Blue on Blue: Part 13

Prodigal Sons
Singapore’s defence eco-system extracts a heavy penalty from citizens who cross its path because the forgiving spirit engendered by the Yellow Ribbon project seems alien to the defence establishment.

The Yellow Ribbon initiative reminds Singaporeans that they should accept and rehabilitate citizens who once strayed. It is a noble effort that people in defence circles should practice more.

Over decades, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have lost many friends because of the system’s hard-hitting, retributive mindset. In many cases, people turn their backs on MINDEF/SAF for good.

Two case studies will underline this point.

In the 1990s, a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pilot migrated to Australia. His decision to do so predated the Lion City’s clarion call for foreign talent by about a decade.

It says much about the standard of RSAF training when that pilot was accepted into the ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a warfighter. As Australia is a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), RAAF squadrons routinely fly to Southeast Asia for joint exercises with air forces of the other FPDA members. These are Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

The former Singaporean was among the RAAF pilots scheduled to fly to Singapore for war games.

When his name appeared on the list of Australian Defence Force personnel due to arrive in Singapore, the Australians were politely informed that the ex-RSAF pilot was persona non grata. In short, his presence in Singapore was not welcome.

How would you have felt?

While flying for the RSAF, the pilot put his life on the line every time he strapped in and took to the air to defend Singapore’s skies.

Flying for the RAAF, the pilot was serving an air force whose pilots and aircrew once fought and died defending Singapore. Try telling that to Singaporean bureaucracy.

In countries such as the UK and the United States, and certainly between Australia and New Zealand, it is not unknown for citizens of these countries to migrate and fly on the side of their ally. In many instances, that relationship is celebrated.

I’m guessing that the larger “message” MINDEF/SAF wanted to send to RSAF pilots was the fact that they would be treated as social pariahs if they ever did the same as their former comrade.

Moving on, there’s the case of a Defence Attache who served in a foreign mission. He had chalked up an illustrious career. He had led his unit to win a Best Unit trophy. He is also said to have had an affair. Alas, his operational security was poor and his wife found out.

Now, if you’ve ever been in a relationship, you would know the saying that “hell knows no fury like that of a woman scorned” has more than a ring of truth to it.

Wife allegedly complained. Action was apparently taken. DA is said to have lost his job.

One should not condone transgressions and we all have to pay a price for bad calls in our personal or professional life. C’est la vie.

But every punitive action should be backed by a Yellow Ribbon-style reformative process, failing which the defence establishment will lose a friend.

Add these examples to the painful experiences of dozens of Singaporean families who have lost loved ones in SAF training accidents over the past few decades and the ill-will quotient increases exponentially.

Singaporeans live in one of the world’s most densely-populated cities where gossip spreads like wildfire. Officialdom’s indifference adds more dissenting voices to the bag and the defence establishment loses yet more support.

If you’re one who believes that heartware is as important as defence hardware, you will realize that this is a loss rate we should not tolerate.

In the battle for hearts and minds, every person counts.