The modern face of Singapore's military

Halmie Hussein Mattar was born just 12 years after Singapore was declared a sovereign nation.

At the time of independence, Singapore's defence capability consisted of two infantry battalions of 50 officers, about 1000 men, and two ships. There was no air force to speak of.

Today, the University of Adelaide MBA graduate is one of about 55,000 regular servicemen in Singapore.

At the age of 32, Halmie is a Major in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), responsible for officer cadet training.

He is the modern face of Singapore's military: a highly educated young man with two diplomas, an undergraduate degree and now an MBA to boot - averaging distinctions for all 12 subjects taken at the Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre, where he graduated in April.

"It was an interesting and eye-opening experience for me embarking on an MBA because I was the only military person in my class," Halmie said. "I'm used to giving orders, leading by example, and it was a great opportunity in collaboration for me."

The military has been his life for the past nine years, since signing on with the Singapore Armed Forces in 1999.

He had already completed a Diploma in Electronic, Computer and Communications Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic before starting his national conscription at the age of 21.

The army then funded Halmie's three-year Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours) degree at the University of Sydney before he returned to Singapore to begin his tours of duty.

In the intervening years he has risen through the ranks and appointments, from a Platoon Commander, Company Commander and Instructor, and now Major.

As Head of Training Development at the Officer Cadet School (OCS), he oversees the curriculum and training methods for officer training.

His recently-acquired MBA has given him a business perspective to his work and helped develop new strategic goals for OCS.

"The thinking processes and experience gained while studying for my MBA has had a direct, positive impact on my work and I'm sure it will pay dividends in the long run," Halmie said.

"Singapore is a very disciplined country and accepts authority, but the profile of our cadets is changing, which means that our training methods have altered as well.

"In the past, cadets were simply given orders and told to do something. Now they are more likely to question our methods - not in a disrespectful way, but in an inquisitive way.

"Training methods from the past need to be adapted to suit today's cadets, who are better educated and more techno-savvy," he said.

Halmie was one of 127 students to graduate from the University of Adelaide in Singapore on Saturday 25 April. He was among the five top graduates at Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre in 2008. ■

STORY CANDY GIBSON