'Army is not just a career, it's a calling': Chief Infantry Officer credits parents for shaping his journey

For Colonel Fairoz Bin Hassan, joining the Army was initially a practical decision — a means to fund his education, as his parents couldn't afford the costs.
But what began as a necessity gradually transformed into a passion and, ultimately, a calling.
Col Fairoz was among 1,282 Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces personnel promoted over the last two days, and is the second from the Malay community to be promoted to Brigadier General.
The promotion will be effective July 1.
Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday (June 27), the 46-year-old Chief Infantry Officer recounted a pivotal moment that reshaped his perspective — his deployment to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in 2005, soon after the 2004 tsunami, in support of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
"My job was a UN liaison officer, and I was tasked with coordinating all the HADR relief efforts, linking up with what the public needed," he said.
"It was a sobering moment because you see how disaster affects not just the country, but the entire community. The spirit and strength of the people were really amazing.
"That's when I realised that being in the military was not just about training for the defence of the country — it's about doing the things that really matter."
An introvert, Col Fairoz admitted that one of his biggest challenges was engaging with others and communicating with large groups.
But he went out of his comfort zone, gradually building the confidence to connect and collaborate with others more effectively.
He credits this personal growth as a key strength that enabled him to coordinate efforts — such as working with various government agencies — to ensure smooth operations during the SG50 National Day Parade.
"At the end of the day, people solve problems. So, you must be able to work with people," he said.
Having served in the Army for over two decades, he has also talked about its evolving training methods, moving away from a purely infantry-centric focus to making training more purposeful and forward-looking.
He also highlighted the integration of new operational capabilities, such as drone training in Basic Military Training Centre — allowing recruits to operate drones as part of their training.
"It's about keeping everything up to standard and making sure that we're always ready to train our people," he said.
His journey didn’t begin with a passion for service — but out of necessity.
"I joined the Army so that it could help pay for my studies because I didn't come from a well-to-do family," he said.
"I must say that I stayed because I found purpose in what I do. As they say, the Army is not just a career, it’s a calling."
When asked what motivated him during his difficult times, he credited his parents as being his pillars of strength.
"The most influential people to me are my parents. I have the perfect parents, and they are very supportive of me," he said.
"Most importantly, they allowed me to be who I am and who I want to be, and I try to be like them when I deal with others in the military."
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