PUBLISHED ONJune 28, 2024 5:11 AMByKhoo Yi-HangShe's a navy officer now, but things might have turned out quite differently had she continued her passion for the arts.
The Commanding Officer of RSS Indomitable Major Jaime Liew had originally dreamed of chasing a career in the arts - and she's thankful that she didn't, she shared in an interview with the media on June 20.
"I was interested in doing art-related stuff… visual art, painting, drawing, dance, performing arts," the 32-year-old said.
"But I don't think that I would have been good enough," she admitted, adding that it was good that she got pulled into the navy before she "embarked on a career that might not have worked out".
Entering the navy wasn't all that easy, however, as her father was "surprised" by her decision to join the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
"So my dad took a while to come around to it, but he eventually gave me his full support," she said.
"I don't think that I would have had so much confidence when going through basic military training - which was honestly at the deep end of the pool - if my classmates from junior college and family members hadn't all [given me their support]."
Now, Liew is the commanding officer of the RSS Indomitable - a littoral mission vessel - helming a 23-man crew.
She has been in active service with the Singapore navy since 2015.
Her crew has also won the Best Maritime Security Unit for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Best Unit Competition this year, which Liew attributes to the crew's dedication and professionalism.
"I hope that I will stay in the navy a long time more; I hope that I will always be able to find engaging things to do until I retire," she said.
"As long as I have people that I believe in - and who believe in me - I don't think I will leave."
To her, the end-goal of her service to the nation is to make a difference in people's lives, impacting them positively and inspiring them to be the best versions of themselves.
But it's not like she has left her passions behind in the dust.
When asked if she feels any longing for her time pursuing the arts, Liew shared very matter-of-factly that she still does Chinese calligraphy and ballet in her free time.
"I've been using my SkillsFuture credits to go for calligraphy classes," she said brightly.
Liew isn't the only one to have received recognition from the SAF - the Republic of Singapore Airforce (RSAF)'s 142 Squadron has also won the overall Best Fighter Squadron in the SAF Best Unit Competition.
Speaking with the media on Tuesday (June 25), Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson Wee, commanding officer of the squadron, attributed the win to - among other things - the work culture among his men.
"We are a tight-knit team - both air and ground crew - and we really take pride in our own members of the squadron being willing to go the distance with and for each other," the 35-year-old said.
"So if one man is having high demands elsewhere, whether at home or other aspects of work, we'll step in as required."
Squadron members have been "quite forthcoming" with their needs, he added, and they all look out for each other.
Weapons systems instructor Captain Yip Di Hao, 31, who recently became a father, agreed with Wee.
He has to spend time with his two-month-old daughter and help his wife at home - but with the pilots' work schedules sometimes taking up to 12 hours a day, it isn't easy to find time for family.
"As much as possible, I try to keep my days short so I can actually be home slightly earlier to put my daughter to sleep," Yip said.
He also goes to work a little later so that he can care for his daughter - all of this supported by squadron members, who take over his responsibilities where needed.
"So thanks to the squadron, I can spend a bit more time with family," he added.
Family is also a major part of LTC Wee's life - he's a father of three, and a husband to his 39-week-pregnant wife.
"If my phone starts ringing, I have to run," he jokingly told the media, suggesting that his wife might give birth at any time.
Sharing how he balances his work and personal life as a father, Wee prefaced his answer by saying that it is "definitely not easy".
"[My wife and I] take turns… So if she needs rest, I'll take the three kids out to the mall to watch a movie, so that she gets a break," he said.
"I think most importantly, we keep each other recharged… Every evening, however late at night, I return home from a day flight or night flight [and we] get together and chat."
He added that there is "no easy way about this", and loss of sleep is a given.
"I'm very grateful that my wife respects that if I'm flying the following day, she would prioritise my sleep," he said.
"Because I could make a thousand right decisions in one flight, but if my 1,001th decision is wrong, it could cost us quite a bit - and not just my life."
Introduced in 1969 and 1993 respectively, the annual SAF Best Unit and Best NS Unit Competitions are yearly awards given out to units based on a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process over the past year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
They aim to recognise units which have excelled in the areas of combat readiness, operational proficiency, and administrative excellence.
The competitions also serve to enhance mission excellence, professionalism, and camaraderie among servicemen in the SAF units.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen will be presenting awards to 18 active units and 11 national service units at the SAF Day parade held at the Safti Military Institute on July 1.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
