Quality Class Award criteria, provides a comprehensive framework for MINDEF/SAF organisations to benchmark themselves against world-class standards of performance. The competition is based on organisation aspects such as leadership, strategy development, people management, innovative processes, customer satisfaction and producing results.

17. The MEA is awarded to the top MINDEF/SAF unit or organisation, which has excelled for the past year in various aspects of their management processes and organisational systems.

18. The two winners for the 2007 MEA are Air Logistics Squadron – Paya Lebar Air Base (ALS-PLAB) and Changi Maintenance Base (CMB).

Air Logistics Squadron – Paya Lebar Air Base (ALS-PLAB)

19. ALS-PLAB credits its success to three main factors: a strong leadership team to provide focus and emphasis on their shared vision and mission, strong internalisation of learning and innovative culture that is tightly coupled to their core business and most importantly, motivated people ready to contribute their best.

Changi Maintenance Base (CMB)

20. CMB has been participating in the MEA Competition for the last five years. From 2004-2005, CMB won the Commendation Award twice, while in 2006, the unit was awarded the Special Commendation Award. Having emerged as one of the two winners of this year’s prestigious MEA, CMB has demonstrated its commitment to achieving the pinnacle of success in its organisational excellence journey. This is also the first time a unit from the Republic of Singapore Navy has won this prestigious award.

(D) MINDEF STAR SERVICE AWARD

21. The MINDEF STAR Service Award recognises personnel who have displayed exemplary performance in challenging situations. Only the most deserving recipients who have achieved the “Go the Extra Mile for Service” (GEMS) will be conferred the award on PRIDE Day.

22. This year, the six most deserving recipients for the 2007 MINDEF STAR Service Award winners are Mr Dennis Toh Kian Loon (VIP Liaison Specialist), Ms Joanne Low Ah Lian (Head of Operations, General Staff Development), Ms Lynne Chew Suet Ming (Senior Executive Assistant, Financial Services Centre, DMG), Mr Spencer Lim Teng Poh (Head Maintenance Specialist, TMB/PCB), 2WO Kalyani Muthu (MT WO, SBAB) and 2WO Chng Beng Tin (Training Coordinator, Joint Service).

Mr Dennis Toh Kian Loon (VIP Liaison Specialist / 1 SAF Transport Battalion / HQ Supply & Transport)

23. On the way to an official golf game, the wife of a foreign delegate changed her mind as the weather was hot. Dennis, who had taken extra effort to check the weather forecast, reassured the official's wife that the weather would be beautiful and gave her sunblock to protect her from the sun. The foreign delegate was pleased with Dennis for handling the situation well.

24. On another occasion, Dennis was commended by the Chief Of Royal New Zealand Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Graham Lintott for his professional, courteous and good humoured service.

Ms Joanne Low Ah Lian (Head Operations, General Staff Development)

25. During the International Monetary Fund / World Bank event, Low facilitated the timely acquisition of services and equipment for the SAF. She took the initiative to co-ordinate with the respective agencies and the MINDEF Department of Finance (DFO) in establishing a viable and expedient financial workflow for the Formations and units. Joanne goes the extra mile to provide customer service and satisfaction, never turning any request away.

26. Mr Yeo King Wat, Commanding Officer (CO) of the Service Support Unit (SSU) says, “Joanne cares for everyone enough to make their problems her own, the mark of true service excellence”.

Ms Lynne Chew Suet Meng (Senior Executive Assistant, Financial Services Centre, DMG)

27. Upon knowing the financial difficulties faced by an ex-serviceman who was diagnosed with an acute medical condition, Lynne initiated an arrangement to seek approval to use part of his compensation to offset his outstanding debt. The balance from the compensation could then be used to take care of the basic necessities of his family.

28. The ex-serviceman commended Lynne in saying, "I pushed all my problems to Lynne, and she solved all my problems. These problems were not to have been taken care of by her branch, but by other branches. Nevertheless, she helped me look into and resolve my problems".

Mr Spencer Lim Teng Poh (Head Maintenance Specialist Section 2, Tuas Maintenance Base, Plans Control Branch (TMB/PCB))

29. Spencer restructured his section after one of his staff officers was posted out without any replacement. He also undertook the programme manager role for all the ships' maintenance programmes, in order to share the workload with his staff officers. This arrangement allowed his staff officers to be more focused and better able to provide support to the Squadron.

30. ltc Alphonsus Chua KH, Formation Logistics Officer, hq coastal command (coscom) affirms Spencer’s dedication by saying, “Always prompt and available in answering calls, regardless of the hour. Ever ready and always proactive in attending to and resolving customers' needs and demands.”

2WO Kalyani Muthu (Military Training Warrant Officer, SBAB, Ground Logistics Liaison Office (GLLO))

31. 2WO Kalyani Muthu’s prompt reply and ability to forecast and manage problems have always been her strong point. Be it in indenting a vehicle or answering a simply query, her dedication to her duties and sense of responsibility makes sure that her customers receive the best advice.

32. LTC Sew Chun Liang, CO 120 SQN says, "Kalyani is reliable and resourceful. Her work attitude exemplifies the various aspects of the RSAF core values".

2WO Chng Beng Tng (Training Co-ordinator, Joint Service)

33. 2WO Chng displayed her professionalism by rendering her service to the Joint Manpower Department (JMPD), which contributed to the successful conduct of the 6th JMPD PRIDE day. Her commitment and services have been well received and appreciated within and outside the Formation.

34. LTC Png Eng Keong, Head of Operations, Planning and Doctrine (OPD), JMPD praises 2WO Chng by saying, “The professionalism that you have displayed has contributed significantly to the overall success of the event. Once again, well done and thank you".

(E) NS40 PRIDE AWARD

35. For the 20^th MINDEF PRIDE Day, in conjunction with commemorating 40 years of NS, three one-off awards will be presented to an NSman from each Service. The purpose is to recognise NSmen who have consistently contributed quality suggestions to improve administration and training during ICTs in the past years.

36. This award at the service level aims to motivate and continue to encourage their efforts in innovation excellence. The three recipients are LTC (NS) Loh Yue Thong, MAJ (NS) Chen Wee Chirt and SSG (NS) Cheong Yong Heng.

LTC (NS) Loh Yue Thong (Army)

37. When LTC (NS) Loh was with the 627^th Singapore Infantry Regiment (627 SIR) in 2 PDF, he was instrumental in championing the unit’s efforts in the NSmen Suggestion Management System (NSMS), leading 627 SIR to win the NSMS awards at 2 PDF Command, Army and MINDEF PRIDE days for the past two years. He received the Outstanding NSMS Unit Award (Gold) for the Army PRIDE Day and the MINDEF PRIDE Day Outstanding NSMS Unit Award in 2006. In 2007, he received the Outstanding NSMS Unit Award (Silver) for the Army PRIDE Day, and the Outstanding NSMS Unit Award for MINDEF PRIDE Day.

MAJ (NS) Chen Wee Chirt (RSN)

38. MAJ (NS) Chen, a Branch Head from Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM), believes in optimising logistics support to enhance team operating capability and achieve higher civil resource (CR) readiness. One of his team suggestions, Safety Handbook for the CR vessel, has been awarded the Best NSMS suggestion this year.

SSG (NS) Cheong Yong Heng (RSAF)

39. SSG (NS) Cheong, from the Air Logistics Squadron, is committed to contributing and improving work processes in his line of work. He encourages his men to think creatively and constantly looks into how work processes can be improved to increase productivity. He was awarded the RSAF Best NSMS Suggestion (Support) award in 2006 and clinched the award again, along with the MINDEF PRIDE Day Best NSMS award this year for his project on the local fabrication of the UAV arresting hook.

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