Singapore residents with a passion for the performing arts can now volunteer for Ministry of Defence events such as the National Day Parade under three newly established roles, according to a ministry statement released on July 25. The initiative broadens non-military participation options across the country’s defense framework.
New Roles Open for Performers and Technical Crew
Beginning July 25, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will welcome volunteer dancers, musicians, singers, and emcees. Officials are also recruiting individuals skilled in technical fields like camera operations and sound engineering. In addition, the ministry will accept volunteers without technical backgrounds who wish to support events through other support functions.
These new performing arts volunteers will contribute to defense-related productions on a per-project basis, according to Gail Wan, deputy executive director of So Drama! Entertainment (SDE). SDE is a local media and entertainment organization operating under the SAFRA group and is collaborating with MINDEF on the recruitment. Wan noted that the assignments will also involve hosting events for foreign dignitaries, such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
Volunteer Network Growth and Public Response
The expansion falls under the newly launched Singapore Defence Volunteer Network, known as SG Defence. Since its rollout in May, approximately 300 individuals have applied to join SG Defence, putting the program close to its initial target of 400 new volunteers, MINDEF reported. The network brings together various Singapore Armed Forces volunteer programs, including the SAF Volunteer Corps, with a stated goal of doubling the current pool of roughly 1,500 military and civilian volunteers over the next three to five years.
Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Psalm Lew, director of the Engagement and Volunteer Office at Nexus, stated that the SG Defence launch has raised public awareness regarding non-military contribution channels. Nexus oversees National Education and Total Defence while coordinating the volunteer network. Lew reported that current interest is roughly split between military and civilian positions, with applicants ranging from teenagers to retirees and occupations spanning homemakers to business leaders.
Did You Know? The Singapore Defence Volunteer Network consolidates existing programs like the SAF Volunteer Corps and aims to double its total volunteer pool of about 1,500 people over the next three to five years.
Personalizing Total Defence Through Civilian Engagement
Civilians like Cindy Chng exemplify the diverse backgrounds entering the network. Chng, a 37-year-old associate director and head of strategic partnerships at pharmaceutical firm MSD Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, serves as a National Education ambassador. In her volunteer capacity, she visits schools to deliver talks on Total Defence.
Chng initially believed she was unsuited for military involvement, but she described her civilian ambassador work as highly rewarding. “When we think about Total Defence, it may feel like a very abstract or very big concept. But I think through my role as an NE ambassador, I get to make it personal,” Chng said.
Future Expansion and Specialized Expertise Needs
Looking ahead, Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Lew and Colonel Low Youwen, who leads the SAFVC, indicated that the SG Defence Network plans to widen both its civilian and military tracks. This expansion could allow residents to engage across an even broader range of capacities as the network matures.
Addressing an appreciation event for MINDEF volunteers on July 25 at the National Stadium, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing emphasized that the ministry will increasingly require specialized talent from diverse societal sectors. Chan cited law and the media as key areas where specialized expertise is necessary to confront emerging threats, contrasting modern security needs with the historical view of defense as the sole domain of the uniformed military.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for the new volunteer roles?
Singapore citizens and permanent residents of varying ages and occupations, ranging from teenagers to retirees and homemakers to business leaders, can apply to join the Singapore Defence Volunteer Network.
What specific performing arts and technical roles are available?
MINDEF is accepting volunteer dancers, musicians, singers, emcees, and individuals with technical capabilities in sound engineering and camera operations, alongside non-technical support volunteers.
What organization is coordinating the new volunteer network?
Nexus, the body overseeing Total Defence and National Education, is coordinating the SG Defence network in partnership with MINDEF and related entities like So Drama! Entertainment.
How might specialized professional expertise from outside the military shape future defense operations in Singapore?
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