'It's time for me to contribute': Singapore PR and YouTuber joins SAF Volunteer Corps

She's a published author, YouTuber, entrepreneur, investor and former model. 

And now, she is also a member of the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC). 

In a YouTube video uploaded on Saturday (Nov 4), KK, who goes by the moniker The Krazy Koala, told her followers that it was something she had been keeping quiet about for some time. 

"The whole process has [taken] a couple of years since the time I applied to the actual training," shared the Singapore Permanent Resident (PR). 

She has since graduated from the course and a few close friends attended her ceremony and formation day. 

"I've actually never disclosed any of this information to [the] general public because I'm a very private person," she said.

For the uninitiated, the SAFVC is a uniformed volunteer scheme that allows more Singaporeans and PRs to contribute to Singapore's national defence. 

Applicants need to be Singaporean women who are either first-generation PRs or new citizens. 

They also have to be between the ages of 18 and 45, and need to be physically and medically fit. 

It wasn't easy 

While it was something KK really wanted to do, the journey was no walk in the park. 

Apart from the long hours, early schedules and "very simple living conditions", she had to push herself physically by carrying heavy 20kg to 30kg weights during training.

The training was so hard on her that she even fell sick for a couple of weeks. 

"My body was not quite used to that kind of environment and intensity, so it took me forever to recover from a cold," she said, adding that it was not even Covid-19. 

Other things she had to do was change her hair colour to suit the training requirements, as well as giving up phone access, which is crucial to her as a content creator. 

And because she fell so sick during those couple of weeks, she was even unable to talk to the camera as she had completely lost her voice. 

Why join the army? 

Despite how hard life in the volunteer corps was, KK would willingly do it all over again. 

"At the end of the day, through all these difficulties, I'm still very proud to say that I never regretted what I am doing." 

She revealed that she joined the SAFVC because she loves Singapore and as "actions speak louder than words", it was the best way for her to give back to the country.  

"I've been a PR of Singapore for many years. I personally benefit so much from the safety, the environment, the facilities, the efficiency of the country. 

"And I think that by being a soldier, and being part of the army, it's time for me to contribute to the safety of the country that I've benefitted from." 

Apart from that, she also wanted to learn more about the country she now calls home. 

"It doesn't matter if you live in an HDB or go to a hawker centre every day. You don't get a comprehensive understanding of the country without understanding the government and the military services," she explained. 

"And I think by actually participating, it has really deepened my understanding of the country, the socio-economics, the culture, the mechanisms and everything." 

All the hard work has paid off because apart from gaining a wealth of experience, KK has learned how to appreciate Singapore better. 

"Because of all these difficulties and conditions that I [experience in the] army, it made me realise nothing should be taken for granted, even the ability to have a shower every day. Nothing is given in your life," she said. 

Author, former model and more

KK's resume and list of experiences are something many would envy. 

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Media Studies from New York University, a Master's degree in Statistics from Columbia University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Insead. 

She's also a seasoned traveller, having done solo trips to a whopping 181 countries and counting. (For context, there are 193 countries in the world.) 

She's also an author who's written about her travel adventures. 

In December 2017, she published her first book, 550,000 Miles, and in April 2020, she published the second book in the series, One Million Miles. 

Apart from all of this, she's also a former model, musician, and the founder of KK Success, which offers coaching programmes. 

AsiaOne has reached out to her for more details. 

ALSO READ: Woman shares unusual career path from SAF gunnery instructor to DBS product manager

melissateo@asiaone.com