Singapore's only female SAF Ranger Yap Hui Jun failed first attempt, but not because she was physically weak

If at first you don't succeed, try again - and one more attempt was all Captain Yap Hui Jun needed to become Singapore's first and only female SAF Ranger.

Yap had made her first attempt at earning Ranger qualifications in 2022, but hit a wall during phase two of the three-phase course, she shared with the media at Pasir Ris Camp on Tuesday (Oct 24).

She explained that she wasn't fluent with small unit tactics and planning during second-phase missions, thus resulting in her eventual failure to complete the course. 

The 27-year-old had completed the first phase of the course prior to this, during which candidates honed their skills with weapons, demolition, coastal swimming and navigation over 20 days.

The second phase, also 20 days long, sees Ranger candidates putting their skills to use in the field with missions on land and sea, taking approximately eight to 10 hours, excluding planning.

Deprived of sleep and food

Yap, an Intelligence Officer Cadet Course platoon commander at the SAF Military Intelligence Institute, shared that it wasn't as simple as taking the same exam twice.

While physical strain is certainly a key aspect of the challenge that candidates face, the nature of the beast is far from just that.

She explained preparing for the physical portion of the course was "quite manageable" by simply working out at the gym, lifting weights and going for fast marches.

However, the mental aspect to the course was not easy to prepare for, as the course's simulation of combat ensured that they were deprived of sleep and food.

"For a normal person, if you're able to have three meals a day, why would you shortchange yourself with one meal a day - it's the same concept for sleep," Yap said.

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Explaining the difference between her first and second tries at the Ranger course, Yap described her first attempt as being a challenge because she was essentially "going in blind".

"I thought the first one was a bit more challenging for me compared to the second one, because it was filled with uncertainty, I didn't know what the Ranger course was about."

Although she did ask around to know more about it from those who had gone through it themselves, she admitted that there was a limit to getting second-hand knowledge on the matter.

"You need to experience it… there's no way you can prep for it mentally," Yap said.

She added that one needs to have a positive mindset towards the course and have an open mind when they go in.

"Be a team player and always expect the unexpected during the course, try your best. Look left and right, you'll see that everyone is going through the same thing as you," she added.

"After completing the course, I'm hoping to be a better leader for my cadets, someone they can look up to… I also hope to inspire future batches of females signing on, or even attempting the Ranger course."

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khooyihang@asiaone.com